Through its latest endeavor in the field of emerging technologies, FIU Online continues its commitment to student learning and innovation, while fostering a high-quality teaching environment using artificial intelligence. Recently, FIU Online partnered with Cognii, a Virtual Learning Assistant (VLA) utilizing natural language conversation, to improve the quality of online learning.
Applying Cognii Artificial Intelligence
A limited pilot program using Cognii’s VLA is being tested within the College of Business in an Information Systems Management course. The course introduces business students to the benefits, deployment, management, and use of information within organizations, particularly business analytics and large stores of data. In the previous semester, FIU Online staff and the instructor collaborated with Cognii to design and deploy several modules using the virtual tutor service. The tutor evaluates open-response answer submissions to brief essay questions. Through this type of an assessment, the VLA engages with students to provide personalized tutoring as they learn a topic until they achieve mastery. Cognii provides immediate feedback through real-time tutoring while assessing deeper learning and critical thinking.
Innovative Technology Key in Improvements
FIU Online’s Associate Director of Educational Technology David Palmer said, “We are excited to partner with Cognii to implement the artificial intelligence technology in online programs. As we pursue FIU’s strategic plan to meet the 21st-century challenges in higher education and focus on helping students graduate in a timely fashion with minimal debt while preparing them for high-quality jobs, we believe EdTech innovations such as Cognii virtual learning assistant will play a key role in improving our scale, efficiency and sustainability. Based on the success during the fall semester, we are looking forward to expanding the scope of using Cognii to improve student learning.”
Cognii’s Artificial Intelligence based educational assessment technology helps solve the problems facing the education system today. Cognii Virtual Learning Assistant can automatically grade short essay answers instantly and provide virtual tutoring to guide students to concept mastery.
More in-depth information about the experience of using a VLA will be shared in a follow-up article. Learn more about how FIU Online investigates & promotes new emerging technologies and related articles: