This year I’ve tested quite a few tools. Some of them are social listening tools, including YouScan. I liked what I saw and I teamed up with them – I’m currently testing it to assess its strengths and the opportunities it can bring to digital marketing efforts of mine or my clients.
The project that I will be talking about focuses on edtech and AI. I have been interested in education for quite some time now and am curious about the impact of AI in the edtech industry,
Here is what my thoughts are after month #1 of using YouScan:
- Easy setup – you can set it up in 5 minutes, check the video below
- I love the integration with Copilot!
- As with most listening tools, a lot of data comes from Twitter which, in this particular case, was mostly skewed towards brands, not individual users
- Easy to use by a non techie with basic knowledge on Boolean search. And if you don’t have any idea who is Boolean (I can’t blame you!) YouScan has quite an extensive documentation around how to setup your Topic (again, checkout the video below)
Setup your YouScan Topic in 5:34 minutes
The Last 30 Days in #edtech and AI
AI is seen as having the potential evolutionize the educational landscape, both students and teachers stand to gain significantly from its integration.
For students, AI promises to transform their learning experiences by providing personalized learning paths that cater to individual needs, enhancing engagement and understanding. This technology is particularly adept at improving literacy skills and reading fluency, offering tailored support that can adapt to the pace and level of each learner. Additionally, AI is supposed to enhance writing skills by providing real-time feedback, making revisions more efficient and effective. Another benefit for students is that AI can foster interactive learning environments, these can prepare students for future job markets, which are increasingly dependent on tech literacy, but also make learning more enjoyable through AI-enhanced educational games.
Teachers, on the other hand, can find AI tools useful to generate unique learning activities and content, which can make the teaching process more dynamic and enrich in classroom discussions. Educators are actively testing AI-powered tools and resources to enhance their teaching methods, some of the main use cases mentioned are: 1) to automate administrative tasks so they can focus more on teaching and less on paperwork; 2) to monitor student progress more effectively, ensuring that they can intervene more appropriately and timely.
Collaboration is key
We can identify a call for collaboration, educators need to grasp the basics of AI. various conferences, webinars, and professional development sessions dedicated to AI in education are referenced in the 22,588 tracked mentions.
Privacy and biases, among the top threats mentioned
The top mentioned challenges are data privacy and potential biases, with people talking about how AI applications in education need to help create a more equitable and efficient learning environment no matter the race, gender, location of the student or teacher.
Top Stories, Tools, Events
TOP 3 VELOCITY STORIES
- The TimeSoul project combines mindfulness, well-being, and education with the advanced technologies of the EdTech and crypto industries. It combines technologies from the EdTech market alongside blockchain innovations from the web3. To loyalize its user base it provides bonuses and engages users through incentives such as the SoulBox gift, which invites participants to join the project. A lot of the mentions seem to be affiliate marketing posts, all of the mentions are on Twitter (3,945 mentions, link)
- The completion of a merger between Genius Group Limited and FatBrain AI to form an AI-powered Education and Acceleration group. The purpose of the merger is to power Sovereign AI ecosystems for entrepreneurs, enterprises, governments, and students through AI education and enablement. (356 mentions, link)
- iyyah, an education app for busy Muslims, secures a $2 million in funding. The round of funding is co-led by Venrex and Cur8 Capital. Other participants in the funding round include Active Partners, Emerge, Collective Continuum, and prominent angel investors. The funding will be used to launch a new iteration of the app and enhance its features. The announcement was made on March 11, 2024, in London, United Kingdom. (160 mentions, link)
TOP STORIES IN MAINSTREAM SOURCES
- TEDx Talks (2 mentions):
- Business Insider: Lirvana Labs developed an AI companion that it thinks will revolutionize the classroom. Here’s the pitch deck the startup used to land $5.3 million.
- India Today: India’s youth set to embrace AI: 15,000 ITIs introduce groundbreaking curriculum. An initiative led by the Directorate General of Training with support from Future Right Skills Network aims to make India’s future young youths ready.
TOP MENTIONED TOOLS
- Quizizz (304 mentions) – quizz maker
- TeacherMatic (226 mentions) – helps generate lesson plans
- Canva (119 mentions) – graphic design tool
- DiffitApp (45 mentions) – instructional materials for teachers
- Almanackai (7 mentions) – AI-powered lesson plans and classroom resources
TOP MENTIONED EVENTS ON AI IN EDUCATION
- SXSW EDU Conference: a) Jamie Nunez’s session “AI’s Impact on Students of Color: Rethinking Digital Wellness, b) “Edtech Insiders Rundown of SXSW EDU 2024 [Kornell, Sarlin, & Morin] + other K12-related items
- #ASCD24 – @ASCD’s annual conference
- The National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) conference: Common Sense Education attended the conference and held sessions around #AI
- Tech & Learning Regional Leadership Summit
How to Make the Most of This Data
- Are you a teacher? Test out the AI tools above
- Are you an #edtech antrepreneur? Aim to make a list of the events on #edtech and attend – they are most likely an amazing opportunity for networking and finding partners
- Are you a marketer in #edtech? Not quite sure how to approach the use of AI for your brand? Try to be mindful of both the opportunities and the threats that AI can bring. Talk about how your brand addresses privacy concerns and become part of the conversation around AI in #edtech at big events like SXSW, maybe even consider getting your leadership involved.
If you want to further discuss all of this over coffee or lemonade, drop me an email at hello@oanaandreescu.com.
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