03 May Leveraging the power of AI with Moodle
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the educational landscape, but how is Moodle going to leverage the power of AI within the world’s most popular learning management systems (LMS) to improve the online learning experience?
Moodle already provides AI capabilities for learning via their general open-source plugins. These optional extensions interface with various AI engines, such as ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, and are exciting tools to extend the online learning experience, while also delivering efficiencies, unburdening educators from repetitive administrative tasks, and ensuring the safety and protection of personal data.
But Moodle isn’t stopping there. Developers are building a Moodle LMS AI Subsystem.
Moodle are leading the charge
Accipio has reviewed the working prototype, which gave us a detailed insight into how AI will be seamlessly integrated into Moodle to support the learning experience.
Let’s take a closer look at the key features of the prototype.
A user, for example, could click a button to translate the selected text across into a different language, all within the LMS environment.
Alternatively, the selected text could be summarised – providing headline key points and stats at-a-glance.
The learner could then click another button to begin asking further questions, via a chat bot, to clarify their understanding of the selected text.
AI could provide a history of previous AI-driven tasks and interactions, so the user could revisit these quickly and easily when required.
Moodle are developing a user-friendly and consistent UX/UI approach to help learners know when AI technologies are available to them within the LMS. To achieve this, while not detracting from the native LMS experience, the developers have adopted the ‘sparkles’ iconography, which has become the conventional method of signposting users to AI-powered integrations or tools.
Moodle is working hard to provide these types of AI integrations to keep their users inside the Moodle LMS, avoiding the need for people to access any third-party websites or services to facilitate their learning, which can affect and interrupt the user journey, while also increasing cognitive load.
Ethical AI usage
Moodle is also researching ways to keep AI integrations ethical to prevent learners from using the technology to gain unfair advantages, for example, asking the AI chat bot to provide them with the correct answers to their upcoming quiz questions.
To support the delivery of this next evolution in AI integrations, the organisation established the ‘Moodle Research Lab’, led by Martin Dougiamas, Moodle’s CEO and Head of Research, which is dedicated to researching, experimenting, and prototyping new AI technologies to inform Moodle’s product roadmap.
Moodle are committed to a human-centered approach to AI that maximises the safety, efficiency, and accessibility of learning for everyone.
What next?
While Moodle’s AI subsystem remains in the prototype stage – for now – the widespread possibilities and applications of AI integrations provide us all with a tantalising glimpse into the future of online education, and we, at Accipio, cannot wait to be a driving force in what happens next!
When it comes to AI, we have also led the way with our multi-award-winning Accipio One plugin ecosystem, which extends both Moodle and Totara to the next level.
Our Accipio Shop plugin – the world’s most advanced native shop for Moodle and Totara – was recently recognised at the Totara Awards 2024 – where Accipio won the ‘Best Use of Integrations’ prize – our fifth Totara award in consecutive years.
Accipio One also features in-built diagnostic tools, which can be used to conduct 360-degree skills audits on each individual learner, providing AI and machine learning recommendations for learning, based on the individual’s strengths and weaknesses.
At Accipio, as a Moodle Premium Certified Services Partner, we are one of only four organisations in the UK that is licensed to provide Moodle Workplace, alongside Moodle LMS.
For over a decade, we have also been a Totara Platinum Partner, supporting some of the world’s biggest brands to deliver innovative LMS platforms, from PepsiCo and the Premier League to the NHS and UK government departments.
For more information about any of our digital learning services, please get in touch.
About Moodle
Moodle is one of the world’s leading open-source learning platforms (see our LMS guide) and was founded over two decades ago in Perth, Western Australia. Moodle LMS quickly became one of the most popular learning platforms on the market and a firm favourite with educators.
In 2019, Moodle introduced the highly-anticipated Moodle Workplace platform – the corporate distribution of Moodle – designed to help businesses upskill their people (see the key differences between Moodle LMS and Moodle Workplace in our related guide).