Kuala Lumpur, 12 June 2024 – Coursera, Inc., a leading global online learning platform, has announced the launch of innovative GenAI-powered features aimed at scaling assessment creation and grading, strengthening academic integrity, and enhancing learning and evaluation processes. These advanced tools, including AI-Assisted Grading, Proctoring and Coursera’s lockdown browser, and AI-based Viva Exams, are set to empower Malaysian campuses to deliver authentic learning experiences while significantly enhancing the value of online assessments, courses, and certificates.
The Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia, is a staunch advocate for a progressive education system, emphasizing online learning to bridge skills gaps and improve graduate employability. The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) has provisioned for 30% of credits to be earned through platforms like Coursera. However, universities must ensure that online learning meets rigorous standards for academic credit. Although GenAI presents new risks for student misconduct, it also offers unparalleled opportunities for universities to enhance academic integrity on a large scale.
“We’re excited to empower Malaysian universities with new tools to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity in online learning, ensuring students receive an authentic and verified education that is respected by employers,” said Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO, Coursera. “By prioritizing Malaysia as a key market for the launch, we are advancing the country’s vision for scaling high-quality online education and making digital and AI skills accessible to everyone.”
Also Read: Singapore Shoppers Embrace Eco-Friendly Deliveries: Amazon Study Reveals Preferences for Reduced Packaging
New Coursera Features:
Scale Assessment Creation and Grading:
- AI Assessment Generator: This tool saves educators’ time by generating diverse math, text, and multiple-choice assessments tailored to courses, seamlessly integrating them into assignments.
- Question Banks and Variants: Provides a variety of questions and multiple variants for robust testing, making exams difficult to predict and easier to author.
- AI-Assisted Grading: Streamlines grading by suggesting scores and feedback based on assignment analysis, with final decisions remaining with graders.
Strengthen Academic Integrity:
- Graded Item Locking: Requires students to complete all ungraded items, watch videos, and complete readings, promoting comprehensive learning and preventing skipping ahead.
- Time and Attempt Limits: Controls exam attempts to ensure fairness, discourage trial and error, and limit access to outside resources, encouraging meaningful engagement and reflection.
- Proctoring and Coursera’s lockdown browser: Maintains exam integrity by blocking unauthorized resources and detecting unauthorized assistance during high-stakes exams.
- Plagiarism Detection: Instantly identifies content similar to previous submissions, deterring plagiarism and educating students on independent thinking and originality.
Enhance Learning and Evaluation:
- Quiz Prep and Prior Learning Recaps with Coursera Coach: This personalized tutor, powered by GenAI and grounded in expert Coursera content, provides interactive learning assistance, lecture summaries, guided practice, and tailored pre-assessment reviews.
- AI Peer Reviews: Facilitates peer feedback with AI-powered insights, evaluating text-based submissions and generating grades using assignment rubrics.
- AI-based Viva Exam: Analyzes free-form written submissions and grading criteria to dynamically generate custom follow-up questions, testing the authenticity and critical thinking behind the student’s submission. This enables educators to conduct viva-style written exams, where students ‘show their work’ and graders receive detailed analysis.
“Our new academic integrity features provide a robust solution, addressing both the opportunities and challenges presented by GenAI. Institutions can now increasingly leverage online learning to bridge curriculum gaps, personalize education, and deliver multidisciplinary learning,” said Raghav Gupta, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Coursera.
In Malaysia, WOU (Wawasan Open University), whose students are mainly working adults under 40, incorporates Coursera content into selected courses, with up to 50% integration for some courses. This partnership gives WOU access to top content from industry leaders like IBM, Google, and Meta, helping students upskill and reskill, and keeps the curricula aligned with evolving industry trends.
Additionally, Coursera announced a new course from Vanderbilt University, “Generative AI for University Leaders.” This course, designed to prepare academic institutions for rapid changes brought by GenAI, is taught by Professor Jules White and features guest experts including Andrew Ng, Mayank Shrivastava, and Jeff Maggioncalda. The course covers how GenAI works, its significance, and how university leaders can create a GenAI strategy and ensure its appropriate usage on campuses.
About Coursera
Coursera was launched in 2012 by two Stanford Computer Science professors, Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, with a mission to provide universal access to world-class learning. It is now one of the largest online learning platforms in the world, with more than 142 million registered learners as of December 31, 2023. Coursera partners with over 300 leading university and industry partners to offer a broad catalog of content and credentials, including courses, Specializations, Professional Certificates, Guided Projects, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Institutions around the world use Coursera to upskill and reskill their employees, citizens, and students in fields such as data science, technology, and business. Coursera became a Delaware public benefit corporation and a B Corp in February 2021.
