Educational Technology Preps Students for an AI World
As AI becomes more deeply integrated in today’s society, the same is true in education—offering extraordinary benefits for the future. Teaching AI skills in the classroom fosters critical thinking, creativity, ethical awareness, personalized learning, collaboration, and much more. At the same time, AI provides many benefits to educators—from automating repetitive tasks, helping teachers better prepare lesson plans, and have more personalized interactions with students.
This is why school districts across South Korea are dedicated to promoting an educational technology culture that enables students to develop technical skills they need to succeed. One example is the Jeonbuk State Office of Education, which has the overriding goal of “nurturing global citizens with future capabilities.”
To do so, Jeonbuk seeks to develop active student participation in the classroom and encourage teachers to also grow along with their students by:
- Building a learning environment for digital transformation that links to students’ lives
- Cultivating global competencies and global citizenship education
- Promoting a curriculum to foster future capabilities
- Developing student-centered, personalized education
A big reason Jeonbuk selected the AI PC is its high-performance computing, combined with #AI capabilities, which helps students learn across various platforms. @LGUS via @insightdottech
Intel® AI PCs Key to Effective Educational Technology
An essential element to Jeonbuk achieving its mandate is the deployment of Intel® Core™ Ultra™ processor-powered AI PCs alongside Intel® AI Education programs. A big reason Jeonbuk selected the AI PC is its high-performance computing, combined with AI capabilities, which helps students learn across various platforms.
“Jeonbuk’s highest goal for the AI PC is to upgrade students’ skills in areas like digital literacy, AI, and coding,” says Rosie Kang, Education AE at Intel.
Another driving factor was the inclusion of AI development tools like Intel® OpenVINO™—an open-source toolkit that accelerates AI inference—which comes installed on each PC. Taking it one step further, Intel created 10 simple OpenVINO models, making it easy for students to experience AI for the first time. For example, students can use AI to identify their age based on facial ID or change the background image the camera sees.
“Each student has their own PC, enabling them to learn AI software by themselves, and grow as self-directed learners,” says Kang.
Educational Programs Focus on AI Skill Development
Maximizing the classroom AI experience requires more than just hardware and software. In-depth training programs enhance learning outcomes for everyone.
For educators, the right hardware, software, and tools in the classroom must go hand in hand with empowering teachers to succeed. Education programs like Intel® Skills for Innovation (SFI) and Intel® AI for Youth are essential for teachers to improve their own AI skills and develop curricula that provide students with more engaged learning.
The SFI initiative helps leaders not just adopt educational technology but also create leading-edge learning experiences. It guides teachers in building new skills that can prepare students for a technology-dominated future. Jeonbuk selected Intel SFI partner BrainAI to deliver localized content and workshops that instruct teachers on topics like using AI in education to solve everyday challenges, AI ethics, and more.
And while SFI targets educational professionals, Intel AI for Youth is designed for students. It helps them develop the skills they need to become AI-ready, learn how to use technology and tools, and create solutions with positive social impact. The 200-hour program covers computer vision, natural language processing, and statistical data, and presents children the opportunity to develop applications that solve real-world problems with AI.
Jeonbuk Educational Technology Bidding Process
To obtain the hardware, software, cost, and service it needed for a successful deployment, Jeonbuk released an RFP with precise and detailed requirements. Competing against a number of suppliers, ultimately Intel partner LG Electronics, a digital transformation specialist, was selected.
With a project estimate of $73,000, Jeonbuk’s requirements included:
- Supply and distribution of one smart device per student who can freely use educational technology to realize distance learning, blended learning, and competency-based education by the end of 2024.
- Device management to maintain a stable system that supports student-centered computer use and teacher workload reduction.
- Content management system that supports teacher learning, such as how to install educational apps and content, and block harmful apps.
- Stable operation of a defect management system and sustainable management through a service level management (SLA) support system.
“Jeonbuk and Intel agreed on the partnership to provide solutions on how to use the deployed devices effectively in class and integrate them into their lessons with the AI PC and SIC program,” says Kang.
Educational Technology Investments Prepare Students for the Future
With a strong emphasis on STEM, South Korea invests significantly in education, making it a global leader in the field. For example, initiatives like the Korean Edutech Contents Deployment Project provide funding to school districts across the country. “This project holds significant value for Jeonbuk, as it empowers teachers to independently choose the applications that best suit their lessons,” says Kang. “Jeonbuk also believes that this flexibility allows teachers to create more efficient, creative lessons and provide students with a more engaging learning experience.”
Technology that places students at the center of all educational activities fosters global citizens who will lead a sustainable future society. And using AI in education—by students and teachers—provides a big step forward for today’s youth to become the leaders of tomorrow.
This article was edited by Christina Cardoza, Editorial Director for insight.tech.