Selection of Black Textbooks Also by Year-End
Field Teachers Participating in Training Say 'Well...'
Education Sector Urges 'Speed Adjustment'
Lee Ju-ho "We Can Prepare Sufficiently"
With the 'AI (Artificial Intelligence) Digital Textbook' scheduled to be introduced in some subjects in elementary, middle, and high schools starting next year, controversy continues over the policy's effectiveness. There are concerns that the physical textbooks have not yet been produced despite the need to apply them in classrooms next year, and that there has not been enough time for social review and discussion.
According to the education sector on the 9th, the Ministry of Education plans to accept applications from AI digital textbook publishers starting this month, conduct evaluations, and select the final publishers by the end of November.
However, concerns have been raised that the project, which is scheduled to be implemented as early as next year, is being pushed forward too hastily. Since May, the Ministry of Education has been conducting the 'Classroom Revolution Leading Teacher Training,' and even before selecting AI textbook publishers, training on technology demonstrations and class assistance has been provided, leading on-site teachers to respond, "We don't really understand what is going on."
At the '2024 Classroom Revolution Sharing Conference' held at Daegu EXCO on the 7th, a prototype of an AI textbook for teacher training equipped with basic functions was also showcased. A secondary school teacher who participated in the training said, "We learned how to use digital-related tools even though digital textbooks have not yet been prepared," adding, "It would be understandable if teachers received sufficient education and the introduction was gradual, but suddenly introducing it next year feels rushed."
In a survey conducted by Go Min-jeong, a member of the National Assembly's Education Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, together with the polling agency Embrain from the 26th to 30th of last month, 1,000 parents nationwide with children in elementary, middle, and high schools (with a sampling error of ±3.1% at a 95% confidence level) were asked whether they agreed with the 'AI digital textbook introduction policy.' The results showed that 30.7% answered 'agree,' while 31.1% answered 'disagree.'
The most common reason for disagreeing with the introduction of AI digital textbooks was concern that 'there will be excessive dependence on digital devices,' at 39.2%, followed by 35.7% who answered that 'students' literacy might be impaired.' In a survey conducted by Go’s office targeting teachers, the highest proportion raised doubts about the 'learning effectiveness.'
The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) requested the International Education Association (EI) on the 1st to dispatch an international investigation team to verify Korea's AI digital textbooks. Hwang Hyun-soo, the international director of KTU, pointed out at the International Education Association General Assembly that "public funds, which should be used to improve the public education system, are being spent on the AI digital textbook development project without any proven effectiveness."
At the full meeting of the Education Committee held at the National Assembly the previous day, questions mainly focused on the effectiveness of AI digital textbooks. When Jeong Eul-ho, a Democratic Party lawmaker, asked, "Many opinions say that the time is too tight to introduce it in the first semester of next year," the Deputy Minister of Education replied, "There is a plan for larger-scale training for 150,000 teachers in the second half of the year, so if alternatives for teachers to utilize digital textbooks are prepared, they can be sufficiently ready," adding, "We plan to conduct thorough verification of the technical performance."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
