This article, an interview with digital education expert Jakub Roskosz, explores how Artificial Intelligence is fundamentally transforming the online learning landscape. It examines the dual impact of AI on course creation, the evolving expectations of learners, and the urgent need for traditional educational institutions to adapt.
The Polarization of the Online Course Market
AI has democratized the creation of educational content, allowing nearly anyone with expertise to produce a course quickly and inexpensively. This has led to a market flooded with products of varying quality. As a result, the market is polarizing into two distinct camps: a vast number of low-quality, quickly made courses, and a select few high-quality, professionally produced “educational ecosystems.” Success in this new environment requires creators to be more than just experts; they must be designers of comprehensive learning experiences, leveraging teams and significant investment to stand out.
Evolving Learner Expectations and the Modern Platform
The passive model of watching pre-recorded videos is obsolete. Today’s learners demand a dynamic and engaging experience. A modern educational platform must offer continuously updated content, diverse formats (video, audio, interactive quizzes, micro-learning), and support across multiple devices (multiscreening). The focus has shifted from simply selling information to providing a structured, time-saving, and motivating learning journey that keeps users engaged through constant evolution and interactivity.
AI as a Tool, Not a Teacher
While AI is a powerful assistant, it should not replace verified expert knowledge. A significant risk is AI’s tendency to “hallucinate”—generating plausible but false information—which is particularly dangerous for beginners who cannot easily verify the facts. The article argues that education encompasses more than information transfer; it involves motivation, human connection, and emotional context, elements AI cannot replicate. Therefore, AI should be treated as a support tool, with its outputs critically verified, rather than an ultimate source of truth.
Traditional Universities Must Adapt or Become Obsolete
Top global universities like MIT and Harvard are adapting by shifting from memorization to practical, project-based learning and integrating AI into their curricula. They are offering modular, interdisciplinary programs that are constantly updated. However, the article notes that many institutions, particularly in Poland, are lagging far behind, often relying on outdated materials. The conclusion is that universities must fundamentally change their approach to education to remain relevant in the age of AI.
Key Takeaways
The value of online education now lies in acquiring practical, verifiable skills rather than collecting certificates, which are easily falsified with AI. The most successful educational products are no longer static courses but living ecosystems that are professionally managed, constantly updated, and built around an engaged community. While AI revolutionizes the tools, the human elements of expertise, verification, and motivation remain the cornerstones of effective learning.
Mentoring question
The article emphasizes the shift from simply creating content to designing a complete ‘educational experience.’ How can you apply this mindset to your own learning journey or to how you mentor and share knowledge with others?
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