Global education trend shifts to artificial intelligence
After the emergence of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), the academic sector is observing a significant shift in the global education landscape, focusing on utilizing AI for problem-solving and generating creative questions rather than memorizing information in textbooks.
“It will be more about communication and learning how to use AI in problem-solving, rather than testing students’ memory,” said Barry O’Callaghan, CEO of the global education business Rise Global, in a recent interview with The Korea Times.
O’Callaghan has been in the education business for the past 25 years. In 1999, he established Riverdeep, providing math programs targeting underperforming students in U.S. public middle schools. The company later merged with two of the largest textbook businesses in the U.S., creating Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH).
The CEO was in Seoul ahead of the new academic year, to hold meetings to communicate with domestic children and parents.
In 2011, O’Callaghan left the company and established Rise China, an English-language-learning business. Its success led him to begin a similar business in Korea and other Asian countries, including Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia.
“I found that the textbooks I made were selling well in Korea, and it was interesting because I initially published them targeting local Americans,” O’Callaghan said.
“I think that Koreans philosophically understand that education is at the heart of a child’s journey, and the English education market takes a part in it.”
He expressed that Rise’s strength lies in bringing the best elements from the international education market into Korea and combining them with local educational culture, which differentiates the company from other domestic English private institutes.
O’Callaghan emphasized that new technologies, especially AI, are essential factors in the shifting trend in education.
“I don’t think education will be about testing students’ memory in 10 years because people can access a bunch of information everywhere using AI,” he said.
Rise Global strives to use technology as an enhancement in various education projects, emphasizing the importance of integrating technology to enhance education.
“Instead of thinking they are the enemy and keeping them out of classrooms, we are constantly updating programs in Rise to incorporate some of these technological changes,” he said.
For instance, Rise Global unveiled an application recently, so that students can access the educational program anytime, even outside of the classroom.
He also highlighted that technology can facilitate personalized learning experiences for students, tailoring to their individual learning styles.
While seeking effective ways to use new technologies in the education field, O’Callaghan acknowledges challenges in adapting a global trend in language education to Korea, where parents prioritize traditional teaching methods.
“Despite being a technologically advanced country, Korea is still focusing on teaching English in traditional ways like memorizing words and grammar using textbooks,” he said.