Schools guide students to use artificial intelligence purposefully for learning

We agree with writer Xie Yinzhen's views on the need to balance students' use of artificial intelligence (AI) and development of subject knowledge and skills ("Maintaining a balance between using AI and mastering academic skills", 28 Jan).

The Ministry of Education (MOE) recognises that AI and technology must be used in a pedagogically sound, age- and developmentally-appropriate manner that enhances students' learning. Teachers will consider whether and how to use AI to support students' learning, using a blend of teaching approaches which may not always involve technology, and setting appropriate rules to encourage or deter AI use based on the intended learning objectives. For example, if the focus is on developing students' argumentative skills, teachers may allow students to use AI to generate ideas and build in group discussions to further develop the essay. For tasks designed to assess independent mastery, students will need to complete work without AI assistance.

To prepare students for an increasingly AI-integrated world, we will further strengthen efforts to develop students' AI literacy. In schools, students will learn about AI, learn to use AI, learn with AI, and learn beyond AI through subjects, co-curriculum and other school-based programmes. Through structured learning tasks and programmes such as Applied Learning Programme and Code for Fun, our students learn how to recognise AI applications in their daily lives, evaluate AI outputs critically, and avoid overreliance on AI which can impact their understanding of concepts and ability to develop higher order skills.

Where it is vital to build foundational knowledge and skills, teachers may not introduce AI until students demonstrate independent understanding. AI-enabled tools with appropriate guardrails are also integrated in the Singapore Student Learning Space to allow students to benefit from the personalisation of learning offered by AI, while guarding against outsourcing of thinking processes to AI.

AI and other emerging technologies will continue to play significant roles in our students' learning and lives. MOE and schools will equip students with the necessary skills to harness AI in their learning and for AI to augment our students' capabilities.

Mdm Lee Lin Yee
Divisional Director (Educational Technology Division)
Ministry of Educatrion

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学校引导学生有目的地利用AI学习

谨答复《联合早报·交流站·青年视角》于1月28日刊登的谢颖禛同学投函《使用AI和掌握学科技能应保持平衡》 ：我们赞同谢同学关于学生在使用人工智能（AI）与学科知识技能发展之间须取得平衡的观点。

教育部认为，AI和科技的使用，必须符合教育学原理、学生的年龄和发展阶段，以促进学生的学习。教师会斟酌是否以及如何使用AI来辅助学生学习，采用多种教学方法（不一定总是涉及科技），并根据预期的学习目标制定适当的规则，以鼓励或限制AI的使用。例如，如果重点是在培养学生的论证能力，教师可允许学生利用AI来生成想法，并通过小组讨论，进一步发展文章内容。对于旨在评估学生独立掌握程度的任务，学生就须独自完成，不得借助AI。

为了让学生适应日益与AI融合的世界，我们会进一步加强培养学生的AI素养。在学校里，学生将通过不同学科、课外活动和其他校内活动，了解AI、学习如何使用AI、利用AI学习，以及学习AI以外的知识和技能。通过结构化的学习任务和活动，例如应用学习项目（Applied Learning Programme）和"编码乐"课程（Code for Fun），学生可以学习如何在日常生活中识别AI的应用，具批判性地评估AI的输出结果，并避免过度依赖AI，以免影响他们对概念的理解和高层次技能的发展。

在须要夯实基础知识和技能的关键阶段，教师可能会在学生展现独立理解能力之前，暂缓引入AI。新加坡学生学习平台（Singapore Student Learning Space）也已整合配备适当安全措施的AI工具，使学生能够受益于AI提供的个性化学习，同时防止学生将思考过程外包给AI。

AI和其他新兴科技将持续在学生的学习和生活中发挥重要作用。教育部和学校会让学生掌握必要的技能，使他们能够在学习中运用AI，并借助AI拓展并强化自身的能力。

教育部
教育科技司统筹司长
李遴瑜