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29 Oct 2024, by Amy Sarcevic
The extent to which students retain the information taught to them during lessons is one of the most important KPIs for any teacher.
In a professional sense, retention correlates tightly with exam performance and ensures schools are doing their job properly. In a personal sense, retention puts students in good stead for their careers, in turn, helping teachers find meaning in their work.
Like many educators, Theo Skordilis, Science Teacher and Digital Pedagogies Coach from the Department of Education and Training QLD, has been consumed with the issue of retention since starting out in his profession.
While it was previously hard for him to quantify and foster, a new AI tool called Cerego is now making these tasks easier.
“Retention is an age old problem in the education sector, but one which AI is helping to solve,” he said ahead of the AI in Education Conference.
So how does the technology work?
Roots in cognitive science
The Cerego tool is based on several, evidence-based practices from the realm of cognitive science.
The first is ‘distributed learning’, in which students review information regularly for short durations.
“This reduces cognitive load and helps students consolidate long term memories,” said Mr Skordilis.
The second is ‘retrieval practice’, in which students are given personalised quizzes to check their understanding of class material.
“This helps us quantify their knowledge, in the same way an exam or test would – but in a more personalised fashion.”
The third principle is ‘activation’, where students are encouraged to engage high level functions to explore a topic in depth.
“This ensures students are truly learning and not just rote memorising,” Mr Skordilis said.
Trumping traditional methods
Traditionally, these tasks might have been done via worksheets, with everyone given the same set of activities or questions.
In contrast, Cerego learns from each student’s mistakes to build an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. In then modifies tasks and questions accordingly.
“It’s like a learning engine. Every time the student makes an error, the AI uses this knowledge to personalise their retrieval activities. It reinforces what they already know and targets their weaknesses in more depth.”
Quick and easy for everyone
Mr Skordilis said the technology is popular with students and teachers alike – both of whom can work through class material faster.
“If I was going to create a Cerego activity for the kids, the first thing I’d do is go into ChatGPT. I put in my learning goals and I’d type something like,‘generate 10 to 15 questions related to these’. I would then upload them to Cerego and maybe format them. All in all, a very quick process.”
Working through tasks at their own pace, students can get immediate feedback, along with a set of personalised follow-on tasks.
“To do this same process without AI would take much longer and could mean that mastery is delayed, or even missed altogether.”
Improving quality of work
On top of these efficiency gains, AI is helping teachers fulfil their personal objectives and fall back in love with their careers, Mr Skordilis said.
“All teachers aspire to get the best out of kids – in fact many have that as their primary goal. AI can help achieve that, and profoundly impacts the lives of students.”
The tool also improves the day to day work of teachers, by reducing menial tasks.
“Workloads for teachers are immense and I think one of the biggest drawcards of this technology is that is can reduce them. Instead of spending an hour creating an activity, the AI can help them do it in minutes.
“Not to mention the time saved in delivering personalised learning. That principle has been around for a while and few would disagree that every student should have their own learning journey. But honestly, good luck trying to do that as a human being when you have 25 students in your class.”
More about AI in Education
Talking more about his personal experience with AI, Theo Skordilis will join experts from across Australia, at the upcoming AI in Education Conference.
This gathering of educators, researchers, and policymakers, will discuss the impact of Generative AI in Queensland and its role in reshaping the future of education.
Held in Brisbane on 28th November, it follows the success of the AI in Education Conferences in Sydney and Melbourne.
Joining Theo on stage are key speakers such as Scott Letts, Leader of Digital Innovation, St Eugene College; Jane Martens, Head of Digital Pedagogy and Innovation, Mount Alvernia College; and Kerry Daud, Head of Faculty – E-Learning, Research, Technology and Design, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School.
Learn more and register your tickets here.
About Theo Skordilis
Theo has over two decades of experience in educational technology and digital transformation within Queensland schools. As a digital pedagogy leader across various educational institutions, he has spearheaded the integration of digital tools, significantly enhancing student engagement and academic performance.
Theo has led numerous professional development workshops and collaborated with leadership teams to align technology initiatives with strategic goals. His expertise includes Learning Management Systems such as Moodle, Blackboard, and Canvas, as well as AI-driven adaptive learning technologies like Cerego, all focused on improving instructional design and student outcomes.
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