On Friday, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Hoang Minh Son engaged in an online meeting with Marc Woo, the managing director of Google Vietnam, to discuss the future integration of AI-supported learning tools within Vietnam's educational framework. The meeting marked a significant step toward incorporating more technology, particularly AI, to improve teaching and learning experiences for students and educators across the country.
During the discussion, Woo emphasized Google’s commitment to enhancing Vietnamese language capabilities for artificial intelligence. He also announced the pilot programs Google plans to introduce, which focus on the application of AI tools not only at the primary level but also within higher education environments. "Google is willing to provide free access to Google Workspace, Google Space, and Google Classroom for all students and teachers in Vietnam," Woo stated. This initiative highlights the company's intention to democratize access to advanced educational technology.
Woo pointed out the strategic alignment of Vietnam’s large student population with other countries where Google has successfully implemented similar educational initiatives. The sheer number of learners makes Vietnam an ideal candidate for adopting and piloting AI learning solutions, giving students early exposure to these advancements.
To facilitate these changes, Google proposed to the Ministry of Education and Training the importance of continuing support for these initiatives beyond the pilot phase. The company’s representatives conveyed the vision to transform trial models and solutions developed during the pilot phase, turning them eventually to comprehensive systems ready for replication throughout the country.
Deputy Minister Son reinforced Vietnam’s commitment to advancing technology and IT applications, especially within the educational sector. He suggested the creation of a unified, top-down implementation system for these AI tools, proposing, "The ministry should participate as a coordinator, monitor, and assess the implementation." This systematic approach aims to integrate various educational tools and link them closely with Vietnamese-language materials, curricula, and textbooks, thereby enhancing the local educational materials available within AI platforms.
According to Son, facilitating online communities within these platforms is also key to sharing knowledge and experiences among educators and students. He recognized the value of user feedback, stating, "The system would continuously collect user feedback forongoing improvements and innovation," to keep the educational tools effective and responsive to the needs of schools and learning environments across Vietnam.
During the meeting, both sides also delved deep to discuss the development of AI-driven educational platforms and the roles and responsibilities associated with this collaborative endeavor. They shared best practices observed from other countries, serving as models for Vietnam's future projects.
The collaboration between the Vietnamese educational system and Google marks a promising leap toward embracing advanced technology and AI's transformative potential, aiming to equip students and teachers with modern tools necessary for today’s learning environments. While challenges remain, the commitment from both parties signifies hope for enriching educational outcomes and addressing the changing needs of learners.