#EducationPolicy

A journalism educator’s recent firsthand account published in Business Insider is drawing new interest to the practical benefits and cautious optimism surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms, offering a thoughtful look at how digital tools like ChatGPT can empower teachers while highlighting irreplaceable human aspects of education. The story, based on the experiences of a media ethics and English teacher in the United States, is sparking conversations among Thailand’s educators and policymakers on how best to harness AI’s potential for Thai schools and learners (Business Insider).

Texas has become the latest—and one of the largest—states in the United States to ban students’ use of cell phones in all public K-12 schools, following the signing of House Bill 1481 by the state governor earlier this week (KXAN). The law gives individual districts two options for compliance: either prohibit all student devices on school property outright, or require students to store their phones securely and inaccessible during the school day (KHOU). The ban is set to take effect across the state for the 2025–2026 academic year (Statesman).

A new global survey has found that nearly 30% of teachers are now using artificial intelligence (AI) tools on a weekly basis, a trend that could free up around six weeks’ worth of working hours each year. This rapid adoption signals a shift in how educators prepare lessons, grade assignments, and support students—putting AI at the heart of a classroom transformation that has important implications for Thailand’s education system.

The findings, published by Gallup and referenced in their recent article, highlight the increasing integration of digital technologies worldwide and point to promising opportunities for educators facing time constraints and heavy workloads. For Thailand, where teacher shortages and administrative burdens remain persistent challenges, adapting to these trends could lead to significant improvements in both educational quality and teacher well-being.

California’s public colleges and universities are spending millions on high-tech solutions to catch plagiarism and artificial intelligence (AI) misuse, but mounting evidence reveals these investments may be rife with technological blind spots, privacy risks, and questionable educational value. As higher education worldwide faces a new era of “AI arms race,” the experience of the California system demonstrates how quick fixes may fall short, fueling new debates that resonate in classrooms from Bangkok to Berkeley.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s recent proposal to end or entirely overhaul Multnomah County’s flagship Preschool for All program has ignited fierce debate across the United States, drawing attention from education policymakers far beyond the Pacific Northwest. Citing what she described as the program’s failure to deliver on its promises despite hundreds of millions of dollars in funding, Governor Kotek declared, “The program as it stands cannot keep its promise” — a statement that has sharply divided public officials, early education advocates, and the families the initiative was designed to serve (OregonLive).

The latest Gallup and Walton Family Foundation poll has revealed a striking transformation taking place in classrooms across the United States: six out of ten K-12 public school teachers now use artificial intelligence tools to help grade papers and develop lesson plans. But as these digital assistants free up valuable time and streamline workflows, a majority of educators warn that the pervasive use of AI could be making students less independent, potentially dulling their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This debate over AI’s dual-edged impact is gaining global relevance, with far-reaching implications for Thailand’s rapidly digitalising education sector.

Amidst the rise of artificial intelligence, a recent thought-provoking essay has sparked global discussion about the transformation of learning in the age of ChatGPT and similar technologies. As AI becomes deeply woven into everyday life and education, some experts warn that schools—whether intentionally or not—are acting more like vocational training grounds, emphasizing task completion through technological shortcuts rather than the cultivation of critical thinking, original expression, and holistic intellectual growth. This trend, experts suggest, may have profound implications for Thai students, educators, and society at large (Psychology Today).

A groundbreaking international study has revealed that outdoor physical activity delivers far greater improvements in children’s brain function than identical exercise carried out indoors—prompting calls for Thai schools and parents to rethink how and where kids stay active. The findings, published in the journal Physiology & Behavior in mid-June 2025 and now gaining traction among health and education experts worldwide, reinforce the unique value of nature for sharpening young minds and signal an important opportunity for Thailand’s public health and school curricula.

Ghana’s higher education watchdog has taken decisive action against the popular yet controversial practice of using honorary doctorates and professorship titles in public—a move that has drawn attention beyond its borders, including Thailand, where academic integrity is a valued aspect of education and social status. The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) recently issued a directive restricting the public use of these titles, underpinning concerns about rising academic title abuse that threatens the credibility of the country’s education system. As Thailand grapples with its own educational reforms and the social importance attached to academic qualifications, this development offers fresh vantage points for local readers keen on honest academic recognition.

Shares of IDP Education, the Australian-headquartered international student placement giant, plummeted as much as 48 percent after the company announced it was bracing for a steep decline in student placement volumes, warning investors that tightening government visa rules are upending the market for cross-border education Reuters, Investing.com. The warning, issued on June 3, reverberated not just through financial markets but across the global higher education sector—including Thailand, a country with a fast-growing cohort of outbound students and deepening ties to international universities.

Schools around the world are scrambling to develop effective strategies to police academic cheating fueled by generative artificial intelligence (AI) such as ChatGPT, as highlighted in a recent news report by Axios and corroborated by several other leading news outlets. The spread of AI-assisted cheating is becoming a pressing concern for educators, with no clear consensus on how to confront the new wave of academic dishonesty. As this issue escalates, the decisions made by schools and universities will shape the future of education, trust, and integrity in Thailand and globally.

