Prof. HEW, Timothy K. F.
The University of Hong Kong, China
Professor Timothy Hew (Khe Foon Hew) is a distinguished Full Professor at the University of Hong Kong's Faculty of Education, renowned for his research in educational technology, online learning, and instructional design, focusing on enhancing engagement through gamification, self-regulation, and AI agents. Recognized as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher in 2025 for his significant impact, he holds a PhD from Indiana University and previously worked at Nanyang Technological University.
Title: Major strands of
generative AI-in-education research since 2022 and directions for
future research Abstract: Since the public
release of ChatGPT in late 2022, generative AI has rapidly become a
major focus of education research. Yet this fast-growing literature
remains fragmented across technical, pedagogical, behavioral, and
policy-oriented lines of inquiry. I propose a synthetic framework
for understanding the major strands of generative AI-in-education
research since 2022. I argue that the field has developed around six
broad strands: (1) capability and benchmarking studies comparing AI
performance with humans or prior systems; (2) system optimization
and pedagogical design research on prompting, fine-tuning,
retrieval-augmented generation, and interface design; (3)
intervention studies examining effects on student learning; (4)
learner-centered research on self-regulation, trust, academic
integrity, and over-reliance; (5) studies of teacher practice and
assessment redesign; and (6) work on ethics, privacy, and
governance. Building on this synthesis, I then identify major gaps
in the current literature, including limited theory integration,
short-term outcome measures, weak attention to process data, and
insufficient classroom-embedded and longitudinal research. Finally,
I outline future directions for the field, with particular attention
to agentic AI as an emerging development that raises new
opportunities and risks around autonomy and control.
Prof. Young Hwan KIM
Pusan National University, South Korea
YoungHwan KIM is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Education at Pusan National University. His academic and professional journey has moved across the boundaries of educational technology, comparative education, international educational cooperation, and human-centered learning. Over the past several decades, he has worked extensively with APEC, OECD, and international education ODA initiatives while engaging with educators, schools, and local communities across nearly 70 countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. These experiences exposed him not only to global discussions on digital transformation and educational innovation, but also to the everyday realities of teachers, learners, and communities struggling with inequality, social anxiety, technological dependency, and uncertainty about the future. Moving continuously between international policy discourse and educational realities in diverse local contexts, Professor Kim gradually became interested in the tensions between technological optimism and human vulnerability, institutional systems and lived experience, global educational agendas and the voices often overlooked within them. In this intellectual journey, the works of Ivan Illich and Ulrich Beck became important sources of reflection for understanding education, technology, and modern civilization in an age of converging global crises. He founded APEC Learning Community Builders (ALCoB) in 2001 to support collaborative learning communities and reduce the digital divide across the Asia-Pacific region. He also served as Lead Shepherd of the APEC Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG), coordinator of APEC EdNet, and chair of the APEC Cyber Education Cooperation (ACEC) Consortium. His recent work focuses on human-centered AI, non-dominating AI, lifelong learning communities, and the redesign of learning structures in the age of artificial intelligence. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Indiana University and the International Contribution Award from Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) for his contributions to international educational cooperation and educational technology.
Title: Major strands of
generative AI-in-education research since 2022 and directions for
future research
Abstract: Since the public release of ChatGPT in late 2022, generative AI has rapidly become a major focus of education research. Yet this fast-growing literature remains fragmented across technical, pedagogical, behavioral, and policy-oriented lines of inquiry. I propose a synthetic framework for understanding the major strands of generative AI-in-education research since 2022. I argue that the field has developed around six broad strands: (1) capability and benchmarking studies comparing AI performance with humans or prior systems; (2) system optimization and pedagogical design research on prompting, fine-tuning, retrieval-augmented generation, and interface design; (3) intervention studies examining effects on student learning; (4) learner-centered research on self-regulation, trust, academic integrity, and over-reliance; (5) studies of teacher practice and assessment redesign; and (6) work on ethics, privacy, and governance. Building on this synthesis, I then identify major gaps in the current literature, including limited theory integration, short-term outcome measures, weak attention to process data, and insufficient classroom-embedded and longitudinal research. Finally, I outline future directions for the field, with particular attention to agentic AI as an emerging development that raises new opportunities and risks around autonomy and control.
Prof. Yanjie Song
The Education University of Hong Kong, China
Professor Yanjie Song serves as Associate Co-Director of the Academy for Applied Policy Studies and Education Futures (AAPSEF), and Associate Director of both the Centre for Immersive Learning and Metaverse in Education (CILME) and the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT). She holds a PhD from The University of Hong Kong and an MEd from the University of Leeds.
Her research focuses on augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), the metaverse, artificial intelligence (AI) in education, and multimodal learning analytics (MMLA). She has led the development of several award-winning educational technologies, including VocabGo (AR/VR-supported vocabulary learning), Learningverse and its VR-enhanced version with VR and generative AI LearningverseVR, EmoCare (a generative AI-powered application for emotional well-being), iChat (customisable digital humans for educational interaction), and Ai-APP (an AI-powered platform for immersive academic presentations). Her team has secured multiple patents for these innovations.
Prof Song has a proven track record of obtaining competitive external research grants and other diverse funding sources, contributing to AI and metaverse applications in education. She holds key leadership roles in the Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education (APSCE) and plays an active role in several international academic conferences. She was among the top 2% in the Stanford list of the world’s most-cited scientists in education in recent years.