Artificial intelligence (AI) in blended learning

The growth of e-learning, and subsequently, of blended learning in recent years in response to the global demand for increased productivity in education and training has been astounding! While the commercial response, including that of universities, to this rapid increase in demand and to the associated potential of communications technologies to provide global access has been impressive, significant disappointments in the effectiveness of learning models have been reported by students, notwithstanding increased attention to instructional standards and to collaborative learning support using Web services. The Guest Editors had already noted from literature reviews that many of the challenges facing course designers would benefit from contemporary progress in artificial intelligence, particularly the resolution of semantic issues, in data mining and in the discovery of problem solving strategies. Business interest in ‘blended learning’ also motivated our search for creative solutions using artificial intelligence (AI).