Temasek Polytechnic Launches AI-Enabled Course Advisor to Improve Student Engagement and Decision Making Process
Temasek Polytechnic's Ask TP is the first IBM Watson-enabled course advisor to be implemented in a polytechnic in Singapore.
SINGAPORE, Jan. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the report "Digital in Southeast Asia in 2017", 70 percent of Singaporeans are active social media users on the go, more than double the global average of 34 percent. Singaporean youth are spending more time online now than ever, with 99 percent of youth aged 15 to 24 being internet users. A report by the National Youth Council, "Youth Statistics In Brief 2017" has identified the top 3 Internet activities on mobile devices by this age group:
- 90 percent - Using social media
- 89 percent - Using instant messaging
- 85 percent - Sending or receiving emails
This shift in online habits comes with a change in mindset in how institutes of higher learning, such as Temasek Polytechnic, interact with prospective and current students.
Last year, a total of 29,112 school candidates sat for the O-level examination, along with 1,570 private candidates -- these prospective students can turn to Ask TP, the AI-enabled chatbot, for information about TP courses and other information about campus life. Using Watson Conversation service, the chatbot can answer questions in natural language and is available 24 x 7 on web and mobile channels.
Since its launch in November, over 12,000 conversations have taken place -- from helping prospective students understand the core differences between courses that have similar sounding names, such as biotechnology and biomedical sciences, to providing an overview of student life, Ask TP is a one-stop advisor for all things related to campus life. Going beyond student life, Ask TP is also able to provide advice based on future aspirations of prospective students. For example, if a prospective student is keen on entering the restaurant industry, they can ask for recommendations on which courses to pursue. The screen capture below demonstrates the same.
Ask TP's User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) were developed by students from TP, giving them first-hand experience at developing a live augmented intelligence (AI) product.
Mr Tang Ming Fai, Director of IT Services at Temasek Polytechnic, said, “The Ask TP chatbot has enabled us to better engage potential students and their parents, round-the-clock. Additionally, this initiative has been a rewarding experience for TP students who have leveraged their skills in augmented intelligence and machine learning to enhance the overall experience of users.â€
Ask TP is an intuitive chatbot agent that continuously learns new information and delivers increasingly accurate responses. The end goal is for it to be able to handle the majority of potential student queries, equipping them with the necessary information to make better decisions in the next stage of their education journey.
Abraham Thomas, Managing Director, IBM Singapore, said, "Digital transformation is an on-going process and the prize is the ultimate customer experience. In this case, the end users are prospective students for Temasek Polytechnic. With youth these days, the expectation is that information is at their fingertips and content is delivered instantly. Deploying IBM Watson Conversation on IBM Cloud allows Temasek Polytechnic to provide their prospective students with accurate, factual and tailored course recommendations quickly and on platforms that are most embedded in their consumption habits."
ABOUT TEMASEK POLYTECHNIC (TP)
Established in 1990, TP is one of the leading institutions of higher learning in Singapore. Currently, it offers 46 full-time diploma courses in the areas of applied science, business, design, engineering, humanities & social sciences and informatics & IT. It also offers over 20 part-time courses, up to the advanced diploma level. TP students undergo a holistic learning system that combines hands-on experience, character education and relevant life skills, in an enriching learning environment. The polytechnic has also infused global realities into its programmes and developed a mindset on campus that embraces socio-cultural diversity. These ensure that TP graduates are ready for work or further studies, and to contribute meaningfully to the community. For more information, please visit www.tp.edu.sg.