South Korea introduced a requirement in the 2022 revised national curriculum for 34 class sessions of information education in elementary schools. But specific teaching methods and materials are still largely left to teachers.
Oh Yuna, a teacher at Hongneung Elementary School in Seoul, said she has been filling that gap with a platform called Sooup AI ("Lesson AI") from startup Redbrick. Oh, who has received a minister of education commendation for work in strengthening teachers’ digital capabilities, said she has seen clear changes in how classes run. She spoke about those changes in an interview.
■ From static slides to discussion… "It takes one click"
"Lesson AI" lets teachers upload existing PPT or PDF materials. The system analyzes them and automatically converts them into student-participation activities such as quizzes, discussion prompts and question-based tasks. Oh said it reduces preparation time and also helps teachers adjust lessons on the spot."Most materials teachers have are PPTs or PDFs, and Lesson AI creates activity materials for students based on those lesson plans," she said. "Because the AI automatically builds activities like quizzes or discussions, the burden of making new materials drops a lot."
During class, she said, it can function like an assistant. "When I’m teaching and want to reinforce a concept, Lesson AI generates that content right away," Oh said. "Being able to expand existing materials instantly is very useful." She also cited its ability to analyze individual learning data and provide immediate feedback, especially in subjects where student gaps are wide.
Oh said the most visible change has been student participation. "A child who usually wouldn’t write an opinion in a textbook will actively type their thoughts in a discussion using digital devices," she said. "It seems speaking and expressing yourself in writing work differently for kids."
She added that what matters is not just who speaks up, but "how much they are actually thinking." Using Lesson AI, she said, teachers can check multiple students’ thought processes in real time, drawing out a different kind of cognitive engagement than in traditional classes.
She said students’ reactions have been positive, with comments like, "Let’s do this again," after class. "You can see kids trying to participate more actively through the tool," she said.
Oh said the technology has also changed how teachers use their time. "Before, I had to spend a lot of time analyzing the curriculum and preparing materials, but now the AI takes over part of that process," she said. "That lets me use the time I gain to understand children’s characteristics and the classroom atmosphere more deeply." She said students, too, are beginning to set their own learning direction as real-time data helps them see their level more objectively.
Addressing concerns from some parents about overreliance on devices, Oh said use is limited. "We don’t use devices for the entire class, only at necessary moments," she said. "Because activities are balanced — research, organizing opinions and presenting — situations where kids get overly absorbed in devices actually decrease."
■ Data resets each school year… "A condition for real personalized education"
Oh said there are still limits in public education. "In AI education, accumulating data is very important, but right now the structure doesn’t carry data over when students move up a grade," she said. "It’s not easy because of privacy or system issues, but data has to accumulate for true personalized education to be possible."She said the most important factor is still teachers’ ability to design lessons. "No matter how many tools there are, if you don’t have the ability to use them for the children in your class, it’s hard to sustain," Oh said. "This is an opportunity to look back at the classroom and place technology appropriately where it’s needed."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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