AI and Shortening Time …China Using AI to Improve Educational Outcomes

AI and Shortening Time …China Using AI to Improve Educational Outcomes

Talal Abu-Ghazaleh

China is emerging as one of the leading countries in adopting AI for education purposes. Chinese authorities have been using various AI technologies in classrooms that can help teachers and students in different ways, such as headbands that measure brain waves and monitor student engagement and concentration levels. These devices can help teachers determine the students’ weaknesses and strengths, as well as tailor their instruction to the individual needs of each student and provide feedback on their learning progress. Other classrooms use cameras and programs that track facial expressions and analyze student behavior. These tools can help teachers assess student emotions and motivation and determine when teachers can intervene to address an issue or provide support to the student when necessary.

Some classrooms also use software that determines students’ levels using programs that assign scores based on student concentration levels and performance, which can help teachers evaluate student learning outcomes and provide personalized guidance and support.

This highlights China’s determination to invest in AI technologies to enhance student learning and prepare them for the highly competitive college entrance exams, for which parents and teachers are always looking for to gain a competitive edge and improve student performance.

China has proved its ability to address some of the biggest challenges in education today, such as access to good education, inclusion, and looking into issues affecting education in terms of language, in addition to personalized learning experiences through smart teaching systems rather than unified learning/educational processes.

With AI technology, we can quickly highlight how each learner’s strengths and weaknesses can be identified in order to develop a tailored approach for each student.

I see that such AI tools are an essential technology that will go a long way to democratize education in ways we could have never imagined.

However, such technology also brings challenges and risks that must be addressed. AI can exacerbate existing inequalities and biases in education through the users! Its tools may also not suit a few groups of learners.

It can also create new digital divides between countries and regions that have different levels of access to technology, infrastructure and skills.

AI also relies on large amounts of data, which raises concerns about the privacy and security of students' personal information as it could be vulnerable to hacking, manipulation or misuse by malicious actors.

There is a definite  need to ensure that data collection, storage and analysis are done in a transparent, ethical and secure manner.

The introduction of this technology also requires teachers and learners to acquire new skills and competencies to be able to use it effectively. Teachers need to learn how to integrate AI into their teaching practices, as well as how to evaluate its impact on student learning.

Learners need to learn how to effectively interact with AI systems, as well as how to critically appraise their reliability, validity and limitations.

As someone that has been advocating for the benefits of AI for many years and in my capacity as a member of the UNESCO Advisory Committee for Quality and Excellence in Education, I believe that we need to embrace AI as an opportunity for innovation and improvement in education. However, we must ensure that it is developed and used in a way that respects the rights, dignity and diversity of all learners. We must develop a comprehensive vision of public policy on AI for sustainable development and work together as a global community to harness the potential of AI for education while ensuring its ethical application.

Finally, other nations would do well to follow China’s lead in applying AI to education. History has shown that those willing to modernize their educational systems with new approaches, technologies and learning systems are the ones that benefit from first-mover advantage, setting up their economies to reap great rewards further down the line as their citizens become more effective knowledge workers in fields that contribute to their community’s development and advancement.