Family education summit held in Beijing to discuss challenges in digital age

The 16th New Oriental Family Education Summit was held in Beijing on Sunday, discussing challenges and insights in family education amid the digital age and declining birthrates, as well as the need for collaboration among families, schools and communities.

Hosted by New Oriental Education Technology Group, with academic support from the China Family Education Society, the summit attracted over 1,000 education experts, scholars, and parent representatives online and offline.

Family education faces numerous new challenges, including declining birth rates, the impact of AI technologies like ChatGPT on traditional education and increased competition for educational resources due to growing family wealth, experts said.

Yang Shuwen, executive vice-president of China Family Education Society, emphasized the need to return to the original intent of education, focusing on family-centered, experiential learning, and collaborative efforts among government, schools and the local communities.

In a peak dialogue, the founder of New Oriental Yu Minhong and demographer Liang Jianzhang discussed how family and societal support can reduce child-rearing costs and promote a nurturing environment for children's growth.

"It is especially important to cultivate children's ability to be well-rounded and learn quickly," Liang said.

Yu highlighted that parents need to focus on nurturing their children's talents and fostering an optimistic personality, allowing their creativity and exploratory abilities to develop more effectively.

Peng Kaiping, a professor from Tsinghua University, addressed the need to reject perfectionism and promote self-appreciation among parents and children to enhance emotional well-being.

Rupert Wegerif from the University of Cambridge and New Oriental CEO Zhou Chenggang engaged in a dialogue exploring the potential risks and benefits of AI in education, underscoring the importance of developing autonomous learning skills.

People have misunderstandings about AI, Wegerif said. "AI currently does not have self-awareness and it is merely an extension of human capabilities. People outsource certain cognitive tasks to AI, allowing themselves to focus more on decision-making and innovation," he added.