28 Mar 2022

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How are elearning solutions becoming better with AI paper graders?

There has been a high improvement in e-learning solutions all over the world. But such solutions can yield better results when AI is used. This has been proven to be highly effective. Machine learning has become a part of our daily lives. It’s true because whenever we use apps to order food, it gives an estimated cost of the delivery time. If we have ordered previously from the app, it stores such information and, based on it, provides us with an estimate. Machine learning is now also used to create better e-learning solutions. The AI is getting used to becoming a substitute for teachers for assessing exam sheets because:

AI better evaluates students

The teachers are also using machine learning because it aids them. The teachers can assess students, but computers do it better when they do the same job. Through artificial intelligence, the PCs get a deeper insight into the learning ways of students. It helps them evaluate those areas where a student needs improvement.

When you have machine learning algorithms used in eLearning solutions, they can store and evaluate data about a student, like whether he is weak in grammar or spelling.

So, when programs are developed based on such data, his assessments can be checked faster. The student can also be checked for his understanding of the subject.

Artificial intelligence is also used to detect which students have cheated. Sometimes teachers can’t detect whether the students’ assignment has been completed by someone else, but AI can do it. It can analyze the student’s handwriting and find out whether it’s original or not. Someone could have completed the test in his handwriting, which a machine learning algorithm could detect through a scanned copy of the answer sheet.

Lack of human assessors

Here, a computer-based assessment is more beneficial because it does not rate students based on their handwriting. However, Handwritten e-learning assessments are used in the case of MOOCs. But the problem is how to get assessors for checking them. The students can upload their written assessments on an LMS. Essay-based questions test the advanced cognitive processes that MCQs can’t; the former must be included.

So, AI has been helping devise better test checking in e-learning solutions because the human assessors might be in short supply. Through AI, the teachers and the instructors have more time to spend with students. This is because AI has taken over their work of grading the exams. The AI Is also helping universities grade the admission essays submitted by students. The teachers are now getting relieved from the duty of segregating scanned answer sheets of students.

AI is used in elearning solutions for checking multiple questions submitted by students/employees.

In the traditional method of checking assessments, two teachers were assigned the job of grading the same exam paper. This method ensured that the students didn’t face any bias when their exam was checked. Although this method protected students’ interests, it was quite time-consuming for teachers. But due to AI-based grading solutions, the quality of checking assessments has not been affected, although the teachers’ time has been reduced.

Saves a teacher’s time

Learners can also have problems navigating through e-learning solutions. They might have queries that have to be answered in real-time. But the teachers don’t have time. So even when the teachers are busy attending other sessions, the employees/students can get answers through chatbots. The chatbots are like virtual instructors who can browse through the entire e-learning content to find the answers for students.

The virtual tutors developed through artificial intelligence are also providing to be helpful. It’s because they can recognize any stress in the student’s voice. This way, the teachers learn when does a student need attention. The teachers understand the students’ behaviors through an emotion detection AI algorithm, which lets them know whether a student understands something or not through his facial expressions and voice.

Essays don’t provide any help to students, unlike MCQ’S

The students need to be tested for their better understanding, and essays facilitate it because they have to think before writing anything. Unlike MCQs, the students don’t get any help through the various options present. However, the students should be given a time limit to answer essay-based questions, like 10-15 minutes. Also, they should have some hints about what to write on in an answer so that they don’t write ambiguous or nonrelated essay answers. The students should not be writing crap in answer sheets to make the answer lengthy.

What is a paper grader?

A paper grader is a software solution that is used for this purpose. This software provides accurate scores even to research papers. This software collects all the parameters used for grading through assignments checked by professors. It uses the same metrics for evaluating students’ papers. The AI paper grading software never becomes outdated because it continuously updates itself by scanning an answer sheet checked by a human assessor. Also, the software does not have any problem understanding handwriting because it has an optical character recognition feature.

It also helps evaluate the answers in different languages; hence the university does not need to hire multilingual assessors.

21 Feb 2022

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How has globalization led to pharma elearning?

The world around us has become easily dependent on the e-learning industry. Pharma e-learning is truly revolutionary in this industry because it can ensure that the employees become acquainted with the latest compliance rules. Employees also get frustrated with employers who are unwilling to update them about the new rules. Elearning in the pharmaceutical industry has become a critical factor because it can determine whether medical devices are used correctly or not.

