On the morning of July 2, the 2024 International Seminar for Elementary and Secondary School Principals (Huangpu District Panel), organized by the UNESCO Teacher Education Center and Shanghai Teacher Education College, was successfully convened at Shanghai Luwan Senior High School. Education experts and renowned school principals from countries including France, the UK, Ireland, the USA, and Japan engaged in discussions centering around the theme of “School-based Professional Collaboration of Teachers.”

SHEN Yan, investigator of the Personnel Department of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, GUO Jinhua, Director of Huangpu District Education Bureau, WEI Wei, the party secretary of Huangpu District Education College, relevant department heads of the Huangpu District Education Bureau, over twenty education experts from various countries, as well as education experts and principals from Beijing and Shanghai all participated in the discussion and other activities.

The participants first visited the “Lixin (building a solid core) · Zhanyi (spreading wings)” artificial intelligence experimental zone and the Smart Multimedia Center at Luwan Senior High School in Shanghai, showcasing interdisciplinary learning application scenario based on deep learning. One attending teacher commented:“ Stepping into the Smart Multimedia Center at Luwan Senior High School feels like entering a beautiful hall where tradition meets modernity, and technology intertwines with humanity.” The intelligent, holographic and open dynamic system provides a tech-filled reading and learning space for both teachers and students, featuring areas for deep reading, adaptive learning, immersive reading, and smart reading that cater to diverse needs. Under the mural of books and between the landscape screens, students displayed traditional Chinese paper-cutting art and fan calligraphy to international friends. The sound of the “guzheng” played by students flowed like gentle mountain streams, adding an elegant touch of traditional culture to the modern educational space. The orchestrated sounds of the guzheng, chess pieces, and reading highlighted the personalized educational functions of the smart library.

After the visit, the participants gathered in the smart classroom. Principal HE Li of Luwan Senior High School in Shanghai delivered a welcome speech, introducing the school’s tradition, namely scientific education, its relevant practices, and its significant achievements. She sincerely invited international friends from around the world to join the school’s learning exchange community, share outstanding practices and successful experiences in teacher training from various countries, and jointly explore in-depth the development and application of teaching resources, and contribute wisdom and strength to the further advancement of smart education.

Then, the participants formed six groups, sitting in circles, to engage in collaborative training and interactive discussions around the theme of “School-based Professional Collaboration of Teachers.” Educators from different countries, schools, educational levels, and subjects shared insights on topics including the development and building of teaching resources and the transformation of teaching and learning methods. They explored how to better meet students’ needs, unleash their potential, and shape the future of education together.

Teachers ZHANG Yanjing, LIU Jinyan, ZHOU Zengwei, and GAO Chen of Luwan Senior High School shared their thoughts and practices on new educational and teaching models supported by technology in subjects including chemistry, psychology, and geography. Education experts from various countries highly praised the digital education of Luwan Senior High School and of Shanghai as a whole, and emphasized that this seminar inspired them as well as encouraged innovation. They highlighted significant reference value of the seminar, which helped the teachers gain a more concrete understanding of how to collaborate more effectively to meet students’ individual needs and enhance the students’ knowledge application and practical skills.

Anna Pons, analyst from the OECD Directorate for Education and Skills, highly recognized Chinese practices such as project-based learning, interdisciplinary studies, and teacher collaborative teaching. Peter Kent, former president of the International Confederation of Principals (ICP), emphasized the necessity to ensure that artificial intelligence genuinely becomes a tool for improving teaching and that curriculum content meets students’ individualized needs. Paul Byrne, Secretary General of the European School Heads Association (ESHA), advocated for the widespread integration of AI technology into multidisciplinary learning and actively promoted interdisciplinary studies. Thiemy Charlier, chairperson of ESHA-France, pointed out the importance of combining traditional classrooms with modern technology. Kip Glazer, principal of Mountain View High School in the United States, shared a practice where American schools utilize their swimming pools for their students to build small boats to cross the river. Takashi Yagisawa, senior researcher at the International Research and Cooperation Department of the National Institute for Educational Policy Research in Japan, expressed sincere admiration for the foresight and innovation of Shanghai’s education, and looked forward to further implementing the concept of technology empowering educational reform.

GUO Jinhua, Director of Huangpu District Education Bureau in Shanghai, delivered a speech. He thanked all the participants for their contributions and participation, commended the transformative practices in science education in elementary and secondary schools represented by Luwan Senior High School. He called on educators to adapt to changes of the world, technology and students, and continuously practice and explore together, so as to form a learning community with a shared vision, crisis awareness, teamwork, and the spirit of ongoing innovation.

This seminar, which gathered global wisdom, witnessed profound collisions and integration of educational concepts, as well as the vibrant potential of educational innovation under the exchange of civilizations. It painted a bright future for collaboratively building a high-quality, highly professional and innovative team of teachers, who will work together to build the bright future of education.