Present Situation and Enlightenment of Artificial Intelligence Lifelong Education System in Singapore (2022) PDF

Journal of Autonomous Intelligence (2022) Volume 5 Issue 1. doi: 10.32629/jai.v5i1.499 Review Article Present Situation and Enlightenment of Artificial Intelligence Lifelong Education System in Singapore Peng Xu*, Wenbiao Dong, Cong...

Journal of Autonomous Intelligence (2022) Volume 5 Issue 1. doi: 10.32629/jai.v5i1.499 Review Article Present Situation and Enlightenment of Artificial Intelligence Lifelong Education System in Singapore Peng Xu*, Wenbiao Dong, Cong Wang School of Media Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China ABSTRACT The development of artificial intelligence technology depends on the cultivation of artificial intelligence talents, so countries all over the world attach great importance to the cultivation of artificial intelligence talents. As a world power in science, technology and education, Singapore has taken the lead in the field of artificial intelligence education. Based on this, the article focuses on Artificial Intelligence Education in Singapore. Firstly, it introduces the lifelong education system of artificial intelligence in Singapore in detail, and then analyzes the characteristics of this system, including the curriculum system of teaching students according to their aptitude, the teaching method of doing things according to their needs, the teacher selection mechanism according to their needs, etc. Finally, based on the current situation of AI education in China, this paper analyzes the Enlightenment of AI education in Singapore to China from the perspectives of teaching resources, curriculum system and teacher team construction, so as to promote the development of AI education in China. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence Education; Singapore; Lifelong Education; Double Qualification System ARTICLE INFO Received: Dec 14, 2021 1. Introduction Accepted: Feb 3, 2022 Available online: Feb 9, 2022 Singapore attaches great importance to artificial intelligence, and *CORRESPONDING AUTHOR its national development goal is to become a “smart nation” and develop Peng Xu the artificial intelligence industry with the effort of the whole nation. In [email protected]; 2017, Singapore issued the “Ai Singapore” (AISG) plan. In addition to CITATION providing economic and policy support to AI, many reforms have been Xu P, Dong W, Wang C. Present situation made in education and the way of talent training, aiming to consolidate and enlightenment of artificial intelligence lifelong education system in Singapore. the country’s leading edge in the field of AI and establish a Journal of Autonomous Intelligence 2022; self-contained system for human intelligence talent training. In 2019, 5(1): 23-33. doi: 10.32629/jai.v5i1.499 Singapore issued the National AI Strategy, which has increased the COPYRIGHT research input and financial support for AI education, and rethinked the Copyright © 2022 by author(s) and Frontier Scientific Publishing. This work is licensed development mode of AI education from its root, so as to improve in- under the Creative Commons Attribu- novation and creative productivity. Through reform and innovation, tion-NonCommercial 4.0 International Li- cense (CC BY-NC 4.0). Singapore has established a lifelong education system of artificial in- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4 telligence for all ages, with a hope to continuously transporting talents.0/ for the country’s future development. In order to have the right of speech in the future AI field, Singapore has actively formulated and released the AISG plan, which points out the direction for the future development of AI education in Singapore and provides a reference for AI education reform in other countries in the world. Luo Jialiang, Singapore’s ambassador to China, believes that the key to the success of Singapore’s education is to provide students with balanced holistic education, fully develop people's potential and pay attention to cultivating skills of the 21st century. With the finan 23  Peng Xu, Wenbiao Dong, Cong Wang cial policy support of the National Research Foun- According to the three steps of learning, prac- dation Scholarship (NRF Fellowship), AISG pro- tice and sharing, Singapore AISG plans to integrate gram has attracted global AI talents and accelerated various education resources and design online innovation in the field of AI; by building the “AI courses such as AI4K, AI4S, AI4E and AI4P for Makerspace”, the combination of online and offline primary school students, middle school students, AI education is realized; at the same time, according practitioners and all citizens of different ages and to the characteristics of all ages, a complete set of professional backgrounds, so as to guide citizens to lifelong artificial intelligence education system is recognize, understand and be familiar with the rel- launched. This system relies on conventional evant knowledge of artificial intelligence and make courses of schools and professional training, and in-depth thinking and innovation. At the same time, pays more attention to the interest cultivation of all Singapore has also set up a vocational training pro- people, knowledge popularization and lifelong ed- gram AIAP for AI engineers, i.e. through profes- ucation. It can be said that AISG program provides sional training for science and engineering students, systematic teaching resources and practices for we can continuously provide high-level AI engineers Singaporeans to acquire the knowledge and ability