Digital Technologies
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence
HyFlex design focuses on flexible learning options and choices for participation. The integration of Artificial Intelligence into HyFlex approaches includes the use of tools for academic efficiency and personalized design. In addition, approaches to Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI: capable of generating text, images, videos, or other data using generative models, often in response to prompts) for students might include fostering critical thinking, creating artefacts and developing skills for more personal interactions leading to enhanced outcomes. One key objective here is ‘personalization’ of the learning. The use of AI can compliment both the learning process and learning outputs in ways that we might not have even thought of yet.
Enhancing interaction with AI
Much has been written and researched about the challenges of ‘Transactional Distance’ (Moore, 1997) and now in the emerging era of AI integration into learning and teaching we are realising the power of new tools to simulate the interactions found in synchronous learning. Student isolation from other learners can be mitigated via GenAI. Tools such as ChatGPT can be used to build chatbots for dialogue with students learning in asynchronous mode who may not have sufficient autonomy to succeed. Beatty (2024a) discusses chatbots as study aides with capacity to interact with the student as a substitute for instructor interaction, such as ‘Course syllabus explorer’. The use of GenAI helps build a sense of community among asynchronous learners by emulating interaction with peers. Examples include ‘Breakout companion’, ‘Peer review partner’, and perhaps even more interesting ‘Breakout for three’, about which Beatty (2024a) states,
The Breakout for Three GPT offers a simulated three-person breakout discussion, with the AI assuming two roles: a “more knowledgeable other” and a naïve learner, based on Vygotsky’s concepts (1978). This setup allows students to engage with peers of varying understanding levels, providing a rich learning environment….. aynchronous learners can immerse themselves in a simulated synchronous experience, similar to a genuine breakout conversation. The GPT can offer a summary for class debriefs and steer the conversation based on provided prompts, allowing deeper exploration of topics. Each interaction is unique, and students can use the GPT multiple times to further explore the subject matter.
The possibility of making asynchronous interactions more interesting and accessible through AI has great potential, as Beatty (2024b) states,
While AI interactions cannot fully replace human interactions, they offer a valuable supplemental experience that addresses the unique needs of asynchronous learners, ensuring that all students can achieve their educational goals.
Examples
| Quizzes for formative assessment and student engagement are well known; however, creating relevant quizzes can be time-consuming. | Chat Bots can be easily programmed in something like ChatGPT and help ‘fill in the gaps’ for students who are not present synchronously but who want choices and equivalent learning options. |
| A tool such as Nolej.io constructs a variety of quiz modes quickly based on analysis of artefacts such as a PDF file or video, including the post-lecture or tutorial video. GenAI tools that will do this task include Claude.ai and ChatGPT. | An example might be a virtual learning tutor who can hone in on concepts and encourage deeper understanding. |
Note: Quizzes in this book are generated by Nolej.io into H5P formats.
While we are still in the early days of AI in education, the type of access and personalised learning that AI can provide aligns perfectly with a HyFlex approach. Consider how AI could support your HyFlex aspirations. Some of these ideas might help:
- Personalized learning paths adapting to the learner’s specific needs.
- Automated content creation to support faculty to develop better content quicker.
- Intelligent tutoring systems in which the tutor responds to the learner at their own pace, when and where they have time.
- Enhanced engagement tracking that feeds back to the learner.
- Improved accessibility with automated transcripts, captions etc.
- Adaptive assessments linked to the needs of the individual learner.
- Predictive analytics to support the development of resources specific to where the learner is at.
- Chatbots and virtual assistants to do the ‘drudgery’ work that faculty do (emails, FAQs etc).
- Automated grading and feedback to save faculty time and provide feedback in a timely manner.
References
Beatty, B. (2024a). Engaging “Accidental” Asynchronous HyFlex Learners with GenAI GPTs. Paper presented at the 2nd Annual HyFlex Collaborative Conference, June 27, 2024. (Proceedings paper: https://sfsu.box.com/s/07tl966gfv0slurpsb79n1ce11woblxj)
Beatty, B. (2024b, June 21). Can Gen AI be used to support “accidental” asynchronous learners in HyFlex courses? HyFlex Learning Community. https://www.hyflexlearning.org/2024/06/21/genai_interaction/.
Moore, M. G. (1997). Theory of transactional distance. In D. Keegan (Ed.), Theoretical principles of distance
education (pp. 22-38). Routledge.
