Parents Express Skepticism Over South Korea's AI Textbook Initiative

Concerns among parents are rising over the South Korean government's initiative to integrate tablets featuring AI-driven textbooks into classrooms, as reported by the Financial Times.

Set to launch next year, these tablets aim to revolutionize learning, with teachers expected to use AI textbooks across all subjects by 2028—excluding music, art, physical education, and ethics. However, the government has provided limited information on the implementation, other than stating that the materials will be tailored to accommodate various learning paces. Teachers will have access to dashboards that allow them to track student progress.

In reaction to this initiative, over 50,000 parents have signed a petition urging the government to prioritize student well-being over technological advancements. One parent, Lee Sun-youn, expressed her concerns to the Financial Times, stating, “I am worried that excessive use of digital devices could negatively affect my children's brain development, concentration, and problem-solving skills—especially since they are already heavily reliant on smartphones and tablets.”

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