for the country. The specific training mode of AISG they should have in the era of artificial intelligence, program is shown in Figure 1. By offering these free and it helps to realize the efficient sharing of educa- courses, Singapore has built an artificial intelligence tional resources and achieve the national develop- lifelong education system to ensure that citizens with ment goal of “smart nation”. different educational backgrounds can access AI education in the AI era on the one hand, and provide 2. Singapore Lifelong Education support for the development of AI education in System of Artificial Intelligence Singapore on the other hand. Figure 1. Training mode of Singapore AISG program. cation by guiding students to study online. AI4K 2.1 AI4K: Artificial intelligence edu- course is designed by the Singapore government in cation for children aged 10–12 cooperation with Mathematics and Science High AI4K (AI for children) course mainly aims at School of National University of Singapore to in- the cognitive level and learning characteristics of troduce the concepts related to AI technology and children aged 10–12 (i.e. primary school students in how to use Scratch, Azure and other programming grades 4–6), and carries out AI enlightenment edu- tools to code basic AI applications. The course fo- 24 Present situation and enlightenment of artificial intelligence lifelong education system in Singapore cuses on divergent thinking and practices. The pur- principles will determine their development level in pose is to cultivate the interest of primary school the future. Taking full account of the coherence of students aged 10–12 in learning artificial intelli- lifelong education, the AI4K course designed in gence, and popularize the basic principles and re- Singapore not only cultivates students’ interest in lated concepts of programming and artificial intel- artificial intelligence, but also constructs stu- ligence. Through the combination of online and dents’ basic cognitive framework of artificial intel- offline classroom, the course adopts life-oriented ligence, which lays a foundation for students’ further and vivid description to replace the previous written study of artificial intelligence in the future. At the and conceptual definitions, so that students can have same time, considering that children in this age in-depth understanding from multiple dimensions group are more lively, AI4K course adopts the rather than simple memorizing. The course attaches learning method of hour simplified teaching and the importance to interest orientation and life orientation. combination of linear and nonlinear. About 15 pages Through agile methodology, it creates a cognitive of PPT are taught in each class. Students can control method that is universal, can be maintained for a the learning progress by themselves. Each page of long time and expanded in depth and updated in time. PPT can be studied repeatedly, and they can study It adopts the cognitive mode of interest guidance, the next unit after thoroughly understanding the problem driving and life relevance to build the knowledge of this unit. Therefore, students do not knowledge framework and cognitive system of arti- have to follow the linear learning method of con- ficial intelligence for students, and the specific ventional courses. They can freely control the knowledge is explored, filled and enriched by stu- learning progress, and connect each small dents themselves. It has laid a solid foundation for knowledge point into a complete linear knowledge their follow-up in-depth learning of artificial intel- vein through nonlinear learning method. Teachers ligence. will be trained regularly by Singapore government to AI4K course is vivid. It takes full account of the ensure the quality of the faculty, and teachers who age characteristics and learning habits of the teach- accomplished the training can acquire the qualifica- ing objects, and closely combines the course content tion for the teaching of AI4K courses. After training, with common sense of life, so as to deepen students' teachers can fully exploit and make use of the understanding of concepts and common sense of school’s teaching resources and campus environ- data science, machine learning and programming ment to teach artificial intelligence to students effi- etc., and contribute to subsequent in-depth learning. ciently at any time. This training program will also Different from the concept teaching of conventional involve parents and volunteers with teaching quali- courses, AI4K course establishes the conceptual fication to make family education work better, and framework of artificial intelligence technology for help schools expand the participation scale of AI4K students by connecting small examples in life with and strengthen the learning effect, so as to achieve machine learning, programming and artificial intel- the goal of enabling all primary school students in ligence. For example, when teaching the concepts Singapore to learn artificial intelligence. related to machine learning, the course changes the conventional concept teaching method, taking the 2.2 AI4S: Curriculum developed for introduction of machines in life as the starting point, middle school students aged 13–16 expanding the students’ definition of machines, and AI4S (AI for students) is a course for secondary then extending to the principles of computers and school students in Singapore. It aims to strengthen computing, so as to make students understand what the artificial intelligence accomplishment of the next machine learning is more deeply and