A new international study has found that regular physical exercise can significantly enhance the academic self-confidence of college students, with personality traits like future orientation and mental resilience playing a pivotal mediating role. The findings could inform Thai universities and educators looking to support students’ mental well-being and scholastic achievement amid mounting educational challenges.

The research, conducted with 624 university students, examined how physical activity contributes not only to physical health, but to psychological traits that underpin academic success. By using structured questionnaires and advanced statistical analysis, the investigators uncovered a strong positive link between engaging in exercise and students’ belief in their ability to excel academically—what psychologists call “academic self-efficacy” (Frontiers in Psychology).

Yale University has announced a major change to its computer science curriculum, ending the long-standing practice of allowing students to bypass the “Introduction to Computer Science” course by passing a waiver exam. From the fall of 2025, all students aspiring to enroll in the pivotal “Data Systems and Programming Techniques” (CPSC 2230) course must first complete either “Introduction to Computer Science” (CPSC 2010) or “Introduction to Information Systems” (CPSC 2000), closing a pathway that many advanced students have used for years.

An unprecedented coalition of over 250 CEOs from leading global companies has called for urgent action to prioritize artificial intelligence (AI) and computer science as core components of K-12 education, highlighting what may become a transformational trend in global education policy. The open letter, published this week in The New York Times, was co-signed by the heads of major technology, retail, and mobility companies — among them Microsoft, Etsy, and Uber — and warns that countries not investing in these skills risk losing their economic edge in the rapidly evolving AI era (TechCrunch).

Generative artificial intelligence, once viewed with suspicion and outright bans in schools, is now increasingly seen as a vital educational tool by K-12 teachers across the United States, according to the latest reporting and research. This evolution from nuisance to necessity signals a pivotal moment in education, with implications and potential lessons for Thailand as AI reshapes global classroom practices. (washingtontimes.com)

The discussion around AI in primary and secondary education has matured rapidly since 2022, when tools like ChatGPT first appeared on the academic scene. Initially, schools and teachers were quick to ban generative AI platforms due to fears of increased cheating, misinformation, and a perceived threat to traditional pedagogies. However, facing the realities of digital transformation, educators soon realized that AI technologies could be harnessed for positive learning outcomes—if they were strategically and ethically integrated into curricula.

As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly reshapes economies and societies worldwide, leading educators are warning that Thai students must urgently gain broader access to computer science education to thrive in the digital future. The international debate, exemplified by a recent analysis published in The Desert Sun, argues that understanding computer science is now as fundamental as reading, with AI’s pervasive influence touching nearly every industry and aspect of daily life (desertsun.com).

Recent research and expert opinion from leading child health advocates underscore a growing crisis in sex education: parents are increasingly reluctant to discuss sexual health with their children, while the availability of formal sex education in schools continues to decline. This trend, highlighted in a recent article by a renowned sexual health expert in the Philadelphia Inquirer, has profound implications for both Western and Thai families, particularly as children turn to unregulated online sources or even pornography in place of accurate, age-appropriate information (inquirer.com). The article draws upon decades of international research supporting the benefits of parent-led sex education and offers urgently needed strategies for parents who wish to guide their children responsibly.

Daycare workers around the world are increasingly grappling with a wave of unusual, demanding, and sometimes inappropriate requests from parents, according to recent reports and research, with frustration reaching a boiling point in the sector. As early childhood education faces mounting pressures post-pandemic, these revelations are shining a light on challenges that affect not only childcare providers but also Thai families navigating the evolving landscape of daycare services.

Interest in this issue has surged following a widely shared exposé published by the New York Post, where daycare workers anonymously shared some of the most unreasonable demands they’ve received from parents—from requiring staff to use gold-plated cutlery for a toddler’s lunch to covertly punishing other children on behalf of a parent’s grudge. While the stories sound sensational, they reflect a documented trend: the rise of what educators call “helicopter” and “lawnmower” parenting, where adults attempt to eliminate any perceived obstacle or stress from their child’s path.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital—recognized across the US for its leadership in pediatric health—has announced a major rebranding and expansion of its high-profile children’s mental health program. The “On Our Sleeves” initiative, which since 2018 has distributed free educational resources to over 15 million Americans, will now move forward as The Kids Mental Health Foundation, signaling a deepened mission to address the growing mental health crisis among youth nationwide (source).

This change comes at a pivotal moment for parents, educators, and health professionals. The US Surgeon General and other health authorities have described children’s mental health as a “national crisis.” In Thailand, as in the US, teachers and families report rising anxieties about the long-term effects of academic stress, social media, and the lingering aftermath of COVID-19 on youth wellbeing—a concern very much echoed in the recent US survey conducted by The Kids Mental Health Foundation, where 70% of nearly 540 parents said they are worried about their children’s mental health, and almost 40% said they are “very concerned” (source).

The debate over homeschooling regulation has reignited in the United States, where thousands of parents, including a determined mother from Lombard, Illinois, are expressing fierce opposition to a new legislative proposal that would tighten oversight of home-based education. While the proposed U.S. bill is not directly linked to Thai law, the unfolding controversy serves as a timely lens for Thai readers to consider the complex balance between educational freedom and state oversight—an issue increasingly relevant amid Thailand’s own growth in alternative education models.