Project title: Inclusive use of Artificial Intelligence in education in Vietnam: digital transformation in rural and urban schools

Projects leads: Dr Vanessa Cui (Birmingham City University, UK) and Dr Trang Thi Thu Nguyen (Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Viet Nam)

Project partners: Hanoi University of Education (Viet Nam), Nottingham Trent University (UK), Vietnam National University - University of Education and Vinh University (Viet Nam)

Project timeline: September 2024 – July 2026

Funder: International Science Partnership Fund, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology  

Project abstract:

This interdisciplinary project aims to address the digital transformation across Vietnam focussing on developing practices with educators from diverse geographic areas and different gender groups across Vietnam on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for teaching and learning (T&L). Recent proliferation of the use of AI in education has coincided with the Vietnam Government's decision on "a national digital transformation programme until 2025 orientation to 2030" (Decision749/QD-TTg 2020). Inclusivity is identified as a key area of digital transformation for education prioritising providing schools and pupils in rural areas with access to the latest digital technologies and to develop digital literacy and competencies for teachers and pupils from different gender groups (Anh Vinh et al 2023; Dang Dao et al 2022).

This project involves education and computer science researchers from the UK (BCU, NTU) and Vietnam (HCMUE, HUE, VNU, VU) working with schools and educators in Vietnam to co-develop pedagogical practices and resources to trial latest AIEd technologies. Three bespoke tools, conversational AI, large language models and a multimodal affect recognition system will be piloted with educators from six schools. The project focuses on the pedagogical experiences, considerations and needs from rural and urban areas in Vietnam with the aim to learn about the perspectives of educators from different gender groups from these areas on using AI in education. This is underpinned by UNESCO's recommendation (2019) that 'as AI is emerging, there is an opportunity to involve education stakeholders at an early stage to shape them based on educators', learners' and education leaders' perspectives for sustainable development and implementation of AI'. Project findings will be developed into resources for educators and researchers; and inform a roadmap and recommendations for a sustainable development of emerging tech for education.