intuitively. generation of citizens. AI4S implements the plans AI4K course is also highly targeted. Most of basic programming and data science teaching, so children aged 10–12 receive artificial intelligence as to build students’ artificial intelligence knowledge education for the first time, and their mastery of AI foundation and reserve the next generation of artifi- 25  Peng Xu, Wenbiao Dong, Cong Wang cial intelligence talents for Singapore. With the help data science. AI4S course is an online video course. of AI Makerspace and Datacamp (an online educa- Through independent design and integration of ex- tion platform of data analysis established in the isting online course resources, it completes the United States in 2014), middle school teachers can teaching of Python language learning, programming use AI4S course as a supplementary course to their tool use, model building, data analysis and practice conventional AI teaching to cultivate students’ AI with relevant knowledge for middle school students. literacy and help students get familiar with AI and The specific course contents are shown in Table 1. Table 1. AI4S course content AI4S 1.0: Management Guide Management Guide AI4S 2.0: AI 101 Track Introduction to Python Introduction to data science SQL Python data science toolbox Intermediate Python in Data Sci- Introduction to data science Git Supervised learning using scikit learn ence Script of introduction to data science AI4S 3.0: Challenge yourself (build tools) Build a personal machine learn- Practice Git Cognitive tools ing environment Bash terminal How to install tools Ides and Jupiter notebook AI4S 4.0: Challenge yourself (return) Regression Understand deviation/difference Exploratory data analysis tradeoffs Establish KNN regression function Establish linear regression model AI4S 5.0: Challenge yourself (classification) Data classification Processing data imbalance Exploratory data analysis Decision tree and integration Classification using KNN Logistic regression and building a collec- method tion of individuals AI4S 6.0: Challenge yourself (unsupervised learning) Unsupervised learning Analysis of shopping basket based Exploratory data analysis on association rules Hierarchical clustering Customer segmentation AI4S 7.0: Challenge yourself (deep learning) Deep learning AI4S course emphasizes the sense of acquire- demonstrating how computers make decisions. By ment learning and students’ interest in learning. displaying the corresponding code, the implementa- AI4S course is an advanced course of AI4K course. tion process of the program is clearly presented. In addition to the higher degree of difficulty and With the foundation of early course learning, stu- more systematic, professional and comprehensive dents can intuitively understand the implementation course content, the course also reduces visual con- principle of this algorithm, and then complete the tents such as PPT, animation and games, and adds learning of this case through programming. knowledge contents such as programming, code and AI4S course focuses on the practicality of computer language. Students are encouraged to learning and builds a programming practice complete interesting cases through programming course—“Code for Fun”. “Code for Fun” course was after class, emphasizing the sense of acquirement in originally an elective enrichment class, which was learning. For example, for the learning of “decision provided by 116 primary schools and 66 middle tree and integration method” in Section 5 of Chapter schools. In 2014, “Code for Fun” was transformed 5, after summarizing the learning content of this from the original elective course to a compulsory lesson, AI4S course introduces an important algo- course, and all students must complete a certain rithm of artificial intelligence—decision tree by length of course. The statistical results at that time 26 Present situation and enlightenment of artificial intelligence lifelong education system in Singapore showed that more than 80% students had a deeper other languages are used for teaching. A large interest in coding after participating in the “Code for number of living examples from these regions are Fun” course. This course provides excellent cod- used in the course, which greatly broadens the scope ing programs, online robotics and technology of application and influence of the course. At the courses. For example, through after-school activities same time, the course takes full account of the dif- and summer camps, students are taught to code ferent educational levels of learners, adopts a pro- programs in Python, Scratch, Swift and other lan- gressive in-depth teaching method, and widely in- guages, and to use tools such as Arduino, BeeBots, troduces cases in real life to keep learners from Lego WeDo, Sphero and Parrot Drones, so that stu- feeling boring in the learning process. There are dents can get in touch with program design in ad- eight chapters in the course. The first two chapters vance and master the cutting-edge development vividly explain what artificial intelligence is and status of artificial intelligence. Computer program- why it is the era of artificial intelligence by sharing ming, computer science and STEM programs are cases in life with the help of a large number of tables, important concepts in today’s society of information. pictures and videos, so as to avoid learners without While enjoying the fun of creating games, develop- foundation giving up because of high learning dif- ing mobile applications, designing web pages and ficulty. making videos and animations, children will also In addition, AI4E course also gathers a variety have a certain understanding of these important of educational resources, and learners can expand concepts. their learning by using the required resources ac- cording to their own learning situation. The course 2.3 AI4E: Popular science courses for closely adheres to the educational goal of “improv- all groups ing learners’ understanding of artificial intelligence”. AI4E (AI for everyone) is a course to introduce In the face of learners with different knowledge modern AI technology and applications to everyone, levels and learning abilities, AI4E recorded online so as to deepen people’s understanding of artificial courses integrate many excellent online learning intelligence, promote people to accept artificial in- resources, and also lists many recommended bibli- telligence products and services, and then promote ographies to encourage learners with spare capacity the development of artificial intelligence. AI4E to learn by themselves, thus it can avoid problems course mainly adopts the form of online video course, that some learners can’t learn and some learners online live broadcast and offline discussion. At the think the explanation is not deep enough. For ex- same time, it also integrates the high-quality online ample, in Chapter 4, the course explains the ethical open courses of Internet companies such as Mi- problems of AI, and these explanations only describe crosoft, Google and apple. The course considers the the current situation of AI ethics. More introduction knowledge content of each chapter as a whole, to this problem is mainly through the recommenda- formulates detailed recommended learning time, and tion of several works of British scholar M. A. Boden, encourages learners to make learning plans inde- so as to encourage learners to carry out inquiry pendently. Through the study of AI4E course, learning independently. learners will understand how to find opportunities in work and daily life, recognize the application of 2.4 AIAP: Education plan aiming at artificial intelligence, and use online tools to build a training AI engineers simple AI model. AI for Apprenticeship Program (AIAP) aims to A major advantage of AI4E course is to anchor train AI talents with solid professional knowledge the user group and accurately locate the target people. and strong practical ability for Singapore, guide The main audience of the course are learners from students who have mastered relevant theoretical countries of East Asia, South Asia and Southeast knowledge to practice and solve practical problems, Asian. Therefore, English, Malay, Chinese, Thai and and help them find job opportunities in the AI in- 27  Peng Xu, Wenbiao Dong, Cong Wang dustry in the process. AIAP is completely free and machine learning. AIAP is a full-time structured conducted in batches, and the training cycle of training, including an introductory assessment, two each batch is about 10 months. Many science and months of theoretical study, seven months of engineering graduates become professional AI en- on-the-job practice and a completion assessment, as gineers or hold other positions in the AI industry shown in Figure 2. In addition to hiring university after training. professors to be training lecturers, many experts in AIAP closely focuses on the goal of training AI the field of AI are hired for the on-site guidance or as talents for Singapore and is extremely strict in the the person in charge of practical projects. Through selection and training of learners. AIAP applicants training, learners will not only receive cutting-edge are limited to science and engineering graduates theoretical education, but also participate in many AI with Singapore nationality. At the same time, ap- projects to carry out practices with high skill level, plicants should have solid basic skills and and finally grow into AI engineers who can solve knowledge in the fields of artificial intelligence and problems independently. Figure 2. Schematic diagram of AIAP plan. AIAP course combines theoretical learning can implement their 7 on-the-job practice in one or with practical operation to ensure that learners not more projects in the next 7 months. Under the only master cutting-edge technology after gradua- guidance of skilled AI engineer, the on-the-job tion, but also have the ability to solve practical learners solve problems with other learners and ac- problems independently. Among them, the complish their entry examination. In this way, two-month theoretical study takes the forms of learners can not only improve their skills in AI and face-to-face guided learning, online mixed learning machine learning, but also improve their skills in and self inquiry learning, so that learners can get software engineering. Two months of theoretical close contact with the cutting-edge technology and study and seven months of on-the-job practice have development status of machine learning, understand enabled learners to rely on and apply what they have the career development path and technical devel- learned, which achieved the goal of “Growing Our opment level of AI engineers, and improve their Own Timber” set by AIAP, and continuously sent ability to solve problems and their confidence in high-quality AI engineers to Singapore. dealing with unknown problems. AIAP encourages In order to ensure the effective promotion of learners to choose theoretical learning courses that AIAP, AISG also designed a recommended intro- suit themselves. After course selection, learners need ductory course for applicants—ai4p (AI for Profes- to carry