Exploring artificial intelligence tools and their applications in teaching and learning
The concept of AI emerged in the 1950s, with the term "artificial intelligence" coined at the 1956 Dartmouth Conference. Early educational applications began appearing in the 1970s with the development of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS), which aimed to provide personalised instruction by simulating one-to-one human tutoring.
These early systems made rudimentary attempts to model student knowledge and adapt instruction, laying the groundwork for future intelligent educational technology.
The 1980s and 1990s saw the rise of expert systems and more sophisticated adaptive learning platforms. These systems could analyse student responses and provide different paths through learning materials based on performance.
During this period, AI systems became better at modelling domains of knowledge and tracking student progress, though they were still limited in their flexibility and naturalness.
The 2000s marked the integration of AI with web-based learning systems and the beginning of educational data mining. With the growth of online learning, vast amounts of learner data became available for analysis.
This era saw AI moving beyond simple rule-based systems to more sophisticated statistical models that could detect patterns across large datasets.
The early 2010s witnessed the explosion of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and a growing emphasis on personalised learning paths. AI became increasingly important for managing and navigating the vast content libraries of these platforms.
These developments made education more accessible globally while beginning to address the challenge of personalisation at scale.
The mid-2010s saw breakthroughs in deep learning and neural networks that revolutionised AI capabilities, including in education. More sophisticated interactive systems emerged that could better understand and respond to learners.
The ability of these systems to process natural language and adapt to individual learning patterns improved significantly during this period.
The current era is defined by the emergence of powerful large language models (LLMs) and generative AI that have transformed what's possible in educational technology. These systems can understand and generate human-like text, code, and other content.
These powerful new AI tools offer unprecedented capabilities for personalized learning, content creation, and educational support, though they also bring challenges related to accuracy, ethics, and appropriate use.
As a learning technologist, AI tools can significantly enhance your workflow and capabilities across multiple areas of responsibility. Here's how AI can be particularly valuable in your role:
Create first drafts of learning materials, generate assessment questions, develop scenarios for simulations, craft discussions prompts, and produce accessible content variants.
Build personalised learning paths, create scaffolded activities, develop simple simulations, and generate supplementary explanations for difficult concepts.
Generate code snippets for learning platforms, troubleshoot technical issues, create templates and workflows, and develop simple plugins or extensions.
Analyse feedback data, summarise research papers, track technology trends, and help interpret complex learning analytics.
Below is a curated collection of AI tools particularly valuable for learning technologists. Each tool includes a brief description, pricing model, and link to the official website. Use the category filters to focus on specific types of tools.
A powerful conversational AI that can generate text, answer questions, brainstorm ideas, and assist with writing tasks across various domains. Useful for drafting learning materials, assignment instructions, and explanations.
Visit WebsiteGoogle's AI assistant that can draft content, answer queries, and process both text and images. Helpful for educational content creation with up-to-date information access.
Visit WebsiteAI-powered writing assistant for grammar, spelling, and style suggestions. Essential for ensuring learning materials and communications are error-free and professionally written.
Visit WebsiteIntegrated AI within Notion that helps generate content in notes and documents. Useful for summarising materials, creating lesson plans, and organising educational resources.
Visit WebsiteAI image generator that creates visuals from text descriptions. Perfect for creating custom illustrations for learning materials when stock photos won't suffice.
Visit WebsiteDesign platform with AI tools for creating presentations, infographics, and educational materials. Features include text-to-image, background removal, and text generation.
Visit WebsiteAI tool for instantly removing backgrounds from images. Extremely useful for creating professional-looking visual resources for courses and presentations.
Visit WebsiteCreates realistic AI videos from text scripts. Learning technologists can use it to quickly produce video content for modules without filming equipment.
Visit WebsiteAI-powered audio/video editor that works by editing text transcripts. Allows for easy editing of instructional videos and includes features like voice cloning for corrections.
Visit WebsiteRealistic AI voice generation tool for creating high-quality narration for educational content. Offers various voices and emotional tones for engaging audio.
Visit WebsiteCollection of AI tools specifically designed for educators, offering functions for lesson planning, assessment creation, and differentiated materials development.
Visit WebsiteStudy platform with AI features for creating flashcards, practice tests, and adaptive learning experiences. The Q-Chat feature allows interactive study sessions.
Visit WebsiteAI-powered tool for creating interactive lessons and activities. Learning technologists can use it to quickly generate engaging teaching materials and formative assessments.
Visit WebsiteAI-powered answer engine that responds to queries with cited sources. Excellent for conducting quick research on educational topics and discovering reliable sources.
Visit WebsiteAI research assistant that helps find and summarize academic papers. Valuable for learning technologists keeping up with educational technology research or conducting literature reviews.
Visit WebsiteTool that allows you to upload a PDF and ask questions about its content. Useful for quickly extracting information from educational research papers, textbooks, or policy documents.
Visit WebsiteAI-powered storytelling and presentation tool that generates visual narratives from text prompts. Great for creating engaging educational presentations and instructional materials.
Visit WebsiteVideo creation platform that uses AI to transform text content into videos. Learning technologists can use it to convert module content into engaging video modules easily.
Visit WebsiteAI summarizer designed for academic papers that creates summary flashcards highlighting key points. Ideal for digest research for educational technology decisions and staying current with research.
Visit WebsiteWhile AI offers powerful capabilities for learning technologists, it's essential to consider ethical implications when implementing these tools in educational contexts:
Consider whether AI tools are accessible to all learners, including those with disabilities or limited technology access. Ensure that AI implementation doesn't create or amplify digital divides.
Be mindful of how student data is collected, stored, and used by AI systems. Comply with educational data protection regulations (like GDPR) and maintain transparent data practices.
Recognize that AI systems can produce incorrect or misleading information ("hallucinations"). Always verify AI-generated content before using it in educational settings, and teach critical evaluation skills.
Consider how AI use affects the development of critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and creativity. Design learning experiences where AI enhances rather than replaces these cognitive processes.
Maintain the importance of human relationships in education. Use AI to free up time for meaningful human interactions rather than replacing them entirely.
Familiarize yourself with your institution's AI policies and guidelines. Help develop clear frameworks for appropriate AI use if they don't yet exist.
As a learning technologist, you may be involved in creating institutional AI policies. Consider including these elements: