New Perspectives in Education

Experts Discussing the AI Era - Drawing a Future Growth Blueprint for Children

Dr. Qian Zhilong:

Stepping Out of the Anxiety "Theater" to Become Parents Who Awaken Vitality

Dr. Qian Zhilong, who has a profound background spanning Chinese and American education, immediately pointed out the common dilemma faced by parents today—" Theater Effect ". He vividly compared it: when everyone stands up to watch the show, those originally sitting are forced to stand as well, and in the end, everyone is more tired but the view is not necessarily better. Blindly following trends in education is the root of spreading anxiety. Dr. Qian raised a key question: "What kind of era are we living in? Is it the volatile 'VUCA era' ( VUCA ), or the era requiring more resilience and imagination, the 'BANI era' ( BANI )?" He emphasized that the decisive factors of the future will profoundly affect children's social class and development direction.

Facing the rapid development of AI, Dr. Qian calls on parents to urgently "change their mindset and upgrade their cognition":

• From "complying with rules" to "respecting laws": The essence of education is to follow human growth laws, not just adapt to the exam system.

• From "fixating on grades" to "focusing on growth": Children's physical and mental health, character building, and intrinsic motivation are far more important than scores.

• From "rewarding academic advancement" to "stimulating self-learning": Cultivating lifelong learning ability is the core to facing the future.

• From "relying on external drive" to "finding internal drive": Help children discover their passion and clarify "why they learn."

• From "valuing face" to "cherishing relationships": Warm and trusting parent-child relationships are the foundation of children's growth.

"As AI becomes more human-like, we need to think: how to cultivate people who are more human?" Dr. Qian listed many human traits that AI finds hard to reach: perceiving the world's temperature through the body, intuition driven by the subconscious, experiencing deep emotions and empathy, building deep interpersonal connections, boundless creativity, purposeless curiosity, value choices in moral dilemmas, courage to embrace the unknown, possessing free will and intrinsic motivation, creating meaning, a unique perspective to perceive the beauty of the "absurd," intergenerational cultural inheritance, selfless altruism, the nature of needing rest and play, clear self-awareness, and more.

He pointed out that future children need to have the "4C" core competencies (cultural literacy, creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking), but soft skills related to humanity such as responsibility, perception, and compassion are even more precious and scarce. Quoting educator Dewey's warning: "Educating today's children with yesterday's methods is destroying their future." Dr. Qian emphasized that education must keep pace with the times.

At the end of the lecture, Dr. Qian gave four direct and thought-provoking suggestions:

1. Courageously explore diversified pathways for further education, No need to be confined to a "single bridge."

2. Learn foreign languages well: This is the key tool to connect with the world, access information, and understand diverse cultures.

3. Travel more: The experience of "traveling thousands of miles" is an important way to broaden horizons and shape worldview.

4. Become the person you want your child to be first: The best education is by example; parents' words and actions are the strongest guidance for children.

Andy Byerley & Ms. Fay Yiu:

Decoding UK Study Abroad, Focusing on "Whole-Person" Growth

Ms. Fay Yiu, an expert deeply involved in UK study abroad, shared detailed experiences. She accurately described the profile of students suitable for early-age study abroad and directly addressed parents' core concerns: how to effectively overcome English difficulties? (emphasizing the foundational and important role of vocabulary accumulation), and how to scientifically plan family finances to avoid pitfalls.

Regarding the question "Is it still necessary to study foreign languages hard in the AI era?", Andy Byerley’s attitude is clear: "English! English proficiency remains crucial!" He humorously illustrated the joy of language learning with English jokes (such as "Why did David eat his homework? Because the teacher said it was a piece of cake!"). The experts deeply analyzed the real life of "young international students," pointing out that studying abroad is not only academic improvement but also a "whole-person education" process that cultivates children's independent living skills, enjoyment of the process, goal setting, independent thinking habits, resilience to setbacks, and exploration of life's meaning. He reminded parents to carefully assess whether their child is ready to face challenges (such as independently managing time, problem-solving methods, interests, future aspirations, and real issues like phone/game addiction and homesickness for Chinese food) before deciding.

Principal Xian Yonghong:

A Different International Education

Peter Xian Yonghong, Executive Principal of Zhuhai Yinghua International Education, made a grand finale appearance, showcasing the successful practice of high-quality local international education. He elaborated on Yinghua's educational philosophy: "Integrating the advantages of Chinese and Western education," with the school motto "Confidence, Responsibility, Honor," and the school culture core of mission, responsibility, and urgency, committed to cultivating elite talents with "Chinese sentiment and international vision," enabling every student to "turn ordinary into excellent, and excellent into outstanding" through personalized education.

Principal Xian highlighted Yinghua's two core curriculum systems:

• HKDSE (Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education): Emphasizing its advantage as the only international exam allowing answers in Simplified Chinese (besides English), flexible subject selection, and wide global recognition (over 300 institutions in Hong Kong, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, etc.), clearly showing the academic path (from Grade 10 to Grade 12).

• A-Level (UK High School Curriculum): Systematically introduced including IGCSE The learning content of the two stages including A-Level, the course selection mechanism (compulsory + elective), the bilingual teaching model, and its global applicability.

The teaching staff is Yinghua's core competitive advantage. Principal Xian speaks with data: 65% of teachers have overseas study experience, 83% hold a master's degree or above (including 3 PhDs). The school implements a "dual tutor system" complementing Chinese and foreign teachers' strengths (DSE: Hong Kong teachers + senior Chinese teachers; A-Level: foreign teachers + senior Chinese teachers) to ensure high-quality teaching. The school offers personalized timetables tailored to each student, uses break times for "enhancement and remediation," and provides customized college admission planning throughout (including assessments, career experiences, university fairs, etc.), forming a strong support system. Features like the "seven-day closed-loop service" management escort students in their pursuit of world-renowned universities. The abundant achievements displayed on-site (covering important domestic and international competitions such as Model United Nations, AMC math contests, simulated business competitions, Physics Bowl, and teacher honors) strongly prove the school's educational strength.

During nearly three hours of sharing, the guests progressively presented a deep intellectual feast on "future education" for the parents on site, covering disruptive educational concepts, practical study abroad pathways, and grounded local practices. After the lecture, parents were reluctant to leave, crowding around the guests or further consulting in the exhibition area. As Dr. Qian Zhilong said, in today's world reshaped by AI, the goal of education should be to awaken the child's inner vitality, protect the unique values that make us human, and equip them with core competencies for the future. How to draw a growth blueprint for children that both aligns with the tide of the times and retains humanistic brilliance? This lecture lit a beacon of thought for every parent exploring this path.