out learning autonomously, complete per- sional). AI4P course module and its learning sched- sonal learning tasks every week, and have extensive ule are shown in Table 2. It shows that through discussions with tutors and experts. The course set knowledge framework design, excellent course up 100 AI industrial projects pointing to practical sharing and knowledge media construction, the problems in commerce or society, and the learners course guides learners to grow into professionals in 28 Present situation and enlightenment of artificial intelligence lifelong education system in Singapore the field of artificial intelligence and machine W3Schools, Apple, Intel and other platforms to in- learning through autonomous learning for about one troduce SQL, Azure and Git to learners; at the same year, so as to help them apply for AIAP smoothly. time, the course recommends a series of classic AI4P course attaches importance to the rec- works and matched online courses by Steven S. ommendation of knowledge content and mutual Skiena and other experts to guide learners to learn sharing among learners, emphasizes the autonomy data science deeply. The course also introduces the and initiative of learning, and completes the teaching AI governance framework in Singapore to explain objectives of the course by integrating and further AI ethics. At the end of the course, according to the supplementing online learning resources. For ex- needs of AIAP assessment, many works related to ample, introducing Python language and its func- machine learning, AI ethics and other fields are tions with the help of 44 videos from Microsoft; recommended to help learners build a solid founda- learners are recommended to create their own ac- tion of AI knowledge. After professional training of counts to facilitate the use of the code sharing plat- AIAP, learners can soon grow into professional AI form—Jupiter notebook; Use online courses on talents. Table 2. AI4P course module and its learning schedule Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Course module Python and SQL Software engineering Data science design manual course Introduction to machine learning Deep learning: Intel AI In- stitute Azure machine learning ser- vice Data engineering AI ethics and Governance Do an AI project Artificial intelligence education in Singapore is car- 3. Characteristics of Artificial Intel- ried out by relying on the educational resources of ligence Lifelong Education System schools and AISG program. Clear educational ob- in Singapore jectives are formulated for different groups. People of different occupations can choose appropriate 3.1 Teaching students in accordance online or offline courses according to their educa- with their aptitude and a curriculum tional background and learning purpose, so as to system covering all age groups ensure that all citizens can keep pace with the times With the rapid development of artificial intel- in the era of artificial intelligence. ligence technology, cultivating talents in the era of As for the student group, Singapore adopts the artificial intelligence is a common problem faced by artificial intelligence education and training mode of all countries. Singapore’s AI education has refined “main compulsory courses + elective gain courses”: and classified the learning ability and learning needs set up artificial intelligence courses from primary of different groups, and built a lifelong education schools to build students’ artificial intelligence system covering all ages, all educational back- knowledge framework and cognitive foundation; at grounds and all cognitive levels, so that anyone who the stage of middle school, set the minimum learning wants to get in touch with AI can receive AI educa- hours and build a programming practice platform to tion with complete structure and coherent system. guide students to practice on the basis of cultivating 29  Peng Xu, Wenbiao Dong, Cong Wang students’ professional cognition; at the stage of professional AI engineers. university, artificial intelligence majors and research directions are set up to provide students with 3.3 Depending on Needs: The Teacher in-depth and cutting-edge professional education. At Selection Mechanism of “Double the same time, the government funds the imple- Qualification System” mentation of AIAP plan to train AI engineers for the A highlight of artificial intelligence education country through purposeful enrollment, so as to form in Singapore is its teacher training, selection and a professional improvement system. employment mechanism. Singapore takes full ac- count of the fact that artificial intelligence is in the 3.2 Diversified Teaching: Methods stage of rapid development, and cutting-edge tech- Based on the Combination of Online nologies and theoretical principles are changing fast, and Offline which is different from the stability of conventional Singapore’s AI education gives full play to its knowledge content. Therefore, Singapore boldly advantages of educational resource and the ad- carries out the reform of teacher selection and em- vantages of building a complete network environ- ployment mechanism, and actively explores the ment, and comprehensively promotes the combina- teacher employment mechanism of “double teacher tion of online and offline. At the same time, it gives system”, so as to select teachers who can meet the full play to the role of high-quality teachers through curriculum requirements and conduct teaching ef- online classes, online seminars and other forms, and fectiveness assessment on time. use the high-quality online learning