Ms. Ng Sook Mun, the Assistant Director of Pedagogy at AICET, conducted a sharing session at Boon Lay Secondary School(BLSS), engaging Principal Mr. Chan Zheng Ming and 14 dedicated educators. The focus was on navigating the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, stressing the need for a fundamental mindset shift among school leaders and teachers.
In-Depth Exchange: Reframing the AI Dialogue
The session challenged the conventional approach to AI in education. Ms. Ng asserted that the conversation must evolve beyond, “Can AI help students learn better?”.
Educators must now actively ask: “How can we use AI to teach better?” and critically, “How can we use AI to teach ‘human’ skills?”.
The presentation highlighted the market demand for analytical and creative thinking, positioning these as one of the top skills students must master for the AI-driven future.
Key Takeaway: The Imperative of Foundational Knowledge
A central theme was the danger of outsourcing foundational knowledge. Ms. Ng warned that without core domain expertise, students risk developing handicapped critical thinking skills and will lack the “internal error detector” needed to spot misinformation or “AI slop.”
The critical advice offered was simple: “Use AI to speed up what you can already do, and not offload what you cannot do!”. This principle ensures AI augments capability, rather than replacing essential human learning.
Experiencing Innovation: Training Empathy with AI Chatbots
The BLSS staff participated in a highly practical demonstration: the “Parent Engagement Roleplay.” This AI-powered simulation, rigorously tested by domain experts, allowed the educators to practice complex scenarios related to the MOE Full Subject-Based Banding adjustments.
Staff were evaluated based on vital human competencies, including demonstrating empathy, uncovering root concerns, and co-creating an action plan. This hands-on session underscored how AI can be leveraged as a safe, structured environment for repetition and the development of these essential human skills.
Strengthening Partnership and Future Collaboration Outlook
The visit successfully reinforced the core principle that technology does not replace sound pedagogy-it scales and strengthens it. This learning journey is part of AICET’s continued collaborative commitment with BLSS to develop high-value AI-solutions specifically tailored for schools. Both teams anticipate this exchange will significantly advance the thoughtful integration of AI in secondary education.
Leave a Reply