AI and Data Science in Education - Insights from South Korea

Dates
September 26, 2025 (9:00am-5:00pm)
September 27, 2025 (8:30am-1:00pm)

Location
205 Lockwood (National AI Institute for Exceptional Education)

Convened by:

Sunha Kim, Associate Professor, Educational Data Science Program, Graduate School of Education, University at Buffalo
Nojin Kwak, Vice Provost for International Education and Professor of Communication, University at Buffalo

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and data science in education is revolutionizing learning environments, reshaping research methodologies, and transforming pedagogical strategies worldwide. This conference delved into the profound impact of AI and data science in education, with a particular focus on insights connected to South Korea, including its pioneering contributions. The conference featured a keynote address by Dr. Jo Boaler, Nomellini and Olivier Professor in the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University, along with contributions from esteemed scholars, including professors from Seoul National University.

South Korea has emerged as a leading advocate in harnessing AI and data science to enhance student engagement, personalize learning experiences, and optimize large-scale educational assessments. This conference spotlighted key innovations such as the development of AI-driven digital textbooks, big data collection and analytics for education, free software packages for educational data science, and automated scoring systems.

By fostering dialogue between international and Korean scholars, this conference offered a comprehensive exploration of AI and data science’s transformative role in shaping the future of education. The conference delved into the intersection of technology and pedagogy, the potential of AI and data science integration in education, and their broader implications for global learning systems, with a particular emphasis on South Korea’s innovative approaches and contributions to this field.

Keynote speaker
Jo Boaler, Nomellini and Olivier Professor, Graduate School of Education, Stanford University

Panel participants
Young Hoan Cho, Seoul National University
Minsu Ha, Seoul National University
Samuel Abramovich, University at Buffalo
Tarun Agrawal, Center of Policy Research and Governance, India
Katey Arrington, University of Texas, Austin
Melodie Baker, Impact STATS, Inc.
Haewon Cho, University of Pennsylvania
Kyoungmi Ha, Cal State, Long Beach
Hoe Kyeung Kim, Binghamton University
Mijeong Kim, Washington University in St. Louis
John Lee, Caltech
Ramanand Pandey, Center of Policy Research and Governance, India
Chanyoung Park, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Keumjae Park, William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wonyong Park, University of Southampton, England
Ye Na Parrett, Georgia Department of Education
Rachna Sharma, Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi
X. Christine Wang, University at Buffalo
Kyung-Hyan (Angie) Yoo, William Paterson University of New Jersey
Yilang Zhao, University at Buffalo

Academy of Korean Studies
UB Asia Research Institute
UB Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
UB Graduate School of Education