resources pro- Specifically, in the basic education of AI in vided by Apple, Google, Cisco and other Internet primary and secondary schools, Singapore uses the companies to integrate online education resources method of “unified training + regular assessment” to into daily artificial intelligence education, so as to ensure that teachers have AI professional quality, provide students and citizens with rich learning re- and implements a dual assessment mechanism for sources and convenient learning paths. teachers’ teaching ability and subject quality. If On the one hand, Singapore explores online AI4K offline teachers complete the teacher training learning resources and selects learning resources course and pass the examination, they will be en- such as Mu class and micro class suitable for stu- dowed with the teaching qualification of 2 years. dents’ learning as the supplement and expansion of They must pass the examination again when the school education. Singapore widely refers to teaching period ends. AI4S course is a national and boldly introduces the online shared educational compulsory course. Singapore will hold course resources of many Internet companies into its daily discussion every year to determine the key points of courses, pays attention to guiding students to learn artificial intelligence education and conduct teacher and use online tools or platforms, encourages stu- training. Through regular training, AI teachers dents to use general development tools or shared maintain advanced cognitive level and teaching development platforms such as Azure and Git, and closely follow the development of AI is ensured. In draws excellent development experience from the higher education and vocational education, AIAP Internet. On the other hand, Singapore integrates adopts the “double teacher system” of theoretical high-quality offline education resources and attracts education and practical education. In the stage of more students to learn through online classes, online theoretical education, more university teachers are seminars and other forms to form large-scale educa- employed as lecturers to ensure the accuracy and tion. With the help of AIAP, Singapore has gathered comprehensiveness of theoretical learning. While in many high-quality primary and secondary school the stage of practical education, Singapore has hired teachers, university teachers and AI engineers for many professional engineers among the front-line online teaching or recording, forming a large-scale engineers in the industry to participate in training, and systematic education system so as to produce and funded the establishment of artificial intelli- 30 Present situation and enlightenment of artificial intelligence lifelong education system in Singapore gence projects, allowing these engineers to act as the cation, ethnic education and continuing education project leader. After theoretical study, learners par- are relatively scarce. The reason may be that the ticipate in engineering projects to solve practical development of artificial intelligence education re- problems. Through practicing with what has been sources is limited. More importantly, there is a lack learned, it is ensured that the advanced artificial of unified standards to effectively integrate social intelligence technology can be mastered by the education resources into the artificial intelligence trained learners. education system of schools and the power to unify various educational forces. The lack of this main line 4. Enlightenment of Artificial Intel- of education will make teachers unable to intuitively ligence Education in Singapore to gauge students’ learning level of artificial intelli- China gence, so students can only learn from scratch after entering school, resulting in a waste of educational 4.1 Integrate teaching resources and resources. Therefore, in the future, China’s AI edu- implement artificial intelligence edu- cation should be based on the “National Intelligence cation for all staff Education Project” in the “New Generation AI De- Only by effectively connecting basic education velopment Plan”, set development goals with ref- with higher education and vocational education of erence to Singapore’s “smart nation”, formulate artificial intelligence and building a multi-level and unified education standards suitable for China’s ladderlike talent system, can we consolidate the national conditions, strengthen the linkage between talent foundation for the development of China’s education at all levels, and form a joint force of AI artificial intelligence industry. Since artificial in- education. telligence education was written into the “13th five 4.2 Narrow the digital gap and build year plan” in 2016, China has caught the “free ride” an artificial intelligence curriculum of artificial intelligence development and trained a large number of professionals. By 2019, the scale of system with multiple teaching meth- Vocational Education in China will become the ods largest in the world, with the structure of artificial Curriculum resources are the main carrier of intelligence education constantly optimized, and the artificial intelligence education. Therefore, it is quality of artificial intelligence talents continuously necessary to build a number of online education improved. However, compared with the artificial courses that meet the national strategic needs and the intelligence lifelong education system in Singapore, cognitive rules of different groups, so as to improve the artificial intelligence education system con- people’s information literacy and narrow the digital