When the pharmaceutical companies provide training to their salespersons, they can assure that sales happen. Quick sales are important for such companies because of the short shelf life between product launch and its copying by the competitors.

These are the reasons why pharma e-learning is indispensable in this industry now:

Higher hiring of freelancers

Elearning can as be used to train freelance employees who are getting increased employment in this industry.

The reason why freelancers are getting such high employment is that they can modify their working hours. In certain countries, rules about overtime of employees are very stringent and, as such, prove to be costly for companies. Since freelancers can easily adapt their schedules as per the requirements of the companies without imposing any huge costs on them, they are preferable employees. When the company has just launched a new drug in the market and needs a worker to work overtime for making sales, freelancers are a better option. Sometimes, they are also a necessity in those countries where the company might not find any regular labor.

Since so many companies are entering global markets these days, it might not be plausible to find someone local at quick notice for sales. Hence, hiring a short-time employee might be a good solution for a company. Since the pharma companies hire temporary workers on such a large scale, elearning has become a prerequisite to training them. Elearning is a fast delivery mode and can get a company to rush up to its sales processes.

Need for localization due to globalization

Localization is also becoming a major requirement in the pharma industry. Since so many companies are selling their products internationally, they require someone to interact with the local employees.

This is only possible when someone is aware of the native language of such countries, and hence pharma e-learning imparts the knowledge of such languages.

It has been proved that Asian countries such as India, Russia, and China will be major buyers of international drugs, and here e-learning is necessary for imbibing their cultural and linguistic nuances for making sales.

In addition, there is an increased demand for imports of pharmaceuticals in developing countries and reduced domestic production, which can be attributed to a rise in incomes in these nations. The pharma companies have started understanding the importance of Middle-income countries for their sales, and hence a lot of research and development activities are now focused on them. Hence, there is an increased necessity for language training.

Apart from that, although the local labor is hired in such countries for making sales, it’s important that they are trained adequately in teaching customers. The sales executives must be trained diligently about the consumption of a drug. Therefore, e-learning unavoidably offers the best possibilities for standardized training about drug consumption.

The companies need to systematically train local sales executives because any translation error can cause losses when the consumer takes drugs in the wrong quantity.

Increasing access to local customers

Pharmacists in every country have to be given e-learning to deliver the best of explanations to patients and doctors. That’s why, e-learning is the new paradigm for them given the globalization of pharmaceutical companies.

Such training has to include questions about dosage levels and what can be the side effects caused due to wrong levels of consumption. Moreover, the pharmacists and the sales executives have to be precise and compassionate in dealing with patients who might not read the product instructions, such as the right dosage levels when they are ill. Hence, pharma companies have to enhance pharmacists’ communication and technical skills to make sales and become effective resources for them. Also, the sales executives have to be trained in how to use technology to reach out to customers trying to access them via apps.

More R&D is happening in developing countries

Research and development have also become an important need for such companies. It’s because, without the right formulation, effective drugs can’t be produced. With so much competition, companies have to invest in research and development. But R&D being a costly initiative, the companies have to hire the most efficient workers. The companies have to hone their skills through e-learning to effectively interact with departments like marketing as to what kinds of drugs are needed. Language training is crucial so that the R&D employees in the headquarters can understand a local marketing team and the concerns of patients. Language learning is also significant because pharma companies must serve people, and hence they must have knowledge about their requirements. In addition, such industry has to deal with functional pathways in every country, including the governments, so language training is crucial.

Is e-learning the right choice?

Elearning is a practical alternative for pharma companies because they can’t provide instructor-led training in every country. Apart from being too costly, this can also prove to be a location-centric problem. The learners might not be willing to travel.

Hence, e-learning localization is a great resource for them to provide training in all languages accessible on all devices.

15 Feb 2022

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Should seductive details be used in elearning content? Yay or Nay 

The companies are now experimenting with so much change in technology adaptations in learning and development. Elearning is one of them.

But how to make sure that your eLearning content does not end up wasting up the time of the target audience or they find it too humourous because the content has not been formulated with the proper research and hard work.

Now, when does that happen? The eLearning aims to ensure that the learners are engaged to the tee. Hence seductive details are included in a course, such as GIFs, images, and music, which are not related to the learning objectives but to make the course entertaining. They are added to a course to get the audience’s attention. There are many seductive details like: 

GIF images to ensure that the learners understand the situation involving a character.
Fun facts to make sure learners don’t get bored with all the details  
Providing background information about somebody to set the tempo

Seductive details are added in an eLearning course to make it enjoyable, but sometimes they steal the limelight or ruin all efforts. It’s because an image makes the audience feel shocked because it has been added for that effect. Or the background music takes the learners’ attention away from the course. 

