Under the "double reduction" policy, the learning machine has become a new "chicken baby" tool
In China, education has been in the spotlight, especially in recent years, the "double reduction" policy has attracted widespread attention. The implementation of this policy aims to reduce students' academic burden, but it has also given rise to a new educational phenomenon - the rise of learning machines. Learning machines become a new tool for parents and students in their pursuit of academic success because they offer a wide selection of general subject courses, from elementary to high school. However, this raises a key question: Are the curricula of these learning machines legal and violate the regulations of the Ministry of Education?
Learning machines: up-and-coming educational tools
In the market, the sales of learning machines are hot, and the main brands include iFLYTEK, Xueersi, Xiwo, etc., with prices between 1000-5000 yuan. These learning machines include general learning videos that students and parents can choose to watch according to their needs. For example, a first-grade elementary school student has reached the level of English listening in the fifth and sixth grades through the learning machine without English courses at school. Such a case has caused controversy, does it mean that the learning machine provides the conditions for advanced learning?
Definition of recorded courses and training for learning machines
In order to find out whether the learning machine complies with the regulations of the Ministry of Education, we consulted the customer service of some learning machine brands. Customer service such as iFLYTEK, Xueersi, and Homework Help said that the learning machine provides recorded courses, covering most of the textbook versions. Some learning machines have built-in video lessons, while others provide cloud-based resources that can be networked and on-demand. However, there is still some controversy over whether these recorded courses are advanced learning and whether they are illegal training.
The regulations of the Ministry of Education and the actual situation in Beijing
Recently, the Ministry of Education issued the "Interim Measures for Administrative Punishment for Off-campus Training", which clearly stated that it is a violation of the law for institutions to carry out discipline-based training ahead of schedule. But does this rule apply to learning machines? According to the staff of the off-campus training work department of the Dongcheng District Education Commission in Beijing, the prerequisite for illegal training is to meet the definition of "training", which includes direct interaction between students and teachers, such as online live teaching. Watching recorded courses through learning machines is not considered training, and this definition applies to the whole of Beijing.
Views vary from region to region
However, staff from the Guangdong Provincial Department of Education's Off-campus Training Supervision Department said that the definition of training needs to be linked to teacher-student interaction. At present, some parents collect learning materials online to let their children learn in advance, although it is not recommended that parents be overly anxious, but this practice cannot be prohibited. This shows that there are differences in the views of different regions on learning machines, which intensifies the controversy over the legality of learning machines.
The position and market prospect of the learning machine brand
iFLYTEK is a leader in the learning machine market, and their AI learning machine offers 12 subjects, including primary mathematics, English, junior high mathematics, physics and so on. The AI function of the learning machine can recommend learning paths based on the student's situation. However, iFLYTEK did not give a clear response to the question of whether the recorded courses provided by the learning machine involve advanced learning.
The rise of the learning machine market has also made some education and training institutions smell business opportunities and have launched their own learning machine products. Hao Future's Xueersi, Ape Tutoring, Homework Help, etc. have all launched learning machines, and the built-in courses are derived from live courses and presented in the form of recorded classes. These brands are at the top of the hot selling list of learning machines, and the market prospects are promising.
Hidden worries in the learning machine market
Although the learning machine market has a bright future, there are some hidden concerns. Chu Zhaohui, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Education Sciences, said that unlike off-campus tutoring, learning machines are relatively less interactive, and the learning effect also varies depending on factors such as teaching materials, teaching methods and teaching levels. Therefore, the potential market space for learning machines is not clear. Xiong Bingqi, president of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, also believes that the learning machine market is prone to homogenization problems, and if only high scores are pursued, it is not conducive to long-term sustainable development. He emphasized that diversified learning and the cultivation of hobbies and interests are more important.
epilogue
Under the "double reduction" policy, the learning machine has become a new "chicken baby" tool, providing students with a wide range of general course choices. However, there is no clear answer as to whether the learning machine is legal and whether it violates the regulations of the Ministry of Education. Different regions have different views on learning machines, and although the learning machine market has a bright future, there are also homogenization problems and potential risks. While pursuing the quality of education, we also need to carefully examine the legitimacy and rationality of learning machines to ensure that children can receive a comprehensive and healthy education.