Global Perspectives

On March 19, 2026, early childhood education (ECE) student teachers from Hong Kong and Mexico met online to co-design creative activities for young children inspired by traditional childhood activities from their respective cultures. This online exchange was organized by educators from the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Department and the Mathematics and Information Technology (MIT) Department at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), alongside their counterparts from Mexico’s Escuela Normal para Educadoras de Arandas (ENEA) and Escuela Normal para Educadoras de Guadalajara (ENEG). 
 
Marking the sixth iteration of the virtual exchange, the session featured a novel integration of generative AI to enhance student collaboration. Dr. Anika Saxena and Ms. Sofie Chua invited Dr. Ting Sze Thou Fridolin from the MIT Department to join the collaboration with Mtra. Yolanda Fajardo Santana and Mtro. Iván Alejandro Lara Gutiérrez from ENEA, as well as Mtra. Gretel Lomeli Covarrubias from ENEG. In this exciting new collaboration, Dr. Ting introduced YoChatGPT!, a collaborative AI-powered chatroom he developed that fosters knowledge building and group interaction through AI assistance.  
  
During the session, Dr. Ting guided students in mixed groups to share traditional childhood activities from their childhood. Using YoChatGPT! and Zoom breakout rooms, the students collaboratively designed a 15-minute creative activity for 4–5-year-olds that blended elements of Hong Kong and Mexican traditions. Students used the AI tool to provide real-time insights and suggestions as they completed the task, learning with one another about each other. Students also observed and learned from their teachers and peers how to refine their prompts to optimize the tool’s outputs.  
 
The use of collaborative AI in this Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) initiative received enthusiastic feedback from students, who valued the opportunity to design lesson plans collaboratively using new educational technologies. Here are some of their reflections:

• “What was most valuable today was the opportunity to share experiences and perspectives as preschool teachers from different cultures, and I learned how to use AI for educational and creative purposes, which opened new possibilities for designing activities.”  
• “I learned more about how ChatGPT works and the importance of giving more specific instructions to get what we really need or want.”  
• “Thank you very much for this wonderful experience. It was truly meaningful to share, learn, and connect with my new friends from another culture. I really appreciated the opportunity. And I hope others will have this experience in the future too.”  

 
This pioneering initiative highlights the transformative potential of AI chatrooms in education, particularly in fostering cross-cultural collaboration and innovation in early childhood education. By blending technology with cultural exchange, the project not only enriched students’ learning experiences but also equipped them with valuable skills for the future. 
 
     

Images generated by student groups reflecting the fusion activities: 
1.    Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival with Mexican Birthday Piñatas 
2.    Chinese Lion Dance with the Mexican Jalisco Dance 
3.    Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival and Mexican folkloric dresses