So how to ensure that the delightful aspects of the course continue to stay but don’t push the audience away from the course. 

What is the seductive details effect?

The instructional designer has to understand that sometimes such elements drag the course. So, the instructional designers must follow these principles to ensure that such elements are added, but they don’t overdo it.

Research has shown that such content in the course leads to poorer recall later. This is because the learners’ working memory gets clogged up with such content, and they can’t bring to mind the essential details when needed. When learners’ minds are supplied with so many details, they can’t process the vital information in such eLearning content. So, when seductive details, aka the junk, occupy the working memory, it does not reach the long-term memory, and hence a learner learns nothing worthwhile from the course except some amusing GIFs.

Working memory has a limited storage capacity, and when too much is fed into it, it does not pass to the long-term memory, which has an unlimited capacity preventing recall later. 

The lack of recall of important content is known as the seductive details effect. It is because such extra elements or seductive details occupy our working memory and affect the evocation of information.

It’s because the working memory holds information for a brief time and is crucial for making decisions by working on stored information (long-term memory) in the brain. It’s because our brain can only work on a short amount of memory at a time. Due to seductive details in content, nothing vital gets passed from working memory(WM) to long-term memory(LTM), and nothing useful gets transferred later from LTM to WM. 

Why does it happen?

The learners have a way to organize information in their minds to be remembered later. It is done through schemas but when irrelevant details are included in such content, the learners can’t form proper mental schemas. So, although funny content in the eLearning modules might increase engagement, it can hamper retention.

Does the seductive details effect happen with everyone? 

Working memory levels 

 But the effects varied between people with different working memory levels. People who have high working memory are not affected by the seductive details effect. Such individuals don’t look much at such elements, as shown in an experiment by Sanchez and Wiley where eye-tracking was done. People with low working memory capacity don’t have good reading abilities; hence their attention is often captured by the seductive details rather than the text. It is also better to include seductive details when a lesson is about to finish because studies have indicated that they have the least effects. A study done in 1998 by Harp and Mayer had shown that when such details were added at the end of a chapter, a learner’s performance was not much different to the one who has was given a chapter with no such details. 

Cognitive load 

The use of seductive details in reducing the recall also varies with the cognitive load level of the eLearning content. For example, in 2011, a study done by Park proved that when students were given low cognitive load biology content with seductive details, they performed better than without it. Cognitive load means the working memory resources used during a course. This depends on the intrinsic load, which implies the intricacy of the material like rocket science has a high cognitive load than accountancy. In such conditions, the use of seductive details increased students’ motivation levels. But the same is not true for high cognitive load conditions where the inclusion of seductive details proved to prohibit recall. 

How to prevent this effect?

Decide on the learning outcomes.

Hence the eLearning companies must ensure that the instructional designers develop learning outcomes. These are goals the learners are supposed to learn from the eLearning content. These learning outcomes must be designed as per the audience’s personality to see what they are lacking and how eLearning can help them gain it. 

When the instructional designers have an idea about the educational levels of learners, it helps them design the eLearning content in a proper language understandable for the latter. 

Conduct the content audit 

When you have such a learning outcome in your hand, you can include the content with caution. If any content does not help the learners attain their outcomes, it better not be included. So, any irrelevant content(seductive details) which does not pass this test can be excluded. It is also better, that someone other than the instructional designers is used for conducting this content audit to have a neutral opinion. They won’t be biased towards the content because they have created it. So, all the useless GIFs can be discarded. 

The instructional designers should not completely refrain from using ludicrous content in the course. It does engage learners, but they must not use too much. It’s because humans have a natural propensity to learn new things. So, even if your content does not have memes, the learners will still complete it. You can include storytelling in your course, but it should provide instruction. Also, make sure that you include awe-inspiring pictures pertinent to the course content. 

14 Feb 2022

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When must a company implement virtual reality training? 

Companies now increasingly use virtual reality to impart the best possible training to employees. The learners can benefit so much from this training, whether related to soft skills or technical skills. Virtual reality can be used effectively in all kinds of situations. In cases where employees need to use heavy machinery as a part of their work, virtual reality-based simulations can ensure that they are introduced into simulations where handheld controllers allow them to experience the tools.

