The South Korean government spent 1.2 trillion won ($850 million) to develop AI textbooks for schools, but the national plan was halted after just four months due to allegations of text inaccuracies, privacy concerns, and increased workload for teachers and students.
Journalist Kwon Jun-hyeop, writing for Rest Of World magazine, quoted one student as saying, “All classes were delayed due to technical problems with the textbook. (…) I found it difficult to maintain concentration and achieve my goals. The textbook did not provide lessons tailored to my level.”
Kim Jeong-hee, chief digital officer at Dong-A Publishing, one of the textbook developers, said of the benefits of AI books: “By using digital devices that (students) are familiar with, they are more focused, more alert, and more engaged. Textbooks provide more personalized support for students who are struggling with class.”
The South Korean government initially commissioned publishers to produce AI textbooks, and publishers spent approximately $567 million to develop the online digital texts. In the country, the use of AI textbooks was made compulsory at the start of the academic year in March, but became “optional” just one semester later. During this period, the number of schools using AI textbooks was halved.
In January of this year, Rep. Kang Kyung-sook asked the Minister of Education in the National Assembly, “Traditional print textbooks took 18 months to develop, nine months to review, and six months to prepare, but AI textbooks took only 12 months to develop, three months to review, and three months to prepare (…). Why the rush? Since the target audience is children, careful verification and careful procedures are necessary.”
The failure of the AI textbook project is also blamed on the politicization of the issue and a change of government during the plan’s rollout.
Since the advent of the Internet, technology programs in schools have been relatively common and have lasted much longer and at much lower cost to taxpayers, even though they ultimately fail or undergo major restructuring. In the early 2000s, an online school project was planned in South Africa’s Guaten province to equip schools with computer labs and internet connectivity, but it was scrapped in 2013 at a cost of R1 billion ($57 million), according to some reports.
In 2019, Malaysia’s 1BestariNet, a cloud-based VLE (virtual learning environment), was shut down after eight years amid an investigation into alleged discrepancies between internet speed claims and the reality experienced by many schools. The total cost of this project amounted to billions of ringgit (one billion ringgit is approximately $235 million).
However, the speed with which South Korea’s AI textbook project failed and its high cost suggest that the introduction of digitally delivered AI textbooks into education is facing difficulties. An academic study conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology published earlier this year suggests that the use of AI in education can reduce brain activity over the long term, suggesting that the technology may not be suitable for developing intelligence.
(Image Source: “Adorable Students Sleeping in the Undergraduate Library” by Ventilada is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.)
Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out the AI & Big Data Expos in Amsterdam, California, and London. This comprehensive event is part of TechEx and co-located with other major technology events. Click here for more information.
AI News is brought to you by TechForge Media. Learn about other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars.
