Yangju City Opens First ‘Gyeonggi EduTech R&D Lab’ in Northern Gyeonggi
Full-Scale Launch of Future-Oriented Education... Ninth Lab Nationwide
The ‘Gyeonggi EduTech R&D Lab,’ which combines public education with cutting-edge EduTech technology, has opened in Yangju City, Gyeonggi Province, becoming the ninth nationwide and the first in northern Gyeonggi to officially launch future-oriented educational innovation.
According to Yangju City on the 7th, the opening ceremony and forum for the ‘Gyeonggi EduTech R&D Lab’ were held on the 3rd at Hoecheon Middle School, marking the start of full-scale operations. This project was promoted after being selected as the final winner in the ‘2024 EduTech Soft Lab Construction and Operation Public Contest’ led by the Ministry of Education and implemented by the Korea Education and Research Information Service (KERIS). The consortium was formed with the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, Gyeonggi Education Research Institute, and Yangju City as a co-hosting organization.
The Gyeonggi EduTech R&D Lab was created by reorganizing classrooms at Hoecheon Middle School, covering an area of 517.4㎡. Inside, there are ▲Future Education Room ▲Booth Seats ▲Group Rooms (A·B) ▲Seminar Room ▲Operation Room, and it serves as a space to experiment with and experience advanced EduTech technologies. Research will be conducted here to develop educational models applicable in school settings and to lead the digitalization of public education.
At the opening ceremony and forum held that day, attendees included Kim Young-gon, Deputy Minister of Education; Lim Tae-hee, Superintendent of Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education; Kang Soo-hyun, Mayor of Yangju City; Lim Jeong-mo, Director of Dongducheon Yangju Office of Education; So Seong-suk, Director of Pocheon Office of Education; Ahn Gwang-ryul, Chairperson of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council Education Planning Committee; Kim Ae-chun, Principal of Hoecheon Middle School; Jeong Jae-young, President of KERIS; and Kim Jin-sook, Director of Gyeonggi Education Research Institute. In addition, on-site teachers and company representatives participated to share the role of the EduTech R&D Lab and actual classroom performance cases.
At the Gyeonggi EduTech R&D Lab, selected EduTech technologies will be applied to actual school classes, and research will be conducted to verify and improve them in connection with the public education curriculum. Furthermore, teacher training and education will be provided to strengthen educators’ capabilities, support the technological development of EduTech companies, and operate experiential classrooms and programs for students.
In particular, starting in May, Yangju City plans to run the ‘EduTech Soft Lab Experience Program’ targeting 4th-grade elementary students, providing them with opportunities to directly experience advanced technologies. The city intends to actively utilize the Gyeonggi EduTech R&D Lab not just as an educational space but as a hub for EduTech education in the northern Gyeonggi region.
Mayor Kang Soo-hyun stated, “In an era where the digital transformation of education is accelerating, the Gyeonggi EduTech R&D Lab is expected to play an important role,” adding, “Yangju City is steadily promoting regionally specialized educational projects as a pilot area for educational development zones and will continue to strive to create an environment for nurturing digital talents.”
With the opening of the Gyeonggi EduTech R&D Lab, attention is focused on whether Yangju City can lead the digitalization of public education and become a center for future education.
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