Prof. HEW, Timothy K. F.
The University of Hong Kong, China
Professor Timothy Hew (Khe Foon Hew) is a distinguished Full Professor at the University of Hong Kong's Faculty of Education, renowned for his research in educational technology, online learning, and instructional design, focusing on enhancing engagement through gamification, self-regulation, and AI agents. Recognized as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher in 2025 for his significant impact, he holds a PhD from Indiana University and previously worked at Nanyang Technological University.
Title: Major strands of
generative AI-in-education research since 2022 and directions for
future research Abstract: Since the public
release of ChatGPT in late 2022, generative AI has rapidly become a
major focus of education research. Yet this fast-growing literature
remains fragmented across technical, pedagogical, behavioral, and
policy-oriented lines of inquiry. I propose a synthetic framework
for understanding the major strands of generative AI-in-education
research since 2022. I argue that the field has developed around six
broad strands: (1) capability and benchmarking studies comparing AI
performance with humans or prior systems; (2) system optimization
and pedagogical design research on prompting, fine-tuning,
retrieval-augmented generation, and interface design; (3)
intervention studies examining effects on student learning; (4)
learner-centered research on self-regulation, trust, academic
integrity, and over-reliance; (5) studies of teacher practice and
assessment redesign; and (6) work on ethics, privacy, and
governance. Building on this synthesis, I then identify major gaps
in the current literature, including limited theory integration,
short-term outcome measures, weak attention to process data, and
insufficient classroom-embedded and longitudinal research. Finally,
I outline future directions for the field, with particular attention
to agentic AI as an emerging development that raises new
opportunities and risks around autonomy and control.
Prof. Young Hwan KIM
Pusan National University, South Korea
YoungHwan KIM is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Education
at Pusan National University. His academic and professional journey
has moved across the boundaries of educational technology,
comparative education, international educational cooperation, and
human-centered learning.
Over the past several decades, he has worked extensively with APEC,
OECD, and international education ODA initiatives while engaging
with educators, schools, and local communities across nearly 70
countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. These
experiences exposed him not only to global discussions on digital
transformation and educational innovation, but also to the everyday
realities of teachers, learners, and communities struggling with
inequality, social anxiety, technological dependency, and
uncertainty about the future.
Moving continuously between international policy discourse and
educational realities in diverse local contexts, Professor Kim
gradually became interested in the tensions between technological
optimism and human vulnerability, institutional systems and lived
experience, global educational agendas and the voices often
overlooked within them. In this intellectual journey, the works of
Ivan Illich and Ulrich Beck became important sources of reflection
for understanding education, technology, and modern civilization in
an age of converging global crises.
He founded APEC Learning Community Builders (ALCoB) in 2001 to
support collaborative learning communities and reduce the digital
divide across the Asia-Pacific region. He also served as Lead
Shepherd of the APEC Human Resources Development Working Group
(HRDWG), coordinator of APEC EdNet, and chair of the APEC Cyber
Education Cooperation (ACEC) Consortium.
His recent work focuses on human-centered AI, non-dominating AI,
lifelong learning communities, and the redesign of learning
structures in the age of artificial intelligence. He received the
Distinguished Alumni Award from Indiana University and the
International Contribution Award from Association for Educational
Communications and Technology (AECT) for his contributions to
international educational cooperation and educational technology.
Title: Lessons from ICT Innovation in an Age of Converging Global
Crises: Toward Human-Centered AI Transformation
Abstract:
The rapid development of artificial
intelligence is transforming education systems around the world.
However, today’s educational crisis cannot be understood merely as a
technological problem. The educational system symbolized by modern
schooling is increasingly facing broader global crises, including
climate anxiety, technological disruption, social polarization,
declining trust, mental health crises, and growing uncertainty about
the future. In this context, AI is no longer simply an educational
tool. It is becoming part of a larger civilizational transformation
that reshapes how humans learn, think, communicate, and relate to
one another.
This keynote revisits contemporary educational technology through an
imagined dialogue with Ivan Illich, who critically questioned the
institutionalization of learning in Deschooling Society more than
fifty years ago. The presentation asks what Illich might say if he
observed today’s AI-driven educational platforms, algorithmic
recommendation systems, adaptive learning environments, and digital
textbook policies. It also connects these questions to the concerns
raised by Ulrich Beck regarding risk society, technological
uncertainty, and the growing anxiety produced by modern
technological systems.
Drawing upon Korea’s long experience with ICT-based educational
innovation, the keynote reflects on both the achievements and
limitations of technology-centered educational reform. While digital
technologies have expanded educational access and efficiency, they
have also intensified competition, platform dependency, teacher
workload, and the weakening of human relationships in learning
environments. The presentation introduces the concept of
“hyper-schooling” to describe how AI systems may unintentionally
deepen institutional and technological control over human learning
and judgment.
At the same time, the keynote argues that AI does not inevitably
lead to dehumanization. The future direction of educational
technology depends on the values embedded in its design. Rather than
replacing human judgment, AI should support autonomy, dialogue,
meaningful disagreement, relational learning, and sustainable
learning communities. The presentation concludes by proposing future
research directions for human-centered AI, including non-dominating
AI systems, autonomy-preserving learning environments,
diversity-supporting recommendation systems, and technologies that
strengthen communication and human connection rather than
technological dependency.
Prof. Yanjie Song
The Education University of Hong Kong, China
Professor Yanjie Song serves as Associate Co-Director of the Academy for Applied Policy Studies and Education Futures (AAPSEF), and Associate Director of both the Centre for Immersive Learning and Metaverse in Education (CILME) and the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT). She holds a PhD from The University of Hong Kong and an MEd from the University of Leeds.
Her research focuses on augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), the metaverse, artificial intelligence (AI) in education, and multimodal learning analytics (MMLA). She has led the development of several award-winning educational technologies, including VocabGo (AR/VR-supported vocabulary learning), Learningverse and its VR-enhanced version with VR and generative AI LearningverseVR, EmoCare (a generative AI-powered application for emotional well-being), iChat (customisable digital humans for educational interaction), and Ai-APP (an AI-powered platform for immersive academic presentations). Her team has secured multiple patents for these innovations.
Prof Song has a proven track record of obtaining competitive external research grants and other diverse funding sources, contributing to AI and metaverse applications in education. She holds key leadership roles in the Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education (APSCE) and plays an active role in several international academic conferences. She was among the top 2% in the Stanford list of the world’s most-cited scientists in education in recent years.
Title: Learningverse and Beyond: AI-Driven Innovation in Metaverse
Education
Abstract: This talk explores how generative AI is shaping education in immersive virtual environments. It introduces three platforms developed by the speaker’s research team. “Learningverse”, an award-winning 3D web-based metaverse platform (now also available in a web-based version), integrates digital humans to support interactive, collaborative learning in the metaverse; “EmbodyVerse” offers a mixed reality space where educators can conduct STEM teaching through embodied, immersive experiences; and iChat system, a customised digital-human for learning and teaching purposes. Drawing on empirical examples, the talk highlights how these platforms improve learner engagement and learning performance, and enable new forms of both personalised and collaborative learning. By embedding generative AI into these environments, the presentation demonstrates how educational experiences are being redefined across diverse metaverse platforms.