Generative AI is rapidly entering the education scene. How teachers have the ability to "understand AI, use AI, teach AI, and surpass AI" has become a new topic in teacher training. The Ministry of Education stated today (16th) that my country and South Korea will expand cooperation in smart education. In the future, they are expected to cooperate in AI introduction teacher training courses, smart teaching demonstration classrooms, AI competency certification for teachers and students, transnational research and teaching practice, and jointly cultivate future teachers with human-machine collaboration capabilities and ethical qualities.
The Ministry of Education invited President Zhang Xinhao and Vice President Jin Fangchu of the Seoul University of Education in South Korea to visit Taiwan from September 8 to 11. They went to National Taichung University of Education, National Taipei University of Education, Taipei City University and Beiyi Girls' High School to learn about Taiwan's digital technology and smart education teacher training.
The Ministry of Education stated that generative AI and digital technology are changing teaching methods. Teacher training in my country's primary and secondary schools will develop in the direction of "AI literacy, educational expertise, and innovative practice." Not only should pre-service and in-service teachers be able to use AI tools, they should also have the ability to judge tool limitations, design teaching activities, and guide students to use AI responsibly.
The Department of Information, Technology and Education of the Ministry of Education has promoted the "AI Talent Ark Project" starting this year and will be implemented until 2029; the Department of Teacher Training and Art Education will simultaneously promote the "Smart Education Teacher Training Alliance" and will implement the "AI Introduction Teacher Training Innovation Plan" from 2027 to 2029 to connect teacher training universities, local education bureaus and professional development schools to establish a smart education cooperation network.
Li Yujuan, director of the International Department of the Ministry of Education, said that Taiwan and South Korea have room for cooperation on topics such as the integration of AI into teacher training, the construction of smart classrooms, and the AI competency certification of teachers and students. National Taipei University of Education and Seoul University of Education established sister schools as early as 1970, and National Taichung University of Education also signed an academic exchange memorandum with the school in 2012 to provide long-term publicly funded exchange students and short-term summer training, laying the foundation for cooperation. In the future, the Ministry of Education will also continue to promote cooperation between Taiwan and South Korea in transnational research communities, teacher training curriculum development and teaching practice through the Smart Education Teacher Training Alliance and the AI Teacher Training Innovation Project.
Seoul National University of Education is an important primary school teacher training university in South Korea. In recent years, it has established an AI Integrated Education Center, launched an online degree course in "AI Future Education and Educational Technology", and obtained Google Education certification reference university qualifications. Zhang Xinhao affirmed Taiwan’s innovative plans for AI education policy and teacher training, and was deeply impressed by the students from Beiyi Middle School who introduced AI into STEAM courses in English and independently developed AI application modules.
