Recently, the General Office of the Ministry of Education issued a notice to explore the implementation approaches of artificial intelligence (AI) education in primary and secondary schools, aiming to strengthen AI education in these institutions.

The notice outlines the overall requirements for enhancing AI education in primary and secondary schools. Firstly, it emphasizes the importance of moral education and comprehensive implementation of the Party's educational policy, focusing on the educational mission of the new era and meeting the demands for cultivating innovative talents for the future. Secondly, it stresses human-centered principles, adhering to the laws of education and talent development, using AI to lead the construction of an innovation-oriented education ecosystem that prioritizes people, guiding students to properly handle relationships between humans, technology, and society, fostering innovative thinking, developing problem-solving skills, and promoting critical thinking. Thirdly, it highlights the importance of stimulating interest by encouraging widespread student participation in inquiry and practice, emphasizing the integration of learning and application, nurturing scientific interest and spirit, and improving digital literacy and skills. Lastly, it advocates for coordinated planning, strengthening top-level design and interdepartmental collaboration, actively and prudently advancing AI education, and encouraging regions and schools with the necessary conditions to take the lead in pilot programs.

The notice points out the need to construct a systematic curriculum system and implement regular teaching and evaluation. It suggests further improvement of AI education requirements in relevant courses, with lower primary grades focusing on perception and experience of AI technology, upper primary and junior high school stages concentrating on understanding and applying AI technology, and senior high school stages emphasizing project creation and cutting-edge applications. It encourages localities and schools to incorporate AI education into after-school service projects and research practices, promote the integration of industry, academia, research, and application, develop a series of AI education courses and teaching cases to support instruction, and integrate information technology, science, comprehensive practical activities, and labor courses and after-school services. Combining the characteristics of AI technology, it strongly advocates for task-based, project-based, and problem-based learning approaches.

The notice emphasizes the development of universal teaching resources and the construction of ubiquitous learning environments. It proposes establishing an AI education section on the National Smart Education Platform for primary and secondary schools, gathering high-quality educational resources for shared construction and use. It plans to establish AI education bases in batches, encouraging universities, research institutes, and high-tech companies to open their AI laboratories and exhibition halls to primary and secondary schools and develop AI educational resources suitable for students. It aims to evenly distribute AI laboratory resources among primary and secondary schools, upgrade and optimize existing digital teaching environments and facilities, enhance resource sharing between schools, and provide students with spaces for AI experience, learning, inquiry, and practice.

The notice suggests promoting large-scale teacher supply by incorporating AI education teacher training into plans to improve teachers' professional levels. It encourages regions and schools with the necessary conditions to enrich their AI education teaching staff and actively recruit qualified professionals from universities, research institutes, and high-tech enterprises as part-time AI teachers.

The notice points out the organization of diverse exchange activities. Schools are encouraged to integrate AI with students' personal lives, campus life, and social life through various forms of activities, creating a rich AI education environment.

Finally, the notice requires balanced urban-rural development, increasing support for rural and remote area schools, promoting teacher mobility, and utilizing online platforms to interconnect AI education-related courses between urban and rural schools. Urban and rural schools should engage in paired assistance activities, share teaching experiences, and jointly improve the quality of AI education.