As brilliant as most software and apps might seem, they are still severely awareness-disabled, meaning they don’t know and can’t respond to simple user contexts such as who I am, where I am, what grade I’m in, what class this is, what level I’ve achieved, what my learning style is, etc. The objective of Adaptive Software is that discrete levels of context awareness allows it to respond constructively to arising learning situations.
Opportunity Statement
While Artificial Intelligence (AI) remains futuristic, Adaptive Software requires far more basic response capabilities that are possible now. For example, context-awareness is critical for emerging mobile apps. The venture opportunity is for application developers and instructional designers to develop accountability-driven pedagogical models focused on the learning experience.
Prediction Source(s)
Gartner – Contextual User Experience
Some research that I’ve done on context – awareness really highlights a lot of constructivist principles and guides learning. Adaptive software right now is often being used to help highlight learning say on field trips where learners are asked questions about their environment. IF they get the question right, the software adapts and asks learners more complex questions, if he/she fails to answer, a simpler question is asked. Now this primarily follows behaviorist principles of content acquisition, but when combined with the fact that learners can choose objects they wish to study, and teachers can incorporate these small instances of adaptive learning into broader projects, it really becomes spectacular how these AS systems actually improve a student’s deep knowledge. Take for example a field trip to the museum where learners are provided with an adaptive app on different exhibits, question test, think and answer questions. Now using their phones in conjunction with the app students can record elements of greatest interest/relevance to put together for a short personalized reflective presentation on what they learnt when they return to school along with short digital certificates/badges demonstrating their accomplishments.