AI with Pedagogical Purpose

Written by: Yasila Vetri (Lead Teacher / General Paper)

On 18 September 2026, the HCI Professional Development Committee, with the support of the Global AI Nexus for Schools (GAINS), organised a learning journey to Lorong AI, bringing together more than 60 participants from over 28 primary and secondary schools and junior colleges. The group included teachers, Heads of Department, Teacher Leaders, School Leaders and MOE HQ officers, creating a valuable opportunity for educators from different contexts to exchange ideas and learn from one another. 

Lorong AI is a community space where educators and practitioners come together to explore, experiment and learn about emerging applications of artificial intelligence. For Hwa Chong educators, the visit offered an opportunity to extend professional learning beyond the school context by connecting with external expertise, learning across institutions and considering how emerging practices might inform teaching and learning.

The focus was not simply on what AI could do. Instead, participants were encouraged to consider the educational questions behind its use: How can AI extend, reinforce and deepen learning? How can it better support learners with differing needs, interests and abilities? 

Presenters from various schools shared how they were already using AI to respond to specific pedagogical needs. He Jiaen from Canberra Secondary School introduced Tallus, an AI marking and analytics tool designed to make feedback more useful and accessible, while Joe Tay shared a Smart Marking tool developed with Claude. Tan Jing Yan Julienne and Seow Guat Leng Eileen from Rosyth Primary School presented an AI chatbot that supported students in retrieving, evaluating and applying Science knowledge rather than simply receiving answers. Riaz Sulaimi from Ang Mo Kio Primary School demonstrated how immediate AI feedback could support self-directed revision, while Zachary Kok from Catholic Junior College shared Physics Patient Office, a gamified reasoning trainer designed to engage students in productive struggle by making their thinking more visible. 

Although the examples addressed different needs, from marking and feedback to revision, knowledge application and reasoning, they shared a common purpose. Each began with an authentic learning need and considered how AI could extend, reinforce or deepen learning rather than simply make tasks more efficient. Collectively, the sharing demonstrated how purposeful use of AI can keep students actively engaged in thinking, reasoning and applying knowledge.

The learning journey also included a guided segment by Monstar X AI App Builder, which gave educators access to industry expertise and emerging practices in the AI sector. Participants were encouraged not only to explore new tools, but also to understand the thinking behind their design and the problems they were intended to solve.

They then identified a problem within their own context, crafted a clear problem statement, used AI to develop a Product Requirements Document and experimented with “vibe coding” to create an early prototype. This hands-on experience allowed participants to see how AI technology could be adapted to create more customised solutions for specific needs. 

For me, the key takeaway was not simply about using more AI, but about asking better questions of it. How can it deepen learning, support productive struggle and enable greater learner autonomy?

Learning journeys such as this, organised by the HCI Professional Development Committee with the support of GAINS, provide valuable opportunities for educators to move beyond familiar routines, exchange ideas and explore new possibilities in teaching and learning. Ultimately, the value of these experiences lies in how we interpret, adapt and translate what we have learnt into stronger classroom practice and richer learning experiences for our students.