Pui Ching Middle School student Peony Wong Chong Kei was invited to serve as a guest speaker at Beijing Normal University’s (BNU) Smart Youth Forum to discuss learning and core competencies in the AI era.
According to a statement sent to the Post yesterday, Wong was the only secondary school speaker in the “Impact” session.
According to its official website, the forum – themed “We the Future: Imagine · Innovate · Impact” – brought together young speakers from 13 countries and regions. Its core message was that artificial intelligence is a young endeavour, and one that belongs to young people. The forum also provided a platform for young people to contribute their experience, creativity, and vision to collectively shape education in the age of AI, and to gain support through intergenerational dialogue and mentorship, according to the website.
Drawing on her experience in international competitions and scientific research, Wong explained to attendees how secondary school students can make good use of AI while retaining independent thinking, according to Pui Ching’s statement.
Wong also took part in a roundtable discussion with Global Student Forum (GSF) Executive Director Jacob Blasius, a representative of Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Education, and youth representatives from universities including Peking University (PKU) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), the statement said, adding that her insightful contributions were praised by several scholars, including Prof. Huang Ronghuai, dean of the Smart Learning Institute at Beijing Normal University.
Wong’s participation showcased the interdisciplinary thinking and international communication skills of her school’s students, bringing the perspectives of Macau secondary school students into the global education dialogue, according to the statement.
During a written interview, Wong’s guiding teacher, Winnie Liu Yingyu, said that Wong is involved in multiple areas, including technological innovation, public speaking, and scientific research, and is jointly guided by teachers from various subjects at the school.
Liu was Wong’s form teacher last year and learnt of her interest in education and psychology, so she used the forum as an opportunity to introduce her to scholars in related fields and explore her aspirations. When coaching her for the speech, Liu suggested that Wong adopt the perspective of a junior secondary student and, drawing on her own learning and competition experience, share the challenges and gains of using AI, thereby presenting a unique viewpoint.
In Liu’s view, what matters most in the AI era is cultivating students’ abilities in independent thinking, expression, and performance – knowing how to judge AI-generated content, form their own opinions, and express them clearly to others. Stage performance and interaction, she added, still need to be developed through practice.
Pui Ching Middle School student Peony Wong Chong Kei (right) and her teacher Winnie Liu Yingyu (left) pose during last Monday’s forum held at Beijing Normal University.
Pui Ching Middle School student Peony Wong Chong Kei gives a speech during last Monday’s forum. – Photo courtesy of Pui Ching Middle School
