Education and training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Education and training - Essay Example In this age that Smart calls the Symbiotic Age, machines will be called upon to interpret human language and intent. And it is in this regard that the conversational interface technology will become irreplaceable. So what exactly are CUIs? A simple definition would be to refer to CUIs as technologies that shall enable us to use our natural communication modes such as gestures and speech to communicate with computers and other digital systems. This would naturally eliminate the need for users to frequently undergo special training as newer technologies emerge because the future gadgets will be tuned to comprehend our voice, gestures and even intent. CUIs are currently categorized into three. The most common CUIs that we use on a daily basis are the directed dialogue CUIs such as the automated customer care machines that are typical of mobile phone providers. Here our options are restricted through guided dialogue. We also have free-form CUIs and mixed initiative or mixed dialogue systems. free-form CUIs are where humans have full control and mixed dialogue systems resemble face-to-face conversations, where both machines and humans are equally empowered (Glass et. al., 2005). With increasing emphasis on online and e-learning we find that conversational interface technology would facilitate personalization of learning communication which is essential for student-based learning. A renowned scientist and expert in human cognitive development, Vygotsky’s stated that more learning takes place outside the classroom and in an era of increased social networking, we are of the opinion that CUIs could be used to promote collaborative learning through such social sites. However, a survey conducted by Rossett and Marshall in mid 2009 in the US inform us that we are still have a long way to go. Use of online discussions, Web 2.0 tools and e-learning to