The seventh "Joint Seminar by Famous Chinese Education Scholars", co-organised by the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL) and The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), was conducted online on the afternoon of 17 April 2026 (Friday). The speakers were Dr Feng Zhenhui, Lecturer in the Department of Chinese Language Studies (CHL) at EdUHK, and Assoc Prof Sun He from the Asian Languages and Cultures Academic Group at the National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University. The seminar was hosted by Dr Liao Xian, Associate Professor in the Department of CHL at EdUHK.

        The title of Dr Feng Zhenhui's presentation was "An Integrated Evaluation Framework for Higher-Order Cognitive Processes in an Educational Environment Integrating AI and VR". Dr Feng introduced the "Walking with the Ancients" project at EdUHK and shared how VR and AI technologies are utilised to reconstruct historical contexts. He explained that while these technologies enhance learning interest, they also assist students in overcoming linguistic barriers and cultural gaps between classical and modern Chinese, thereby reducing cognitive load.

        The title of Assoc Prof Sun He's presentation was "Singaporean Bilingual Preschoolers' Parents' Attitudes Towards Chinese Reading: A Study Based on the Q Method". Assoc Prof Sun analysed the cognitive and behavioural characteristics of bilingual families in Singapore regarding Chinese reading and observed that the home environment is a crucial factor influencing early mother tongue vocabulary development. Through longitudinal experiments and eye-tracking research, she also compared the effectiveness of animation and sound effects in electronic books for capturing young children's attention. She noted that the efficacy of technological tools is significantly influenced by patterns of family interaction.

        The joint online seminar attracted more than 50 colleagues from EdUHK, SCCL, the Ministry of Education (Singapore), and NIE.

Group photo of some participants

Dr Feng Zhenhui demonstrating the VR teaching environment

Assoc Prof Sun He sharing her research findings

Dr Liao Xian hosting the seminar

      
Contributed by the Research Department (Holly Foong)