South Korea's planned leap into the era of artificial intelligence-powered learning has hit resistance, primarily due to parents' concerns about potential digital overload.

In a petition posted on the National Assembly’s online platform in May, one such voice requested that the planned introduction of AI digital textbooks in schools starting next year be shelved.

Citing the "numerous negative effects of smart devices," the petition called for scientific research to ensure that the program benefits students not just academically, but in terms of their overall development.

"We, as parents, are already encountering many issues at unprecedented levels arising from their exposure to digital devices," it emphasized.

The petition was formally submitted to the parliament’s education committee on June 26 after garnering public support from 56,505 people between May and June.

Learning facilitator

The plan entails gradually implementing tablet-based AI textbooks starting from 2025.

The Education Ministry aims to complete the integration of AI-powered education into schools by 2028, barring subjects such as physical education, art and music, and excluding first and second graders.

The new digital tools, using interactive AI and metaverse technologies, will provide customized learning content for students, according to the ministry. Various features such as screen captions, subtitles and multilingual translations will cater to students in special education or from multicultural backgrounds.

Shin Hye-in, a resident of Seoul in her 20s, sees positive aspects in screen-based learning for children with different learning abilities. Personalized content, in particular, can "pinpoint and address specific areas where students may be struggling in a certain subject," she said.

A Korea Herald reader, identified by the Instagram handle ryanhhwang, concurs with Shin on AI's specific utility: "For subjects like mathematics, Al has huge potential to make the lessons interactive."

Others supported the idea of adopting AI education, but suggested a more selective approach instead of a full-scale educational reform.

For one, raising the age limit to exclude elementary school pupils seems more appropriate to people like Kang, a 30-something office worker in Seoul. Kang believes education for elementary school kids should be more focused on “teaching core skills like communication, reading comprehension, time management and critical thinking.”

On the other hand, AI education could be particularly beneficial for students in special education and from multicultural families.

“Language features like real-time translation tools, for instance, could help my class of 4th graders, over half of whom are non-Korean, learn more effectively,” elementary school teacher Lee Jae-min shared with The Korea Herald.

Indeed, most Korean teachers share Lee's positive outlook on digitalized public education.

A nationwide survey of 2,247 public school teachers conducted by the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations in April found that 53.7 percent supported the introduction of AI-driven educational content. Among them, 35.6 percent cited its potential benefits in individualized coaching, while 29.5 percent said it would promote self-directed learning.

While acknowledging the benefits of personalized education in "fostering creativity" and "enhancing the learning experience," another Korea Herald reader with the Instagram handle allanddharm said the convenience should be coupled with schools taking the responsibility to "develop curricula that teach the ethical use of AI."

More harm than good?

Unlike teachers, however, parents remain wary, and this has been fueled in part by the Seoul city government's efforts to support digitalized education.

A city initiative has distributed electronic devices to seventh graders across Seoul middle schools to spearhead a digital transformation in education. Parents say this has resulted in their overuse of devices for noneducational purposes.

In an online forum for parents of middle schoolers on Naver, one user questioned if the safeguards in place for proper use of the devices were sufficient. They said their child had bypassed security to access noneducational content on their school-issued device.

Another user echoed these concerns, saying they had heard "many students playing games during breaks and even during class, watching YouTube and other things."

Kim Sae-jung, the mother of an elementary schooler, pointed to potential drawbacks of excessive device use by children, such as stunting the development of reading skills, reducing attention span and straining eyesight.

In addition, overreliance on AI-recommended study materials may hinder "the development of independent information searching and critical source evaluation skills," according to Kim.

"By going digital, humans miss a major step in development-critical thinking," meyersinjax on Instagram chimed in.

Some critics argue that the government's move contradicts the recent international trend of returning to printed textbooks and pen-and-paper exercises.

The shift toward traditional learning methods in countries like Sweden and Canada aims to prevent the detrimental effects of digitalized education on students' development of essential skills. Sweden, for example, recently abandoned its policy of mandatory digital devices in preschools, prioritizing low-tech learning experiences.

UNESCO added its voice to the debate in its 2023 report on technology and education. The report advocates for a learner-centered approach in digital education, where technology plays a supporting role in an educational setting that prioritizes human interaction.

As Instagram user laurenelizabae opined, "Al in its infancy is best used as a supplement to standardized textbooks to fill learning gaps."

Seeking to defend the plans for AI-assisted learning, Education Ministry officials stated that the actual AI digital textbooks have not yet been made public, and this was one reason the public was apprehensive.

"Pressure points" delves into the seemingly trivial, yet surprisingly contentious topics that ignite debate in our everyday lives. The following article features readers' comments from The Korea Herald's social media accounts on the topic of AI use in the classroom. — Ed.