They can be asked to work on assembly line production through a machine and see how the various buttons work. The learners can be immersed in a world of faulty machines and learn how to repair them. 

The virtual reality-based simulations are effective for nontechnical situations too, where employees have to deal with huge crowds

This can also be tried with HR managers, who can be asked to confront a deviating employee in a VR simulation. The former can see how his body language, voice modulation, etc. affect the latter. It is the best role-play for becoming an expert in handling real-life office situations. 

The same procedures can also be used for training recruits and introducing them to the shop floor procedures. This way, they can also learn how to prevent defects in the product line. 

But organizations need to ask before they decide to use this technology to create training whether it’s the perfect fit given their budget and other considerations. 

Depending on time and budget 

A company can develop the VR training depending on the timeframe. If a company needs immediate training solutions such as for recruits, VR is not the answer because the development time is long and can range between 1-6 months. The cost is also high and can vary between, 20000-1,50,000 dollars. Industries like manufacturing, retail, and transport require VR training compared to others where conventional training methods are sufficient. The 360 VR videos require an omnidirectional camera to be captured because they can take a shot from every angle. Such a VR video can be watched without a VR headset, but it can have an immersive experience. 

Virtual reality-based training is of two types, and it depends on an organization’s needs which it should use. First is the 360 degrees VR in which the learner does not move, and he only can vary his viewpoint, i.e., he can watch the objects in the environment from the left or right angle but can’t change his position. But in the Full VR, he can also move in the simulated environment apart from viewing them from different angles. 

Depending on training needs 

Virtual reality(VR) is a better way to train employees because they get to see a machine from proximity and find out where are all its parts. However, the 360 VR does not have much training scope as the full VR, allowing better learning. The employees can only see a machine from all angles, but they can’t touch the equipment. For example, the employees can learn about different parts of the equipment and which one to use during an emergency in 360 VR, but what happens when they do that can be checked in full VR only. Supposedly, just turning off the machine might not be the best solution in case of a crisis, but employees can only learn that when they are in a full VR simulation wearing a headset and holding controllers. They might need to take another action, like accessing the nearest fire extinguisher. So, when employees are required to take action, a full VR provides a more result-oriented training solution. 

Virtual reality training is not required for tasks such as cybersecurity, which requires employees to sit in front of PCs because they can be taught through screencasts. But in the case of safety training, virtual reality is an inevitable solution because lives are at stake. 

From the safety perspective, a company can’t take any risks, and such situations are more uncontrollable than computer problems, so VR, which emulates reality, is necessary. A VR training vendor can help a company carry out tests to determine whether a certain skill requires VR-based training or not. On the other hand, an organization can’t do without VR when the employee’s response is extremely critical, like pilots, because they have to be monitored for their response. Any delayed response by them can cost a company, but a late response might not have such adverse effects in some situations. In the latter cases, implementing e-learning training is sufficient because employees can be tracked for their right/wrong answers in an assessment. In addition, e-learning can measure employee performance metrics such as their MCQ test results. Unlike VR, e-learning can’t provide metrics like voice recording, body movements, data entry speed, etc., which are necessary for employees dealing with customers. 

So, the introduction of VR-based training depends on what performance metrics a company needs to measure, which are determined by a training needs analysis. 

A company can also use its current training materials like 2D e-learning videos and convert them into 360 VR. The businesses can consult the e-learning vendor about whether they can convert the characters and situations in such videos to virtual reality. Virtual reality allows the maximum retention of e-learning videos because employees are immersed in situations that require them to apply their knowledge.
They also have reinforcement of their training, and hence better retention happens. Since employees have practiced their skills through such simulations, there is decreased attrition due to the inability to face job challenges. On the contrary, employees have already experienced the worst-case scenario through simulation, which boosts their confidence and productivity. 

Companies should also make it a point to ease employees into VR-based training. It can ensure that the employees get the tutorials to handle any troubles while using the headsets and controllers. The employers can also ensure that the employees are given sufficient demo time before they are put into the VR simulators. If employees can’t get the hang of the headsets and controllers during such demos and still have some problems, they must be able to access technology experts for resolving issues. 

