3 ways to embed digital ink in Education: The norm for efficient and effective learning

The Future of Education 

Imagine a world in which lessons are tailored to each student’s individual requirements and in which every relevant piece of information is displayed exactly where and when it’s needed. Wacom sees this as a reality very soon.

The usage of digital Ink data and AI in education were discussed during Connected Ink 2022 . Representatives of the German education system, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), and technology experts from Wacom debated about relevant technology solutions for the future of education and how to make learning effective and efficient in today’s world.

Digital Ink and Pen technology 

With its unique way to capture metadata, Digital Pen technology opens a new set of opportunities for the digitalization of teaching and learning. Utilizing the data in EdTech applications, by analyzing it with AI. This technology holds the potential to revolutionize global education. Hence, there are countless ways in which the technology supports learners and educators because it makes the metadata behind digital ink accessible, which pen on paper writing cannot provide.  

Modern AI algorithms 

Furthermore, modern AI algorithms can analyze metadata of digital pen technology and extract all types of information, from the student’s hand posture while writing, to utilizing pressure and time stamp to derive learners’ stress levels from the data. This gives educators deeper insights into the student’s learning progress, much deeper than it would be possible in a traditional classroom setting. It enables ‘the educator’s look over the student’s shoulder’ for all students simultaneously, even in hybrid and remote settings.  

Knowledge graphs 

Adding knowledge graphs to the mix, Wacom’s Ink Division has developed a way to organize information and deliver it to the user proactively. Knowledge graphs are tailored to develop a set of knowledge and resources in a specific area, based on, handwritten digital text. Dr. Heiko Maus & Dr. Nicolas Grossmann from the DFKI are currently conducting research projects to put this into practice in the classroom. One way to implement it would be to link information across subjects or deliver the right depth of information automatically depending on the students’ learning level. This could revolutionize adaptive learning applications, by providing learners with knowledge about a specific topic, tailored to the learners’ current needs and past experiences, and setting it into context by displaying connected materials and interrelations. This can be based on either public knowledge banks or even connected to specific private data banks that are tailored to the individual’s needs.  

Are schools ready for the future? 

Lastly, the question arises: Are schools ready for this change? Bringing the view of educators into the technology jungle, Christin Rathmer, from Teach First Deutschland (TFD) is working at a school and shared: ‘The most important factor in this regard is to get teachers on board and support them in the digitalization process as much as possible.’ For this to happen, the advantage of the technology needs to be pointed out and applications need to meet the market’s needs. Technology will not replace, but support educators. On the other hand, infrastructure is still a challenge that needs to be addressed, as not all schools are equipped with the right hardware or even a stable internet connection. In contrast, students usually enjoy the digitalization process and adapt effortlessly. 

The challenges and the progress

We are happy that in some countries, especially in Asia, schools are ready for the change, and first pilot projects, implementing digital ink technologies and AI analysis of the data, are in place. Even though there are some challenges in the current education market, the technological advantages are promising for students and educators. With joint forces and the knowledge of industry experts, we will actively support this global movement, and bring EdTech to the next level to make education smarter.  

Click here to watch the recording from Connected Ink 2022 and learn more about Ink in Education here.

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