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NetDragon Introduces EDA at Global Smart Education Conference

From August 18 to 20, the Global Smart Education Conference 2023 was held in Beijing. Co-hosted by Beijing Normal University and the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education, the conference saw prominent figures like Chen Jie, vice minister of education, and Nobel laureate Mo Yan in attendance. NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited ("NetDragon"), in its eighth engagement, actively participated in the Global Smart Education Conference, presenting cutting-edge educational projects and products including Edmodo Academy (EDA), NCET VLAB, Future Lab, and Rokid Glasses at the exhibition this year. Notably, the EDA platform was unveiled for the first time, marking a significant achievement of this year's conference.

 

It's reported that NetDragon also composed the theme song "Light of Education" for this conference. NetDragon also co-hosted the "Forum on Generative AI and the Future of Education", organized the "Forum on Teachers' Digital Competence and Innovative Talent Development Models", and created the "BNU Smart Campus" for Beijing Normal University, garnering special attention from leaders and guests in attendance.

 

Global Smart Education Conference 2023 held in Beijing

 

NetDragon's Several Experts Invited to Attend

As a globally influential education conference, the event gathered over 300 renowned experts, scholars, and guests from education departments worldwide, including senior officials from various countries and regions, as well as representatives from organizations like UNESCO, Beijing Normal University, Chinese Academy of Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and more. The on-site representation exceeded 1,200.

 

During the closing ceremony, Liu Dejian, chairman of NetDragon, summarized, "NetDragon and Beijing Normal University have jointly built the Smart Learning Institute for 8 years. Throughout these years, both sides have been dedicated to 'making research contributions to human education', combining the rapid development of digital technology with the profound transformation of global education, reflecting on 'what is education, and where should education go'. High-quality education and lifelong learning should be common interests and rights, provided equally to people worldwide!"

 

Invited to the "Forum on Generative AI and the Future of Education", Chen Hong, senior vice president of NetDragon, gave a keynote presentation titled "Experience, Efficiency, and Effectiveness—Exploring the Application of Generative Technologies in the Production of Teaching Content". He introduced that NetDragon strives to effectively connect all terminals and systems, facilitating deep interaction and fusion between users, intelligent learning companions, virtual spaces, and various hardware systems. This is achieved using generative AI models to create and disseminate high-quality educational content.

 

 

Chen Hong's speech at the "Forum on Generative AI and the Future of Education"

During the EDA launch session, Chen Changjie, vice president of NetDragon, noted that EDA provides an education co-creation platform and a diverse incentive system. Educators worldwide are welcome to participate, enabling every user to share EDA's achievements and value, collectively working toward educational equity.

 

 

Chen Changjie hosting the EDA launch session

In addition, Lin Jiaquan, vice president of NetDragon, attended the concurrent Global Competition on Design for Future Education finals and served as a judge. Su Yi delivered a keynote speech titled "Addition or Subtraction? Dialectical Reflection on School Education in the AI Era" at the "Forum on Innovative Practices in Smart Education". Lin Fan hosted a special-invite presentation at the "Forum on Teachers' Digital Competence and Innovative Talent Development Models", organized by NetDragon.

 

 

Lin Jiaquan attending the Global Competition on Design for Future Education finals as a judge

 

Su Yi delivering a keynote speech at the "Forum on Innovative Practices in Smart Education"

 

Lin Fan hosting a special-invite presentation at the "Forum on Teachers' Digital Competence and Innovative Talent Development Models"

EDA Unveiled as a Conference Outcome

In the current context of deep technological revolution and industrial transformation, digital technology is profoundly altering human society's ways of thinking, organizational structures, and operational models, presenting significant opportunities and new challenges for digitalizing education. Simultaneously, smart education, as a new form of education in the digital age, is the inevitable choice for promoting equitable and inclusive quality education, providing lifelong learning opportunities for all.

 

As one of the conference's significant outcomes, EDA offers new possibilities for future smart education and learning.

 

NetDragon's EDA is an innovative form of "idealized education" and a public smart education platform. Empowered by technology, it integrates advanced and engaging elements like AI, metaverse, 3D models, micro animations, etc., to generate a massive collection of high-quality digital educational resources. EDA, embracing learners worldwide, provides an open channel, enabling users to access quality educational materials regardless of time or location. They can also re-create and share courseware, thus contributing to a globally collaborative and shared digital education ecosystem.

 

 

Attendees experiencing products at NetDragon's exhibition area

 

During the conference, Chen Hong and Lin Fan, as representatives of NetDragon, engaged in discussions with education ministry leaders from various countries, as well as representatives from international organizations such as UNESCO, Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), and International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). They provided comprehensive insights into NetDragon's series of smart education products and solutions.

 

 

Showcase of Various Smart Education Products

As another highlight of the conference, NetDragon exhibited a variety of cutting-edge educational products, including EDA, NCET VLAB, Future Lab, and Rokid Glasses, at this year’s event.

 

NCET VLAB, led by the National Center for Educational Technology (NCET), incorporates cutting-edge technologies like AI, 3D, and VR. This product realistically simulates various scientific experiments, significantly expanding the breadth and depth of experiment-based teaching. It has been adopted by over 20,000 schools, with over 700,000 users and over 7 million visits, effectively advancing digital education strategies. Future Lab, similarly, is NetDragon's effort to create a self-learning tool for middle and high school students. During the experience, students can create personalized virtual avatars and explore experiment-related knowledge points through interactive scenarios, games, and investigations. The product also incorporates NetDragon's "AI Learning Companion" to provide more in-depth and engaging learning guidance.

 

 

Attendees experiencing products at NetDragon's exhibition area

Currently, NetDragon has achieved remarkable progress in the digital education field, with its education coverage spanning 192 countries and regions, over 150 million users, more than 2 million classrooms, and strategic partnerships with over 20 countries along the Belt and Road Initiative. This year, NetDragon announced plans to list its overseas education sector on the New York Stock Exchange through a merger.

 

“NetDragon will continue to drive cutting-edge technology into the smart education field, utilizing EDA as a platform, to jointly promote the development and innovation of global education,” stated Chen Changjie.