Wenxin Yiyan brings new knowledge, students are curious and ask endlessly.
Technology aids in opening wisdom, educational reform showcases grand plans.
1. Origin
Wenxin Yiyan was officially released on March 16, 2023.
Wenxin Yiyan is a knowledge-enhanced large language model developed by Baidu, capable of interacting with people, answering questions, assisting in creation, and efficiently helping people obtain information, knowledge, and inspiration.
I had known about Wenxin Yiyan for some time, but I truly began to use it deeply during the summer vacation. An expert provided a detailed introduction and demonstration of “Wenxin Yiyan” at a principal training session organized in the park, which led to my in-depth use of it. The more I used it, the more proficient I became, and I grew increasingly fond of Wenxin Yiyan.
So, I introduced it to the teachers at my school and my friends.
Then, I suddenly thought: Can we let the second graders experience Wenxin Yiyan together in a math class? So on December 13, I talked about “Wenxin Yiyan” for the first time with the second graders in class and guided them to use “Wenxin Yiyan” together.
The next day, I asked the class who had tried it at home, and unexpectedly, nearly half of the students raised their hands! This is quite remarkable!
I thought, it turns out that letting younger students try out this new AI tool is not impossible.
Below, I will first introduce the transcript of the class, and then share my reflections after teaching.
2. Class Transcript
1. Initial Introduction to “Wenxin Yiyan”
Teacher: Hello everyone, starting today, we will conduct a review for the second grade math final exam. Before we review, I want to talk to you about “Wenxin Yiyan” (everyone showed puzzled expressions). Does anyone know what “Wenxin Yiyan” is?
Student: I know, Wenxin Yiyan is like the foreign ChatGPT, it can answer questions. (I didn’t expect that a boy in the class, Shen Junchen, would know about this new AI tool!)
Teacher: Well answered! Let’s applaud! How did you learn about “Wenxin Yiyan”?
Student: I heard about it from my dad.
Teacher: What does your dad do?
Student: My dad is an engineer.
Teacher: Excellent! First, I want everyone to learn from Shen Junchen, be eager to learn, have a broad knowledge base, and have a good memory. Secondly, you should go home and praise your dad for me, okay? In the future, you should learn well from your dad and understand more about technology knowledge. (Shen Junchen nodded happily)
[Using the teacher’s tone to have children praise their parents is a great way to empower families, which I often use in class.]
Teacher: Back to the topic. I will give you a brief introduction to Wenxin Yiyan. Wenxin Yiyan is a large language model developed by Baidu. It can help people do many things, such as answering various questions. For example, if you are sick, you can ask it what the cause of your illness is and how to treat it; if you want to travel, you can ask it where to go and what the travel route is; of course, it can also help us solve difficult math problems and assist us in writing essays and creating stories, etc.
Student (impatiently): Teacher, can we try it together?
Teacher: Sure, I will now use the mobile version of “Wenxin Yiyan” to see if it can answer the math questions we pose.
(The teacher opened the “Wenxin Yiyan” mobile APP and used the voice mode for the following attempts, so all the Q&A would be audible to the students.)
2. First Question: How to Review Math
Teacher: “Yiyi” (the mobile AI virtual assistant), hello, I am currently in a math class, how should we review second grade math?
(Everyone waited for a moment, and Wenxin Yiyan began to answer the first question.)
Yiyi: (Virtual intelligent robot, same below)Second grade math class must be very interesting! During review, you can try these methods: 1. Organize knowledge points: sort out the knowledge points learned in second grade to form a clear knowledge framework, which makes it easier to understand and remember. 2. Do practice problems: strengthen your understanding and memory of knowledge points by doing practice problems. Start with the problems in the textbook and gradually increase the difficulty. 3. Discuss and communicate: discuss and communicate with classmates, help each other, and improve together. 4. Develop a review plan: create a reasonable review plan, allocate daily study tasks, and avoid last-minute cramming. I hope these methods can help you better review second grade math!
(The students listened quietly, showing curious and surprised expressions, and they were also discussing among themselves.)
Teacher: Students, did you all hear the robot Yiyi’s answer clearly? Please take out your notebooks, review what the robot said, and jot down the key points. After half a minute, I would like everyone to answer. Those who answer well can come to the front and ask an interesting question to the intelligent robot on behalf of everyone, okay?
(The students answered the questions seriously, and the teacher selected one outstanding student to come up and ask)
3. Second Question: How to Write a Math Diary
Student: (speaking to the teacher’s phone) Yiyi, I want to ask a question (I simulated with this student first to facilitate effective questioning) Can second graders write math diaries? How should they write it?
Yiyi:Of course! A math diary is a very interesting way to record your understanding and feelings about math. You can start with your favorite math games or problems, describing your experiences and feelings during the game or problem-solving process. For example, you can write about what your favorite math game is and your experiences while playing it. You can also write about the process of solving a math problem and what you learned from it. You can even write about your understanding and feelings regarding a certain math concept, as well as your experiences while learning that concept. When writing a math diary, you can freely unleash your imagination and creativity, expressing your thoughts and feelings through words and drawings. I hope these suggestions can help you!
(Based on the students’ responses, I invited another student to ask the third question)
4. Third Question: What Does “Wenxin Yiyan” Mean?
Student: What does “Wenxin Yiyan” mean?
