Fresh from representing Tsinghua International School (THIS) at the WLSA Global Student Conference—where our students collaborated with peers from 15 countries and regions—THIS welcomed a distinguished WLSA delegation on August 12 for an inspiring exchange on "AI Empowering Education: Innovation and Practice."
Sharing THIS Vision
The event was hosted by Vice Principal Ms. Toni Dong, who warmly welcomed our distinguished guests. Executive Principal Ms. Renee Zhu and Academic Principal Mr. Scott Pare introduced the school's unique philosophy and global outlook, with special emphasis on THIS's cutting-edge work in AI education. Tsinghua University High School AI Coordinator Mr. Haonan Chang also attended the meeting.
One highlight that drew genuine admiration from the visitors: Ms. Zhu announced that an English-language AI primer for young learners—"A Beginner's Guide for Young Minds"—written and edited by THIS teachers, will be published by Tsinghua University Press this September. This upcoming book reflects our belief that AI literacy should start early and be accessible to students worldwide.
AI in Action at THIS
Mr. Long Yuqing, THIS AI Coordinator and Senior Lecturer at Center for Artificial Intelligence General Education, Department of Computer Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, gave an engaging talk on AI and Education in THIS.
He explained that "teaching about AI" and "teaching with AI" should advance in parallel, illustrating both with real examples from THIS classrooms.
In today's world—where knowledge updates at unprecedented speed and the complexity of problems is higher than ever—understanding and skillfully applying AI has become an essential course for every young person. These realities, Mr. Long noted, remind educators to continuously rethink both our teaching methods and our educational goals.
"AI's creativity," he emphasized, "is essentially interpolation innovation. But the true mission of education is to develop in students the meta-ability to push the boundaries of knowledge."
From using AI to deconstruct the layered meanings of vocabulary words, to transforming classical poetry—like Wang Bo's "The setting sun and the lone wild goose fly together"—into dynamic visual art, THIS teachers are modeling how technology can spark imagination and deepen learning.
Perhaps most exciting to the guests was the Meta-Learning Assessment Model used by a THIS teacher, designed not to test mere knowledge recall, but to evaluate a student's capacity to learn, adapt, and create—skills that matter most in an unpredictable future.
Teachers from the THIS AI Committee also attended the meeting, engaging in in-depth discussions with the guests.
During the open discussion session, principals, educators, and experts from both China and abroad raised various open-ended questions regarding the theory and practice of AI in education. The guests spoke freely, generating a vibrant exchange of ideas.
For example, Dr. Jack Jia, Executive Director of WLSA, asked the panel whether they believed AI would make teachers obsolete in the next 5 to 10 years. Both Principal Zhu and Principal Pare responded by emphasizing that "teachers are far more than just instruments of content delivery. Looking at THIS's core values, it's clear that teachers are essential for building life skills and fostering critical thinking. Teachers form connections with students and show care—and that care is crucial in nurturing learning. AI can serve as a tool for teachers, but it can never replace the human touch they provide."
Opening Doors to the Future
THIS is building an AI learning pathway across grade levels and borders, ensuring every student gains the skills to thrive in a changing world. The WLSA delegation's visit not only showcased the depth and breadth of THIS AI initiatives, but also provided fresh global perspectives on how we can continue to use AI to personalize learning and empower every student's growth.
As Mr. Long's closing slide reminded us with a poetic image: "The autumn waters share one color with the vast sky"—when human wisdom and artificial intelligence truly merge, the landscape of education will open into a magnificent, unbounded horizon.
