Personalized, on-demand help supports better classroom results
Toronto, Ont. — It has been two years since popular use of artificial intelligence tools burst into our daily lives.
In the classroom, the proliferation of AI has caused no shortage of consternation, with many concerns being raised that it is something students will use to “cheat” their way through class, relying on AI to generate content they should be writing themselves.
But that is a one-dimensional view of a technological advancement that can actually be a powerful learning tool for students. AI is becoming more common in commercial courseware on campuses across Canada, serving as a study tool and resource for students who are seeking help.
“AI can really bridge a gap between instructors and students, especially if a student is struggling,” says Ava Ansari, a fourth-year health sciences student at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., and a student ambassador for courseware publisher Pearson. “Students don’t need to wait for office hours to see their prof or TA, and they can be assured the AI that is incorporated into their courseware is trustworthy and reliable information that may as well come directly from their instructor.”
Generative AI is being incorporated into modern texts in a variety of ways, and often serves as a teaching assistant, of sorts.
Tied to vetted content from a publisher’s courseware, chat tools “learn” to provide personalized support to students, guide them through practice assignments and tests and offer feedback to help them where they are challenged the most. AI can be trained to prioritize pedagogy — rather than give students the answers they seek, it guides them through the process of thinking critically to come up with the answer on their own.
When a question is asked, AI immediately answers, no matter the time or place. The on-demand access of AI-integrated courseware complements — rather than competes with — traditional course instruction.
“AI has transformed education,” says Kinza Ahsan, a fourth-year Human Resources Management student at MacEwan University in Edmonton and a student ambassador with Cengage. “It is an incredible tool that is helpful for answering questions or explaining concepts, which makes learning more accessible and efficient.”
The benefits of these AI tools include:
- Personalized Help — If a student answers an assigned question incorrectly, an AI study tool pops up and offers to guide them through a similar problem step-by-step.
- Immediate Engagement — An AI study tool is essentially a private tutor for every student and can immediately offer assistance.
- Simplified Explanations — AI tools are excellent at breaking down complex topics and making them easy to understand.
- Productive Practice — Study tools turn mistakes into learning opportunities. Walking through a guided practice gives a student clarity and builds their confidence.
- Seamless Use — The tools are embedded in the courseware, meaning students don’t have to flip through various tabs or pages looking for information. It is all right there in the text they are using.
The Canadian Publishers’ Council remains dedicated to providing top-tier educational resources that support student success, both academically and beyond. Learn more at pubcouncil.ca.
About the Canadian Publishers’ Council
The Canadian Publishers’ Council, as Canada’s main English-language book publishing trade association, represents the interests of publishing companies that publish books and other media for elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, professional and reference markets, the retail and library sectors. Founded in 1910, its members employ more than 2,800 Canadians, collectively account for nearly three-quarters of all domestic sales of English-language books and pay more than $25 million in royalties to Canada’s writers and creators.
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