Learning Career Knowledge: Can AI Simulation and Machine Learning Improve Career Plans and Educational Expectations?

As AI and machine learning permeates every area of life, its use to ameliorate educational inequities becomes of great interest. One important application of machine learning within education is to help students increase their alignment of career choice, educational attainment, and projected salary. Alignment theory has shown that having alignment yields higher educational attainment for students. Using the app, Init2Winit, which has students play a game which gives them points for correct alignment, this chapter explores how machine learning, in particular using a decision tree, can give insights into game use and its relation to educational expectations. This model builds a basis for the improvement of Init2Winit to increase student educational expectations through counselor interventions and how other educational applications could use machine learning for insights to improve educational outcomes. The model can decrease educational inequities by increasing educational attainment for those in underrepresented minorities.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-09687-7_9