A study of over 26,000 Chinese middle and high school students over 34 months found that while AI tools boosted homework scores by 18%, exam scores fell by 20% within six months and by up to 24% in high school entrance exams after two years, researchers from Stockholm University and the University of Hong Kong report.
The study, published by researchers from Stockholm University and the University of Hong Kong, analyzed data from 26,000 students across 34 months. It found that AI-assisted homework improved assignment scores by 18% and cut homework time from 64 to 45 minutes. However, monthly exam scores dropped 20% within six months, and high school entrance (Zhongkao) and university entrance (Gaokao) scores fell 24% and 18% respectively after two years. The steepest decline—27%—was in social sciences (political science and geography), followed by STEM (22%) and languages (English 17%, Chinese 9%). The researchers attribute the decline not to AI itself but to its misuse for generating ready-made answers, emphasizing that the goal of homework should be learning rather than speed. The findings come amid China's broader push to prioritize AI and STEM education, as The Zioneer previously reported on the country's shift away from humanities programs.
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