Hong Kong introduces AI curriculum, including ChatGPT, for junior secondary students

The Education Bureau in Hong Kong has implemented the city's first curriculum on artificial intelligence (AI) for junior secondary students. The curriculum, distributed to over 450 public secondary schools, encourages teachers to incorporate 10 to 14 hours of AI education into the information and communication technology (ICT) subject for students in Form One to Three starting from September. The curriculum covers ChatGPT,fundamental AI concepts, computer vision, computer speech and language, robotic reasoning, AI ethics, and the social impact of AI.

Ethics and social impactof AI

Nearly half of the curriculum is dedicated to exploring the ethical implications and social impactof AI. This emphasis aims to help students understand that AI can have both positive and negative consequences for society.

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Yam Yeung, a research professor at Chinese University who led the "AI for the Future Project," emphasised the importance of students acquiring a comprehensive understanding of AI's responsible use and impact.

“It is important for students to know powerful tools like AI could be both good and bad for society. I hope students can have a good understanding of how to use AI well,” Yam said.

Inclusion of generative AI and ChatGPT

The curriculum also includes lessons on generative AI, the latest advancement in AI, exemplified by OpenAI's ChatGPT. Students will learn to generate images and write using mirror sites of ChatGPT.

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They will also evaluate the quality of outputs produced by the tool. Group projects will allow students to identify real-world problems and develop solutions using the AI knowledge acquired in class.

It will prepare students for an AI-influenced future. The Education Bureau recognises that even if students do not pursue careers in innovation and technology, their lives will undoubtedly be impacted by AI.

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Therefore, it is crucial for students to have knowledge of AI and develop a balanced perspective on the technology. The bureau's chief curriculum development officer for technology education, Henry Lin Ting-kit, aims to encourage schools to integrate the AI curriculum into their course designs for the upcoming academic year. Workshops on AI teaching will also be offered to over 1,000 public secondary school ICT teachers from September.

Enriched coding curriculum for Primary Four to Six

In addition to the AI curriculum, the Education Bureau will introduce an enriched coding curriculum for Primary Four to Six students in the coming academic year. Since 2017, coding education has been incorporated into the curriculum for these students, and the enriched curriculum will focus on computational thinking concepts, such as abstraction, algorithms, and automation. Students will learn coding using Scratch, a programming language designed for schoolchildren, to complete tasks like content visualization and game design.

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