| Abstract [eng] |
The final master’s thesis project, “The Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools in Lower Secondary Education to Implement Universal Design Principles”, explores the use of artificial intelligence tools to implement universal design principles in grades 5–10 to foster inclusion and address the diverse needs of learners. The relevance of the topic of integrating artificial intelligence tools into educational environments is related to the potential of the tools to enhance the learning experience and meet the diverse needs of students (Owan et al., 2023). Researchers are conducting studies related to identifying the role of artificial intelligence in the educational process and aiming to select the most functional artificial intelligence tools to support the learning process, improve the effectiveness of the learning process and empower educators to use them to achieve an inclusive educational environment. This work is novel in focusing on the role of artificial intelligence based tools in creating learning experiences that meet the individual needs of learners. It also reviews the key principles of universal design for learning to provide a variety of means of information presentation, expression, and engagement. It discusses the potential of applying artificial intelligence tools to implement the principles of universal design. It discusses the potential of applying artificial intelligence tools to implement the principles of universal design. Depending on the purpose of the artificial intelligence tool (learner-centred, teacher-centred, system-centred), the tools are divided into different directions: for empowering personalised education, for teacher effectiveness–virtual teaching assistants, virtual learning environments, which are functional due to the integration of the artificial intelligence tools. However, it is important to assess the potential of artificial intelligence-based tools for implementing universal design for learning in schools to best tailor education to each learner. The aim of the master’s thesis is therefore to analyse which artificial intelligence tools are used in the implementation of universal design principles in grades 5–10. The object of study: tools based on artificial intelligence functions. The thesis addresses the following objectives: to reveal the theoretical aspects of the use of artificial intelligence tools for the implementation of universal design in schools; to justify the methodology of the research on the use of artificial intelligence tools in 5–10 grades for the implementation of universal design in schools; and to identify the features of the use of artificial intelligence tools in 5–10 grades for the implementation of universal design in schools. The research data methods used in the master's thesis are: literature analysis was used to reveal the peculiarities of the use of artificial intelligence tools in education, the concept and principles of universal design for learning; document analysis was used to get acquainted with the world's current guidelines for universal design for learning; semi-structured interviews were used to identify the practical use of artificial intelligence tools in 5–10 grades and the relationship with the principles of universal design for learning. The data analysis methods used in master’s thesis project are: deductive qualitative and content analysis, used to organise and analyse the data obtained from the interviews. The results of the empirical study showed that artificial intelligence tools are closely related to the implementation of the principles of universal design for learning. It was found that educators who implement artificial intelligence tools in their educational activities are implementing key principles of universal design for learning: introducing and applying different means of engagement and involvement, presentation of information, and the expression of acquired knowledge. In doing so, they create a more accessible learning environment that promotes learner engagement and motivation. The use of artificial intelligence tools has also been observed to reduce the workload of educators and to help learners with individual learning needs develop their abilities and interpersonal skills. The results of the study could provide useful insights and help educational institutions deploy artificial intelligence tools more effectively to implement the principles of universal design and promote inclusion. The thesis consists of an introduction, three parts (theory, methodology and empirical study), conclusions, recommendations, a list of references, a list of information sources, 10 tables, and 4 figures. The volume of the thesis is 101 pages. |
