Automation
From The Learning Engineer's Knowledgebase
Automation is the process of instructing computers and software to do their programmed tasks automatically instead of having to issue commands manually. Automation is useful for streamlining work and increasing efficiency, particularly when implementing an educational product.
Definition
Automation is when a computer or software does programmed tasks automatically and continuously without a human having to do anything in the meantime. Automated systems and software continue to perform instructed tasks until they are stopped.
Automation is frequently discussed with robotics and bot software, where the system operates independently and goes about its tasks without the need for intervention from a human.
Additional Information
Automation can improve efficiency and focus of students, educators, and designers alike. It can offload some of the tasks that people have to do, especially ones that are monotonous (like grading multiple-choice exams) or take a substantial amount of time (like checking every discussion forum for new posts).
Automation frequently runs on triggers, or set circumstances that cause the software to perform a task. A person who uses automation software will establish a trigger for the system to look out for, and when it "sees" that trigger, it will perform the programmed task. Triggers can be any type of event, such as an email being received, a sensor receiving data on a phone, or a person using software in a certain way.
Automation can also be scheduled, in that the system will do specific tasks at different times. For instance, the system can be scheduled to collect all posts on a discussion forum each day and place them all in an email to participants. In another example, systems could make copies of websites and do daily backups on a schedule.
In educational contexts, automation occurs frequently in the use of monitoring and notifications, where the system will continually watch for certain behaviors and then notify appropriate parties when it "sees" the target behavior. For example, when a person logs into a website for education, the teacher could receive a notification on their phone (as the software was actively watching for people who are logging in as a trigger). Similarly, software could inform teachers via email when the trigger of a student submitting an assignment is observed, or when a student posts in a discussion forum.
Grading of assignments is also frequently an automated process in education, where the system watches for a trigger of an exam submission, and then upon submission will grade the exam based on the rules it was programmed with to evaluate each question.
The automation of everyday tasks has become increasingly useful and common with modern tools that help people build automated processes. For instance, a software called If This, Then Than (IFTTT) enables people to create links between services and software that they use and have an automated system look for triggers that will cause the system to take action. These links, triggers, and actions are highly customizable and can help improve many aspects of peoples' work. In one example at IFTTT, a user can have the system watch weather reports for a particular zip code, and if it will rain that day (i.e., the trigger), the system will send a text message to the person (i.e, the action). Similarly, if a person's favorite author updates their web page with a new blog post (the trigger), the system can send an email to the person (the action). Because it continuously operates and regularly watches for triggers, an automated system can provide people with an extra set of hands, eyes, and ears to help them do their work and pursue their interests.
Bots are software that continuously run and serve specific purposes. Bots can do tasks on a regular schedule (such as a daily morning email about upcoming events on a calendar), or run through a list of tasks when they are started (such as how a robo-call spam phone dialer works). They also look for specific triggers and then do what they are instructed when they see a trigger.
The use of analytics for evaluation is often automated, in that data on how people use a digital learning environment are continuously monitored and analyzed by a computer. When these analyses by a computer or bot reveal specified items of interest (i.e., the trigger), they can notify an instructor or the student. This also applies to when behaviors are not observed, such as when people do not participate in an exercise (a trigger), which prompts a notification to the student or instructor.
Tips and Tricks
- Consider what the everyday tasks that people who implement the educational product will need to do. How can some of these be handled by a computer if you had the chance?
- Brainstorm if there any situations where it would be nice for learners, instructors, or the designer to be notified if something happens or a particular event occurs within the learning experience. These are good examples of things that could use automated monitoring and notification response!
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