On May 18, 2025, the Department of Teacher Education, specializing in Subject Teaching (Geography), hosted a special lecture titled "Reflections on Artificial Intelligence and Geography Education" in Room 117, West Building of Huacheng.The lecture was delivered by Professor Duan Yushan from East China Normal University, with Ms. Zhu Xuemei from Nanjing Normal University serving as the host. Experts including Wang Jian, Wu Xiangzhong, Wu Xiangjun, Sun Xiaohong, Lu Liyun, and Gong Qian attended. Students from the 2022, 2023, and 2024 cohorts of the Subject Teaching (Geography) program actively participated. Many frontline teachers from Nanjing also came to learn, filling the venue to capacity. Together, we explored the path of transforming and upgrading geography education in the era of intelligent technology.

Part 1: Applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Geography Education

At the outset of the lecture, Professor Duan Yushan opened with a vivid analogy: "If I were to travel from Shanghai to Nanjing, would I choose to walk or take the high-speed train?" This sparked resonance among the audience regarding the acceptance of AI technology. He then presented a series of data illustrating how, amid rapid advancements in digitalization and intelligent systems, AI is profoundly impacting various sectors, including education, which cannot remain unaffected. Focusing on competency-based education, the discussion centered on how geography teaching can deeply integrate AI technologies. This has become a shared concern among future teachers and in-service educators. Professor Duan emphasized that secondary school geography possesses multiple attributes—curricular, disciplinary, and educational—and highlighted that AI attributes are particularly crucial for in-depth exploration today. He projected significant transformations in the future of geography education, including the restructuring of traditional geography lessons through AI, shifting from knowledge transmission to intelligent knowledge construction, and implementing smart diagnostics and personalized assessment methods. He posed a thought-provoking question: "If AI can help teachers save some time, would they prefer to use that time for leisure or to focus on other tasks?" This question prompted deep reflection on the boundaries between human agency and technological tools in the ongoing digital transformation of education.

Figure 2 Agenda Item One

Part 2: Development and Implementation of Intelligent Educational Tools

Transitioning from theoretical concepts to practical application, Professor Duan showcased East China Normal University’s latest research achievement—the Geographic Subjective Question Evaluation System based on large language models. Designed for frontline secondary school teachers, this system aims to alleviate their workload and enhance the objectivity and scientific rigor of subjective question grading. Professor Duan shared insights into the project’s background and research scope, the development of the evaluation system, current results, innovative aspects of the project, and future research plans. He explained the system’s technical architecture and highlighted the innovative features of the evaluation methodology, providing a clearer understanding of the systematic development of assessment tools.

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Part 3: Future Trends in Geographical Education Development

Building on this, Professor Duan used the AI Innovation Application Competition hosted by the core journal Geography Teaching as a case study to analyze cutting-edge practices in leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance geography instruction. By reviewing the outstanding projects from the 2024 competition, the presentation highlighted innovative applications of AI across various domains, including theoretical research, instructional design, assessment and evaluation, and website development. The 2025 competition, launched shortly after, garnered widespread enthusiasm, with a significant increase in submissions in both quantity and diversity, demonstrating the growing potential of AI in the field of geographical education. Looking ahead, the intelligent transformation of geography education faces several critical challenges, such as the dual roles of AI in functionality and pedagogical development, the tension between cultural values and rapid societal change, and systemic barriers within educational frameworks. Addressing these issues through focused research will be essential for guiding the digital transformation of geographical education and ensuring its effectiveness.

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During the interactive session, three students inquired about the cost structure of artificial intelligence, the potential risks associated with AI-assisted learning, and the application value of intelligent agents. In response to the cost concerns, Professor Duan shared insights into the computational resource integration model of East China Normal University's educational large-scale model. Regarding the risks of AI deployment, he emphasized the need to develop innovative learning pathways grounded in artificial intelligence. For the application value, Professor Duan recommended adopting a developmental perspective to explore how emerging technologies can foster innovative educational practices.

Figure 7 Interactive Segment

At the conclusion of the lecture, Professor Zhu and the attending experts conveyed heartfelt encouragement to the students, urging them to embrace emerging technologies with an open mindset, leverage artificial intelligence tools effectively as supportive aids, and boldly pursue innovation in future pedagogical practices.

Figure 8 Interactive Segment

The integration of artificial intelligence into education raises a profound question: is it akin to unlocking the wise and powerful Aladdin’s lamp, or unleashing Pandora’s box of unforeseen challenges? This dilemma warrants careful reflection. Currently, AI applications in education hold immense potential. As technology advances at a rapid pace, we are reminded of Spencer’s question: What Knowledge is of most worth? As future geography educators, students should approach technological innovation with an open yet cautious mindset, harnessing new tools to foster transformative breakthroughs in geographic education. This will support the sector’s evolution and upgrading in the era of intelligent learning.

Figure 9 Lecture site

 

Text | Lin Yanping 

Images | Li Weiyi and Lin Yanping 

Reviewed by | Zhu Xuemei