Last year, we reported on the South Korean government’s initiative to integrate the use of digital textbooks with artificial intelligence (AI) in schools. The goal was for these AI-powered textbooks to provide a personalized learning experience for each student. After just four months of being introduced, the program has been halted.
The issues that emerged included inaccurate factual content, increased screen time for children, technical issues, and increased workload for teachers and students. Students complained that AI-powered textbooks did not offer content that they felt was compatible with their level of understanding. Teachers struggled with technical issues in the classroom when the books could not be accessed on their devices. The introduction of AI textbooks in Korea is now seen as a hasty move without first testing them to see their effectiveness in the real world.
The South Korean government has spent 1.2 trillion won (RM 3.6 billion) on the program in the form of purchasing devices and training teachers to use them. Textbook publishers have spent over 800 billion won (~RM 2.4 million) developing textbooks that are now only labeled as supplementary study books that are not required to be used in class.
Since the beginning, more than 50,000 parents and guardians have signed a petition calling on the government to focus on student well-being rather than introducing the latest technology. Among their comments was the issue of prolonged device use among students. Making it mandatory to use digital textbooks in class is seen as only making things worse.
The use of AI in the classroom is also a hot topic among parents in Malaysia, with Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek saying it will be introduced in primary schools starting in 2027. Questions about the digital divide that will exist, the cost of using data, and the compatibility of introducing AI subjects in schools are still unanswered. In fact, the country's AI governance guidelines and code of ethics are still unknown.
