Yoon’s English School’s AI speaker. (image: Yoon’s English School)
SEOUL, Nov. 18 (Korea Bizwire) – The so-called ‘edutech’ industry, relating to a form of education that makes use of information technology (IT), is expected to replace paper workbooks that once led the education industry.
Edutech, a term that combines ‘education’ with ‘technology,’ is now going beyond online courses on computers, smartphones, and tablets to become a service that works with artificial intelligence (AI) and big data.
Woongjin Thinkbig Co., a local curriculum producer, introduced an AI education platform that compiles more than 50 billion data records on education content and expertise early this month.
Now, AI technology will be replacing all work normally done by private tutors such as checking progress, marking scores, and identifying incorrect answers.
Yoon’s English School, a local English tutoring institution, introduced a speaker book early this year that allows children to learn English as they talk to an AI speaker.
The education industry expects that edutech will pave a new way for growth in the industry, currently at a stalemate due to decreasing student numbers.
Experts argue that the related market may reach 350 billion won (US$300 million) in scale next year.
Education companies are therefore scrambling to hire IT specialists or collaborate with IT education startups for technological development.
Woongjin Thinkbig, for 3 years, has been recruiting staff to open a new department for IT development, and come up with a new AI education program.
Daekyo, an education service provider, acquired a new AI mathematics education platform last year to jump into the edutech market.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
