NTU Singapore and A*STAR to reshape tomorrow’s classrooms through technology-inspired education research

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) are collaborating on joint research projects in education that aim to translate research into pedagogy design and intelligent tools for the classroom of the future.

Leading NTU’s efforts in this partnership are its National Institute of Education (NIE) and School of Computer Science and Engineering (SCSE).

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed today at a ceremony at NIE.

The collaboration brings together researchers and academics from NTU and A*STAR to work on education research through projects focusing on the science of learning in education, AI, machine learning and human-artificial cognition, with the aim to help students learn and educators teach more effectively.

For example, researchers will reimagine a classroom where human instructors and AI interact to engage students better and explore how knowledge and skills can be imparted to students more effectively through the use of technology.

Researchers aim to collaborate and develop capabilities in interdisciplinary research projects and testbeds in the areas of science of learning in education and human health and potential.

Building on NIE NTU’s vision to develop and grow hubs of excellence in early childhood, pedagogy, and practice, the collaboration aims to create educational practices and strategies for tomorrow’s classrooms that can contribute to teaching and learning across an individual’s entire lifetime.

NTU’s SCSE will support the effort with its interdisciplinary research excellence in education technology and AI, which includes areas such as teacher-machine augmented intelligence, and interactive and personalised learning systems.

The collaboration will also see the streamlining of joint research grant submissions and allow for deeper cross-institutional connections.

Professor Louis Phee, NTU Vice President (Innovation & Entrepreneurship) and Dean, College of Engineering, said: “The collaboration between A*STAR and NTU, spearheaded by the university’s NIE and SCSE, will further strengthen and facilitate the interdisciplinary research collaboration among the partners, and bring talented people from different disciplines and organisations together to solve impactful and authentic problems of practice in education.”

Professor Christine Goh, President’s Chair in Education (Linguistics & Language Education) and Director of NIE, said: “Building on NIE’s vision of Leading the Future of Education, the partnership will boost research in science of learning and the use of technologies such as AI for education, contributing to envisioning the classroom of the future.”

The partnership leverages A*STAR’s research expertise in AI, data analytics as well as the integration of social and behavioural science with technology to solve problems of practice for the future of education.

Professor Lim Keng Hui, Assistant Chief Executive, Science & Engineering Research Council, A*STAR, said: “We are looking more closely at innovative ways to help students learn, and to help educators teach. Integrating AI technologies with the social and behavioural sciences allows us to jointly tackle challenges in existing teaching and learning systems. A*STAR looks forward to a deeper partnership with NIE and NTU, where we can leverage one another’s multidisciplinary capabilities to come up with real-world solutions that result in better educational outcomes for learners at multiple levels.”

Both NTU and A*STAR will exchange data, share laboratory resources, and enable researchers and graduate students to exchange knowledge through short-term attachments in research labs and schools.

Examples of ongoing collaborations include projects which focus on using AI in an experimental classroom, improving student engagement in virtual learning environments, and EVA (Education via AI), an adaptive learning buddy for students.