Research with Reach
Harnessing technology to advance and enhance learning
Personalized education through technology can improve accessibility, equity, and effectiveness
The future of learning will be personalized, with technologies like artificial intelligence catering and adapting to your individual learning needs, say Athabasca University (AU) researchers.
These technologies have the power to not only enable and enhance learning, but to democratize it by making it easily accessible to people around the world.
“By doing so we are increasing literacy levels and education levels,” says Dr. Levina Yuen, an assistant professor in emerging technology at AU. “And that actually promotes equity in education, because we’re thinking about ways that we can provide more education for all.”
Leaders in education technology
Dr. Vive Kumar, associate dean of research and innovation, says researchers in the field call it cognification—a system that caters to each student’s individual learning styles and needs.
“We are looking to democratize education, so that everyone gets equal access and everyone gets equal opportunity to educate themselves and contribute to the maximum extent possible.”
We are looking to democratize education, so that everyone gets equal access and everyone gets equal opportunity to educate themselves and contribute to the maximum extent possible. Dr. Vive Kumar, associate dean of research and innovation
Technology should empower
“Technology is a part of us; we’re part of them,” explains Dr. Jon Dron, a professor in the School of Computing and Information Systems. “We’re working together, it’s an orchestration.”
Humans create technology, and technologies can improve our lives. “But the ways in which we use them are really what’s the important stuff,” he adds.
Technology should improve our individual lives, but also improve our communities and the environment around us.
“Technology should make us better. I can’t think of anything more important.”