09 Feb 2022

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Medical animation videos are enlightening and empowering! Know how  

All over the world, doctors are reliant on modern-day technologies now. For example, doctors now connect with the patient through the IoT devices such as wearables and are alerted once the latter’s vitals are not typical. These devices have made sure that healthcare has now become more patient-centric. There are microscopes enabled with smartphones which ensure that the doctors can examine skin lesions images on the phone itself, avoiding the delay incurred in waiting for the lab results. In the following ways, medical e-learning is helping doctors and patients:

Better surgeon training through virtual reality:

The virtual reality, that transports the learner to a different simulated world, is the future of medical training. The learners are taken to a completely immersive world with no grasp over reality through this technology. So the medical students benefit when trained through this technology because they don’t perform surgical procedures on dead bodies anymore.

Virtual reality uses simulators to train students who don VR headsets while conducting surgery through virtual instruments. The trainees can also get a sensation of touching the human body to experience doing real-life surgery through the haptic feedback enabled in VR controllers in their hands.

The surgeons who have conducted VR-based surgeries have shown significantly better performance than those taught through conventional textbook means.

Medical animation is getting used to teaching patients about their bodies. This kind of education is beneficial for patients with no prior medical background who may find it hard to trust a doctor. The medical practitioners also don’t have time to explain the jargon to patients because they have to attend to many.

Such videos can also help patients use self-care because they better understand the human anatomy.

Whiteboard animation aids patients in getting a grasp on their condition:

Whiteboard explainer diseases are extremely useful for explaining diseases to patients and how they can avoid them once they experience symptoms such as trouble breathing and swelling in the feet. Such videos are also useful for healthcare workers who get a better insight into medical conditions and can spread awareness easily.

Medical animation videos for patients :

When patients watch the human anatomical videos, they find the doctor reliable. They also provide consent to the doctor for his recommended treatment.

Such medical animation-based videos are excellent for visualization of complicated medical processes which happen inside the human body.

The patients don’t need to use their imagination for comprehending such processes.

Moreover, the patients need to see such videos because they have no idea about how the internal organs of the body, such as the heart and kidneys, work. They benefit from storytelling, which is an intrinsic concept in e-learning videos.

These are the benefits of creating such videos and providing their access to patients:

The patient starts trusting the doctor
When a patient knows why he is experiencing specific symptoms, he does not ignore them and consults a doctor. Due to the better display of human anatomy in such videos, he is fully aware of the causes of these symptoms and also gets all the tests prescribed by the doctor on time. So, such animation videos lay the foundation for a better relationship between a medical practitioner and his patient.
Gets a better response from the family
When the family members of the patients watch such videos, they understand the latter’s affliction and provide a positive environment to him, leading to faster recovery. As a result, the patient heals better because his loved ones seek the best possible medical support due to their better understanding of his condition.
Adopts a better lifestyle
Patients don’t retain what the doctors say, but they do remember what the 1-2 minutes long whiteboard animation or any other video contains. There is also no record of a doctor’s conversation with a patient, but with a video, the latter can go over it repeatedly to clear any misconceptions. Hence such videos prevent patients from indulging in unhealthy eating habits and other lifestyle patterns.
Saves the doctor’s time
Many medical conditions have been discovered, like diabetes, and the medical community has recognized their symptoms. So, when the patients get such standard medical animation videos through a hospital’s website, they know why the doctor prescribed the medicine or the tests to them. Hence their anxiety is relieved, and the doctor’s time explaining the disease is also saved. Therefore, the doctor can focus on cases and patients manifesting rare symptoms that have not been studied yet.

E-learning companies prepare videos with basic information 

E-learning companies can help medical practitioners and organizations get the most precisely prepared medical animation videos because they have access to SME’s and graphic designers. They also know the enormous responsibility they have been shouldered because any wrong fact in the video is misleading for the patient. The target audience must also be analyzed before such a video is prepared. It’s because everyone has different health literacy levels, and the same videos might not be understandable for everyone owing to their level of education.

An e-learning company always has the proper resources at its disposal to create such videos. You just need to hand over the medical concept, including the disease(including the human anatomical process) and its symptoms, to them. They will then convert them to the relevant e-learning video.

To wrap it all:

Medical practitioners must understand that they must get the maximum response to their videos. Hence, the videos have to be created for individual patients, and the doctors must know whether the patients have liked the video. Consequently, depending on the feedback, they can get the video rectified. The doctors also have to gauge whether the video led to any improvement in the health knowledge of the concerned patient, which is determined by his actions like changes in post-treatment lifestyle etc.

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