Yiyi: “Wenxin Yiyan” is a knowledge-enhanced large language model developed by Baidu, capable of interacting with people, answering questions, assisting in creation, and efficiently helping people obtain information, knowledge, and inspiration.
Student (interrupting the teacher): I want to raise my hand to ask, what is it for? This is a great question; when he sees this term, he wants to ask what it means!
Yiyi: Haha, you are such a thoughtful child! “Wenxin Yiyan” is an AI product launched by Baidu, which can communicate like humans and answer various questions, providing knowledge and information. If you have any questions or need help, you can ask “Wenxin Yiyan” at any time, and it will do its best to answer your questions!
5. Fourth Question: What is the Highest Peak in the World?
Student: What is the highest peak in the world? Can you introduce it in detail?
Yiyi: The highest peak in the world is Mount Everest, located on the border between Nepal and China in the Himalayas. Mount Everest has an elevation of 8,848 meters, making it one of the highest peaks on Earth. The name “Mount Everest” comes from Tibetan, meaning “Mother of the Earth.” It is part of the Himalayas, which spans several countries in Asia, including Nepal, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Pakistan. Mount Everest is famous for its grandeur and the challenges of climbing it. Many climbers aim to conquer Mount Everest as a life goal, but climbing it involves significant risks and requires high levels of perseverance and skills. Additionally, Mount Everest is also one of the coldest regions on Earth, with temperatures dropping to minus 30 degrees Celsius or lower. Therefore, climbing Mount Everest requires thorough preparation, including training to adapt to high-altitude environments, and ensuring sufficient gear and food supplies. Overall, Mount Everest is an astonishing natural wonder that attracts climbers and adventurers from around the world to challenge their limits.
6. Fifth Question: What is the Longest River in the World?
Student: I want to ask what the longest river in the world is.
Student: Is it the Yangtze River in China?
Student: No, it should be the Amazon River.
Student: It should be the Nile River.
Teacher: Okay, no arguing, let’s listen to Yiyi’s answer.
Yiyi: The Nile River is a river that flows through eastern and northern Africa, along with the Congo River in central Africa and the Niger River in western Africa, making it one of the three largest river systems in Africa. It originates in the Ethiopian Highlands and is 6,670 kilometers long, making it the longest river in the world. The Nile River has a drainage area of 2.87 million square kilometers and regularly floods each year, providing irrigation benefits to Sudan and Egypt. The Nile Delta is Egypt’s political, economic, and cultural center and is also the cradle of ancient Egyptian culture.
7. Review and Summary: Important Points and Reminders
Teacher: Students, just now, why did some students perform well while others did not when listening to the answers from “Wenxin Yiyan”?
Student: I think what the teacher said earlier, focus is very important.
Teacher: Yes, focus is indeed key. With focus, you can grasp the key information when listening to others speak.
Student: So, the teacher requires us to take notes; a good memory is not as good as a bad pen.
Student: Yes, the teacher indeed requires us to take notes. The benefits of taking notes extend beyond helping us remember knowledge points; it also makes it easier for us to review and helps us understand and master knowledge better.
Teacher: So, students, you must develop the good habit of taking notes! Just now, I walked around, and some students indeed took good notes. I will show some of them (as shown in the screenshots below).
Student: Teacher, I wrote down the highest peak and the longest river in the world (see the image below).
Student: This is what I recorded based on the teacher’s board writing (as shown in the image below).
[Teacher’s Board Writing]
3. Teaching Reflection
Today, I had the privilege of introducing “Wenxin Yiyan,” a large language model developed by Baidu, to the students. The interaction in the class was vibrant, and the students’ curiosity and thirst for knowledge left a deep impression on me.
First, I was amazed at the current students’ ability to accept and be interested in new technologies and knowledge. Shen Junchen’s understanding of “Wenxin Yiyan” made me see the students’ broad vision and self-directed learning ability outside the classroom. This also reminded me that as teachers, we need to keep up with new technologies and knowledge to better guide students in exploring the unknown world.
Secondly, through the practical application of “Wenxin Yiyan,” I felt the immense potential of AI technology in education. Whether it is answering students’ questions or assisting them in creation, it can provide timely, accurate, and personalized help. This not only improves students’ learning efficiency but also stimulates their interest in learning and innovative spirit.
Additionally, I noticed some details in students’ interactions with “Wenxin Yiyan.” For instance, when they heard the robot’s answers, they showed curious and surprised expressions; when asking questions, they actively thought and tried to pose interesting questions. These details made me feel the students’ desire for new knowledge and their exploratory spirit.
Overall, today’s lesson made me deeply realize the close integration of technology and education and its important role in promoting educational reform. I believe that in future educational practices, we will increasingly leverage the power of technology to provide students with richer, more personalized learning experiences. At the same time, I will pay more attention to students’ needs and development, actively exploring and practicing new educational methods and approaches, with the core goal of cultivating students’ innovative spirit and practical abilities.
4. Final Words
Finally, I would like to express my feelings at this moment with a poem.
When I first encountered Wenxin Yiyan,Curiosity filled the classroom.
Smart assistance adds new fun,In the ocean of knowledge, we wander freely.
Students eagerly ask questions,Teachers guide with lasting intention.
Technology aids the path of education,The future awaits brilliance.