Cram schools to introduce AI

January 16, 2018

Tokyo- Cram schools in Japan are introducing teaching materials using artificial intelligence that give students questions tailored to their achievement levels based on analysis to help them get higher test scores.

The Kawaijuku Educational Institution, based in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, will start using AI-based teaching materials for mathematics classes for high school students in April.

"It will be as if each student were served by an AI teacher," said Koji Maenaka, a Kawaijuku official.

In September last year, Kawaijuku jointly developed the AI-based teaching materials with Compass Inc., a Tokyo-based education service startup, which also operates its own cram schools. The program gives questions to students via a tablet device.

After analyzing students' answers and their reasoning, as well as times for giving answers, the program gives questions that best suit each student.

When Compass used AI-based teaching materials it developed itself for mathematics education for elementary and junior high school students, junior high school first-grade students completed the areas they were supposed to finish in the first semester, or 14 weeks from April, in two weeks on average, a Compass official said.

After assessing the learning effectiveness of AI-based materials for mathematics education, Kawaijuku plans to consider utilizing AI for other subjects, Maenaka said.

Shuei-Yobiko Co., a cram school operator based in the city of Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, plans to fully introduce AI-based teaching materials for the English education of elementary school students in March. The materials are delivered via computers.

The program rates English sentences read out by students both in terms of pronunciation and grammar.

Shuei-Yobiko believes the program will help boost students' confidence and improve their English speaking ability, because they can improve their scores through repeated practices.

The Japanese government has put emphasis on English education in elementary school. But expectations are growing that cram schools will play an important role in English education, a Shuei-Yobiko official said, pointing to difficulties elementary school teachers face in teaching English pronunciation. Jiji Press