AI coming to primary and secondary schools to maximize learning by machine

"Confucius, does the phrase 'To learn and constantly review what one has learned, isn't that a delight?' mean that we should frequently review our lessons?"

In a fourth-grade classroom at Xinyilu Primary School, Qinhuangdao, Hebei province, a student posed this question to a virtual figure on the screen. The digital "Confucius", dressed in traditional attire, nodded gently and replied, "Indeed. By revisiting what one has learned, one can gain new insights."

With the integration of artificial intelligence-powered virtual teaching assistants, historical figures can now come to life in classrooms, providing students with an interactive learning experience.

The deep integration of AI and education will bring about major changes to education and the way schools are organized, says Xue Lan, dean of the Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University. "As a personalized learning hub, AI offers limitless possibilities."

The Tianjin Huiwen Middle School has gone through three stages of AI exploration in education.

In 2017, it organized a sci-tech club to engage a small group of students interested in AI, allowing them to try out for robotics and other competitions. By 2022, the school was determined to broaden the reach of its AI education programs.

It specially created sci-tech innovation courses covering robots, drones and the annual robot competition, RoboMaster, to expand the variety of AI education.

AI has now been integrated into daily teaching at the school, and serves as a teaching assistant bringing new experiences to traditional education.

The development of AI education at Huiwen is similar to other schools in China. Educators widely acknowledge AI's transformative impact on classroom efficiency.

"As part of our school's digital transformation, every classroom is now equipped with smart interactive boards and AI-powered virtual assistants, enabling real-time human-machine interaction," says Principal Yao Hairong of Xinyilu Primary School. "This not only enhances teaching efficiency but also significantly boosts students' learning engagement."

Many parents believe that AI-driven learning makes lessons more engaging and increases interest.