In South Korea, controversy surrounding the legal status and utilization of the artificial intelligence (AI) textbook continues, as the World Bank announced that an education experiment utilizing AI achieved two years' worth of learning outcomes in just six weeks.
◇ “AI learning technology complements existing education curriculum”
According to data released on the official blog of the World Bank on the 24th, the AI tutor program implemented in Edo State, Nigeria, from June to July of last year increased students' average learning by over two years.
This pilot project was conducted in the form of an after-school program targeting middle school students and improved their achievement levels in three main learning areas: English, basic AI knowledge, and digital skills.
Results from written evaluations conducted after the program ended showed that students participating in the AI tutor program recorded better learning outcomes across all areas than non-participating students. In particular, English was set as the main focus of this pilot project, with participating students showing an average increase of over 0.3 standard deviations in learning outcomes compared to their non-participating peers. The World Bank explained that this learning effect corresponds to the learning volume of two years in a typical educational program.
The tailored learning content and real-time feedback provided by AI were analyzed as key factors. Students could directly ask questions to the AI tutor during learning, and the AI presented answers and learning materials suited to the students' levels, supporting individual learning. As a result, students were able to autonomously explore learning topics and develop self-directed learning abilities, according to the World Bank.
The World Bank noted, “The AI tutor not only delivers learning materials but also complements the role of teachers and provides a learning environment tailored to each individual student.” The learning effect was not limited to after-school classes. Students participating in the program also achieved superior results in year-end regular examinations compared to non-participating students, demonstrating that AI learning technology operates complementarily with the existing education curriculum.
In particular, it brought changes to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Female students among the participants, who initially had lower learning outcomes, showed greater improvements compared to their male counterparts, contributing to reducing the gender learning gap. The World Bank explained, “This result shows that AI-based personalized learning can make a tangible contribution to closing educational gaps and improving academic achievements.”
◇ “Private education already utilizes it… strengthening the role of teachers”
In South Korea, the debate surrounding the AI textbook continues. The AI textbook aims to provide personalized content tailored to each student's learning pace and level, and is one of the Ministry of Education's three major reform tasks, expecting to reduce private education expenses and close educational gaps.
The AI textbook promoted by the Ministry of Education features a one-on-one AI tutor function, distinguishing it from general digital textbooks. In the case of English textbooks, it can correct students' pronunciation and engage in conversations. For mathematics, the AI textbook assesses individual math skills and encourages solving problems suited to their levels.
The Ministry of Education initially planned to introduce the AI textbook as a regular textbook nationwide for some subjects starting this year, and to expand it to all subjects by 2028. However, the amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, passed by the National Assembly last year under the leadership of the Democratic Party, began the controversy by designating the AI textbook as 'educational material' rather than a formal textbook. This amendment allows schools to decide autonomously whether to adopt the AI textbook, and since budget support is not mandated like for standard textbooks, the government’s planned full-scale adoption of the AI textbook has become practically difficult.
Lee Kyungjeon, a professor at Kyunghee University in the Department of Applied Big Data, said, “The AI textbook is a powerful tool that can accurately assess each student's learning level and recommend appropriate learning content,” adding, “It will allow teachers to check students' learning data in real time and guide them more effectively, thereby further strengthening the role of teachers.”
He further noted, “Introducing AI-based learning technology already used in private education into public education can help reduce educational gaps and provide equal learning opportunities for everyone, and opposition for the sake of opposition is undesirable.”