Achievements and Impact

Achievements:

1. As of September 19, 2019, the program has covered 252 teaching institutions, 72 primary schools in 47 towns and villages in Zhaojue County. The program has also included smaller schools in mountainous areas, with only a dozen or so students and one teacher.

2. The current number of teachers in the program: 2,417

Includes 581 preschools teachers (425 are female, accounting for 73.1%) and 1,836 primary school teachers (763 are female, accounting for 41.6%). Nine hundred ninety-one teachers have installed our mobile app. A total number of 70,462 students, in which 28,981 are girls (41.1%), are supported through this program.

3. Survey Results – Program Participants 

In the program, 97% of teachers think the system helps students build confidence when speaking Mandarin, improves their Mandarin vocabulary, as well as their comprehension. Ninety-three percent of teachers think the AI teaching system has improved students' scores, and 89% of teachers think the system helps improve students’ performance in other subjects.

4. Potential for Promoting Social and Economic Development 

The implementation of this project in Zhaojue not only helps preschool children improve learning efficiency but also changes the educational landscape in these underdeveloped area. It paves the way for students to master more general skills, allows for greater social mobility, and further civil integration in the future.

Impact:

1. The Broader Social Impact

This program has been introduced to more than 1,000 Chinese and foreign experts and guests, including the UNESCO Assistant General Director for Education Stefania Giannini and Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan. They have all displayed much admiration of TAL's technological classroom innovations. Close to 100 news agencies have reported on the program at both the national and local level. This coverage has brought further awareness and support to help enhance economic and social opportunities in these remote communities.

2. International Experience - Contributions and Impact

Our program explores new territory where AI can help under-resourced areas. It aims to address challenges, particularly on education inequality, that align with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4). Our experience shows that AI-driven technology can provide affordable solutions for teachers and students in the developing world. For those in urgent need of proper education service, TAL is always prepared to share its stories with the world.

3. Poverty Alleviation through Technology

We believe our program can contribute to poverty alleviation in these areas. By reducing cost, AI is allowing education to become more accessible. More accessible education can indicate more significant personal and economic opportunities for each individual student.

4. Protecting Linguistic Diversity

Language is a precious cultural resource, and a prerequisite for promoting human development, tolerance, and peace. The program finds a way for residents to participate in content production, enabling permanent preservation of their local language and cultural heritage. Currently, there are more than 6,000 languages in the world, and more than 40% are considered "endangered" by UNESCO. We believe they can all be preserved by adopting new technologies and methods.