June 26, 2024
HONG KONG – A pioneering artificial intelligence teaching assistant tool has been piloted in 90 primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong to help correct mistakes in over 3,000 Chinese-language articles for a period of three months.
The application, called the Chinese Writing Wizard, can also automatically produce practical writing questions and reference essays suitable for this year’s Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination, its developers said at a press conference on Monday.
The AI tool was co-developed by students at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and funded by Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corp. The trial version was launched last year.
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The app has features to assist with model essay production and essay grading, and can create practical writing questions.
When teachers and students scan essays and upload them into the app, it is able to complete a comprehensive correction of them within 15 to 20 minutes. It can also provide general comments, guidance questions, focused rewrite examples, and rewriting exercises to improve the focus of the writing feedback.
The grading is in accordance with HKDSE standards. Teachers can also make further adjustments to the AI-generated reports.
During the press conference, the research team announced the launch of a pay-for version of the app onto the market, with different subscription plans ranging from HK$9,000 ($1,152) to HK$96,000.
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To support the teaching of Chinese in schools, the startup is now offering free trial accounts to Chinese language teachers in local primary and secondary schools.
Teachers who have tried the AI app said that it helps them when dealing with heavy correction tasks, and provides them with more opportunities to meet with students. Additionally, students can use it to read and revise the reports on their own, which helps them develop self-learning skills.
Since AI technology first swept through the education sector in 2023, Hong Kong has seen a surge in the development of AI-powered apps by university research teams.
A research team from the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong developed two mobile apps — SpokenBot and ReadOutLoud — which offer free services to students and other residents to help them improve their English and Mandarin proficiency. The self-learning platforms are supported by artificial intelligence engines and chatbot technology.
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They feature functions like chatbots, tools that analyze users’ pronunciation, and simulated AI voice-generation technology.
The Nethersole School of Nursing of the Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong launched the AI chatbot Pai.ACT in November of 2023 to provide mental health support for parents or carers of children with special educational needs (SEN).
This was the first AI-powered app for Cantonese-speaking SEN child carers, and its chatbot can mimic a counselor to provide emotional support and interact with parents.
According to an industry survey on the Hong Kong Mobile Apps Industry 2022-2023, of the 157 Hong Kong mobile apps companies that responded, 73 percent indicated that they are already adopting or planning to adopt AI technology in their business. Nearly 70 percent of Hong Kong companies indicated they believe that AI can improve quality and efficiency, minimize human errors and save costs.