A workshop on AI and the future of education was held recently by the Institute for Advanced Studies in Mathematics (VIASM), The Vietnam Foundation, Khan Academy, and the Vietnam High School Mathematics Teaching Association.

Speaking about AI in teaching mathematics, Vinh mentioned that in 2016, a robot was programmed to take an exam to enter one of the most prestigious schools in Japan – the University of Tokyo. There were multiple-choice questions and some difficult questions.

The robot got nearly enough points to pass the exam to enter the university. It had no problems with multiple-choice questions, but faced difficulties in answering questions on defining keywords and finding information related to the keywords.

“In 2016, the robot could not write an essay and failed to enroll in the University of Tokyo. However, things may be different now in 2024, because of AI,” Vinh said.

The educator said that ChatGPT can solve mathematics questions, including questions raised at the Vietnam’s high school finals.

“It can do well. It seems to be difficult for it to enroll in top-tier universities, but enrolling in mid-end schools in Vietnam is feasible,” Vinh said. “ChatGPT can solve geometry questions in English."

Teachers can also use ChatGPT to create lesson plans and prepare for lectures. It just takes 5-10 minutes to obtain a detailed lesson plan. 

Vinh said that a question has been raised: What should teachers teach students and how should they teach?

According to Vinh, the purpose of mathematics teaching is helping students find the love and passion for the subject.

“We need to help students understand the importance of learning. If students raise questions which we cannot answer, they will seek answers from AI,” Vinh said. “However, I hope that the answers by teachers will be more interesting than AI."

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc noted that AI offers great opportunities to reform education, improve training quality and create a more effective learning environment for everyone, though risks exist. 

Personalizing study is an example. AI can customize curricula and exercises according to the requirements and capability of students, thus helping promote the abilities of every learner.

Thanh Hung