As a work that combines cutting-edge theory with practical value for frontline educational practices, Artificial Intelligence + Education: Theory and Practice in Application Development aims to help educators confidently address the core challenges of digital and intelligent transformation of education. The book is authored by Dr. Feng Xiang, Associate Research Fellow in the Department of Education Information Technology at East China Normal University (ECNU).
At the theoretical level, Dr. Feng Xiang introduces Shannon's Communication Theory to provide an in-depth analysis of emerging interaction models of "encoding" and "decoding" in teaching within the era of human–AI symbiosis. At the practical level, the book offers detailed analyses of typical educational software application scenarios, including learner modeling, adaptive learning path recommendation, and affective computing.
To break down barriers of development, the book specifically explores low-code and no-code development approaches. By introducing practical tools such as App Inventor and Orange, it empowers educators and students without computer science backgrounds to easily build intelligent educational applications. At the same time, the book does not avoid the risks associated with technology, but instead reflects critically on ethical dilemmas such as data privacy breaches, algorithmic bias, and the neglect of humanistic values. In response to the cognitive impact brought by generative AI, the author argues that the cultivation of future talent should shift comprehensively toward "meta-knowledge, meta-thinking, and meta-awareness."
This book is not only a guide to technical development, but also an enlightening exploration of the future of education under human–AI symbiosis.
Dr. Feng Xiang received his Ph.D. and completed postdoctoral research in computer applications at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Alcatel Shanghai Bell. He is currently an Associate Research Fellow and master's supervisor. He is affiliated with the Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Digital Education Equipment and the Department of Education Information Technology at ECNU. He also serves as a committee member of the Educational Technology Subcommittee of the National Information Technology Standardization Technical Committee and as Deputy Secretary-General of the Professional Committee on Information Technology Education for Primary and Secondary Schools of the Chinese Society of Education (8th and 9th Councils).
Dr. Feng Xiang has been committed to research in the field of educational informatization. In recent years, he has focused on the leading areas including AI applications in education, learning analytics, AI and programming education in K12 schools, and educational digitalization. He has led and participated in multiple major national- and provincial-level research projects related to AI in education. He has published more than 30 academic papers in leading domestic and international journals, indexed by SCI, SSCI, EI, and CSSCI, and major international conferences, and has been granted three national invention patents and more than ten software copyrights.