Hi Irina!
Thank you for creating this thread so we could accumulate the impressions and ideas from this study tour to Beijing, China.
Since day 1, the trip was nothing but amazing! The coordination between organizers and all the volunteers was just seamless. They were always more than willing to help and provide assistance in any way they could!
On Sunday when we arrived, we got the chance to meet with all the winners for the very first time. Things were a bit formal at the beginning, tho soon after that everyone got the chance to show more expressions and warmth towards one another.
From the opening ceremony of the GSEC 2025, to the closing ceremony, they have provided a deep insights of how AI and digital technology have been improved, redesigned, and applied in various settings. The conference gave me an eye-opening experience. It brought together educators, technologists, and thought leaders from around the world to explore the evolving landscape of smart education and AI implementation. The parallel panels and keynote sessions delved into how transformative role of AI and digital technology in education have helped the transferring processes of knowledge.
Various discussions such as AI-powered personalized learning to identify each student's strength and weaknesses to the ethical considerations of data-driven education. Each sessions offered fresh perspectives and practical insights. In particular, I was so impressed by the panel and showcase of AI in assessment and feedback. It strengthen the functions of machine learning to support formative assessment, in which would reduce teacher workload while prioritizing student engagement. The topics offered have reminded us on the importance of emphasizing how these tools and platforms support continuous skills development beyond traditional schooling. All for all, these topics have deepened my understanding of how AI and digital technology can be harnessed not to just deliver contents, but as well to redesign pedagogy, empowering learners, and fostering global collaboration & networking.
During one of the sessions, a teacher asked his students to watch an animation videos, in which later the students responded to the questions given. The AI would recognize the answer, and give feedback on the students writing, and show which paragraph they got it correctly and which ones were still in incorrect answers or responses. These showcase of AI implementation had allowed me to renew the sense of purpose and curiosity.
The booths were no less impressive. We could get the chance to engage the conversation in english directly to acquire information of their products. There are so many technological equipment that would create such an engaging learning environment for both educators and the students. One of them which stood out was the technology of combining AI and digital platform for teachers that can teach remotely, while the students can learn from afar places could follow the lesson, learn, and interact with the teacher. With the help of AI to read, differentiate, and remember each teacher's body movement and gesture, it will create a representation of the teacher with a smooth movement to be shown to a different classroom across the country or globe. So both classes, even they are thousand kilometers apart in a distance, they will experience a seamless learning experience where one teacher can teach several classes at the same time. It will allow students to ask questions, and ask for further explanation.
This innovation has definitely reshaped the landscape of teaching. Global learning is no longer just an idea, but an implementation in the making. There are still so many things to mention here. Other technology involves pen detection to allow the AI to assess in real time of what the student is writing. Just a few seconds after that, the AI could provide some detailed assessement of the work of the student.
Long story short, this study tour is a life-changing, eye-opening, and memorable one. We have made friends with others from across the world, that share the same passions in educating the young souls, to create a better future that everyone deserves. Thank you UNESCO IITE, NetDragon, and BNU for running such an amazing, smooth, and enriching conference. Looking forward to reading what they will bring to their conference next year.
Shout out to all representatives from each organizations above. Ms. Tatiana Shutova from UNESCO IITE, Ms. Nicole from NetDragon, and Ms. Jennifer & Lanya from BNU. They have been super super great! I wish I could write more, but there are so many things to mention and share.
Also, congrats for all the winners from the first one to the 3.0 version. You guys are inspiring others!
Thank you, and warm regards for everyone.
-H
