Smart AI tools reshape classroom teaching

As artificial intelligence reshapes education worldwide, Zhu Jia, vice-dean of the College of Education at Zhejiang Normal University, is translating advanced AI research from academic papers into practical classroom tools for teachers, students and aspiring educators.

Also executive director of the Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Education Technology and Application, Zhu leads a research team bridging computer engineering and pedagogy to address real-world pain points in school teaching.

Zhu's contributions to intelligent education have earned him international acclaim. In July 2026, he was elected a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Europe's largest multidisciplinary engineering society and the world's second-largest body of its kind.

Holding dual professorships in educational technology and computer science, he brings together two often-disconnected disciplines to anchor AI innovation in actual teaching demands.

Aligned with China's national strategy for education digitalization and intelligent education, Zhu's laboratory has developed three flagship AI-powered platforms.

Shidao, literally "the way of the teacher", a platform for teacher professional development, covers the full teaching workflow with functions for intelligent lesson preparation, multimodal classroom behaviour analysis and evidence-based teaching research.

Zhe Xiaoshi, literally "the little lion of Zhejiang", an interactive-whiteboard-enabled tutoring system, processes students' handwritten notes and sketches to untangle their often-unarticulated confusion, making personalized learning support accessible to learners without private tutoring resources.

Shiyuan, literally "the origin of teachers", works as a "flight simulator" for pre-service teachers: it generates virtual classrooms populated by simulated students of varied personalities, allowing teaching trainees to rehearse lessons without real-world risks for schoolchildren.

Far from being lab-bound prototypes, these platforms have been piloted in more than 50 schools across multiple provincial-level regions in China, serving over 600 teachers and 4,000 students.

The three tools were showcased at the 2026 World Digital Education Conference and have claimed multiple honors at global education innovation competitions.

For rural teachers in particular, the systems deliver structured, data-backed feedback once largely reserved for educators at top urban demonstration schools.

"Artificial intelligence will not replace teachers, but teachers who understand AI will redefine what quality teaching looks like," said Zhu in an interview.

Boasting a research portfolio of more than 100 academic papers and over 30 invention patents, Zhu stresses that real-world classroom impact, rather than citation metrics, defines the value of his work.

Though pursuing his career in China, Zhu keeps active research exchanges with peers in Australia and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

He believes intelligent-education solutions developed locally can offer insights for global practitioners.