structed in China lacks joint force and a continuous gap in the era of artificial intelligence. In the process education main line, which is prominently reflected of carrying out AI education, China ignores the in the lack of effective interaction and connec- popularization of the basic knowledge of AI for all tion between artificial intelligence enlightenment citizens to a certain extent, so the digital gap has education and subsequent school education. In ad- not been effectively eliminated, and people’s under- dition, artificial intelligence education in Singapore standing of AI lacks basic theoretical support. China takes “smart nation” as the national development has a large population, and their educational back- goal, carries out progressive universal education ground is more complex than that of Singapore. At according to different groups such as primary school the same time, it is restricted by teachers, funds, students, middle school students and practitioners, hardware and other conditions. Therefore, how to and carries out in-depth research and practice in the improve people’s understanding of artificial intelli- stage of higher education. While China’s AI curric- gence and effectively narrow the digital gap ulum resources are mainly concentrated in higher has become a problem demanding prompt solution education, AI curriculum resources for special edu- for Chinese educators. With the help of AI4E 31  Peng Xu, Wenbiao Dong, Cong Wang courses, Singapore carries out AI universal educa- ing according to this teaching goal, so that students tion for all citizens through the combination of can apply what they have learned. In this way, online courses and offline seminars. At the same high-level AI engineers can be trained for our coun- time, Singapore has recorded online courses in try continuously. Chinese, Malay and Thai to popularize AI education in neighboring countries, and to publicize its AI 5. Conclusion standards to other countries and enhance Singapore’s Under the background of continuous innova- voice in the AI era in the future. China has become tion and transformation of artificial intelligence an Internet power. We can learn from Singapore’s technology, all countries are exploring how to do a experience in AI popularization education to explore good job in artificial intelligence education, the cul- the way of online and offline mixed teaching, im- tivation of professional artificial intelligence talents prove people’s perception and application of AI, and and mastering the voice in the future era of artificial promote the development of AI in China. intelligence. By launching a series of online and offline courses, Singapore has built an artificial in- 4.3 Explore the “double qualification telligence lifelong education system, which has system” and strengthen the construc- taken the lead in the field of artificial intelligence tion of artificial intelligence faculty education and provided reference for artificial intel- At present, no country has set up AI teacher ligence education in other countries. At present, training major, and there are few interdisciplinary China has formulated a series of AI education poli- talents with both AI and education. The uneven level cies and continued to promote them. In the future, of teachers in AI courses is a common problem China should further clarify the development direc- faced by all countries. Taking China as an example, tion of AI education, learn from the experience of AI most AI courses in primary and secondary schools education in Singapore, and consider China’ condi- are taught by information technology teachers, so it tion, cultivate people’s AI literacy and practical cre- is difficult to unify the teaching focus and teaching ativity by integrating resources to form a joint force method. With the rapid development of the basic of AI education, building an online and offline theory and cutting-edge technology of artificial in- learning bridge, and innovating the appointment and telligence, how to make students realize the latest training mechanism of AI teacher team. In this way, development situation and application of artificial China will have the guarantee of talents to seize the intelligence is also a major problem faced by artifi- highland of AI development and push China’s arti- cial intelligence education. Therefore, the construc- ficial intelligence education to a new height. tion of the AI teaching team in China can refer to the teacher training mechanism of “unified training + Conflict of interest regular assessment” in Singapore, so that the teach- The authors declare that they have no conflict ing staff can maintain their advanced cognition. At of interest. the same time, in the stage of higher education and vocational education, China can try to explore the References teacher selection and employment mechanism of 1. Singapore Government. AI Singapore. Retrieved “double teacher system” that combines full-time and from: part-time: On the basis of the existing teacher team, https://www.nrf.gov.sg/programmes/artificial-intelli select experienced AI engineers as AI teachers to gence-r-d-programme lead students to carry out AI project practice. 2. Singapore Government. National AI strategy. Re- Through the teacher selection and employment trieved from: mechanism of “double teacher system”, the educa- https://www.smartnation.gov.sg/inititatives/artificial tional goal is divided into two parts—theory and -intelligence practice, and then different teachers conduct teach- 3. Yin R, Zhang W, He J. 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