Instead of this pile of homework, the sound of scanners filled the teacher’s room. In just one minute, about 40 pieces of physical homework were scanned and scored in an instant. According to the Chinese daily Pengmen on Wednesday, artificial intelligence (AI) homework scoring system has been introduced in various middle and high schools in Chengdu, China, and the landscape of education is rapidly changing.
In the teacher’s room of an experimental school in Chengdu, homework notes that had been piled up in the past disappeared. While the high-speed scanner is running, the AI system converts paper homework into digital, analyzes the answers, and finishes scoring.
The school introduced a smart homework scoring system as an “artificial intelligence + education” pilot school from 2023. Teachers score narrative questions and AI scans and scores optional questions quickly. The system automatically organizes scores and incorrect answers for each student.
AI’s role is not limited to simply determining correct and incorrect answers. The system automatically generates incorrect answers tailored to each student by classifying incorrect questions by actual textbook units and error types. Based on this, teachers can check the learning map and frequent incorrect answers list that show the overall learning status of the class at a glance and prepare for supplementary classes immediately.
Students can use the wrong answer printer to select and review only the questions they need. This means that scoring assignments is not the end but the starting point for feedback on learning. As much as efficiency is the biggest concern of parents, accuracy is as much as efficiency. According to the school, the system adopts large language model technology to raise the scoring accuracy to around 95 percent. If the AI fails to clearly identify the answer, a notification pops up automatically and the teacher checks and supplements it. All scoring processes can be kept as records and teachers can also edit them en masse.
Currently, several schools in Chengdu have already introduced AI homework scoring technology and are using it for classes, and the number continues to increase.
One teacher said AI not only reduces scoring time but also accurately shows students’ weaknesses with visualized data, which is very helpful for teachers to determine where to focus.
In Chengdu, the use of AI is expanding beyond evaluation to the entire class. Convergence classes such as AI dubbing classes and moon exploration projects have emerged, and some elementary schools are also operating artificial intelligence, drones, and 3D printing clubs.
In the era when AI scores homework, the classroom landscape is clearly changing. However, whether the change will become a helper to ease the burden on teachers or create another educational gap depends on future operations.
JENNIFER KIM
US ASI AJOURNAL
