IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), Germany's largest university with over 100,000 students, has always been a pioneer in online education. Our goal is to provide learners worldwide with personalized education experiences. In line with this vision, we embarked on early developments using large language models (LLMs) and GPT technology two years ago, laying the groundwork for our project, Synthea. Synthea, an AI-driven teaching assistant, has already benefited more than 10,000 students and will soon be accessible to all IU students. This innovative tool facilitates personalized student interaction, leading to enhanced learning outcomes. With features like a question-answering tool, exam preparation support, Socratic teaching sessions, and more, Synthea empowers students on their educational journey.
SYNTEA: Transforming Student Interaction with the Question-Answering Tool
SYNTEA's question-answering (QA) feature revolutionizes the way students engage with their course materials and instructors. This powerful tool enables students to seek clarification and receive answers to their questions 24/7, providing unprecedented flexibility in studying. With the QA tool, students can gain a deeper understanding of the course content and ensure success in their learning journey.
When students pose questions, SYNTEA promptly delivers accurate answers that are validated by human tutors within 24 hours. These answers can be utilized during exams, guaranteeing individual student achievement. Additionally, SYNTEA enriches the learning experience by providing links to relevant resources from IU's extensive virtual library of course materials. This enables students to delve into specific topics and tailor their learning focus with ease.
SYNTEA seamlessly integrates into various channels, including web applications, chat clients, and mobile devices. Its conversational interface fosters a natural and intuitive interaction between students and the AI-powered assistant. With SYNTEA's QA tool, students can enhance their learning experience and unlock their full potential.
Let Syntea introduce itself
Harnessing the advanced capabilities of cutting-edge NLP models, the current version of the QA tool in Syntea relies on GPT version 3.5. However, exciting developments are on the horizon as we prepare to integrate GPT4, which will elevate the tool's performance to new heights. Our users have provided overwhelmingly positive feedback, with 85% of answers being rated as helpful. To ensure accuracy and relevance for exams, all answers generated by Syntea undergo verification by human tutors. Approximately 65% of the original answers are approved, while the remaining cases involve tutors enhancing or supplementing the responses with additional details and examples.
Syntea's QA tool revolutionises student interaction with course content, offering 24/7 flexibility, tutor-verified answers, and seamless integration for an intuitive, personalised learning experience.
Although the QA tool already delivers exceptional results using the latest ChatGPT model, the introduction of GPT4 will further enhance its capabilities, resulting in even higher accuracy rates for responses. We are witnessing a significant increase in the number of questions submitted through Syntea compared to traditional channels, highlighting its widespread adoption and the positive impact it has on students' learning experiences.
In the past three months alone (March 2023), Syntea has facilitated the answering of over 3,500 questions across 180 courses.
Enhancing Exam Preparation and Confidence with Syntea's Exam Trainer
The Exam Trainer, an integral part of Syntea, focuses on improving students' exam preparation. By providing exam-like questions and personalized feedback throughout the course, the Trainer tool supports students in their study progress. Simulating real exam conditions, it helps students gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter and refine their problem-solving skills. The Trainer also helps students identify areas where they need to concentrate their learning efforts and builds their confidence for the final exam, ensuring greater success in their educational journey.
Initially implemented in select courses, the Trainer tool has shown great promise, and plans are underway to expand its availability across more courses.
The Future of Learning: Socratic Teaching and Future Skills Training
IU is committed to advancing online education by introducing innovative features such as Socratic Teaching and Future Skills training. These components aim to revolutionize the learning experience by fostering student engagement, critical thinking, and preparation for their professional careers.
Socratic Teaching, inspired by the methods of the philosopher Socrates, employs dialogue to impart knowledge and encourage students to think critically. By adopting this approach, Syntea's Socratic Teaching feature creates engaging and interactive learning experiences, challenging students to reflect on their understanding of course material.
The Future Skills Training component of Syntea addresses the evolving demands of the job landscape. As AI tools become increasingly prevalent, it is crucial to equip students with the skills necessary to navigate future challenges. Instead of simply memorizing content, students need to internalize competencies such as win-win negotiations and fostering creativity. Future Skills Training provides immersive, real-life-like training experiences, enabling students to develop essential skills required to excel in their future careers.
Both Socratic Teaching and Future Skills Training are currently in the testing phase, with promising feedback and the potential to significantly impact student learning. As these features continue to be developed and integrated into the Syntea platform, IU International University of Applied Sciences will remain at the forefront, providing innovative teaching solutions that offer personalized and flexible education for our students.
IU International University of Applied Sciences: Pioneering AI-Enhanced Learning
IU International University of Applied Sciences leads the way in online education by integrating AI-powered solutions like Syntea. Leveraging cutting-edge NLP technologies, including GPT models, we create a more personalized, engaging, and effective learning environment.
Syntea's diverse capabilities, including the QA tool, Exam Trainer, Socratic Teaching, and Future Skills Training, exemplify our commitment to fostering critical thinking and adaptability among our students. By refining these innovative tools, we empower learners worldwide with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in an ever-evolving workforce.
At IU, people take pride in being at the forefront of the AI-enhanced learning revolution. By continuously pushing the boundaries of what AI technology can achieve in higher education, we remain dedicated to providing our students with the best learning experience, ensuring their success now and in the future.
About IU International University of Applied Sciences
With over 100,000 students, IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) is Germany's largest university. As a private, state-approved educational institution, IU offers more than 200 bachelor's and master's programs in German or English. Students can choose between dual studies, distance learning, and myStudies, which combines online and face-to-face events, allowing them to design their studies independently within a digitally supported learning environment. IU also facilitates further training and promotes the idea of lifelong learning. The university's mission is to provide personalized education to as many people as possible worldwide. Established in 2000, IU is now present in over 30 German cities. It collaborates with over 15,000 companies, actively supporting their employee development. Partners include Motel One, VW Financial Services, and Deutsche Bahn. For more information, visit www.iu.org.
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