Can AI improve learning? New MOE fund aims to find faster answers

SINGAPORE – A new fund has been launched by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to support short-term studies in educational technology, including the use of artificial intelligence.

The Rapid Research Fund supports studies with specific focus areas identified by the ministry, each to last between six and nine months.

Research questions are proposed by MOE divisions, with each study led by an MOE specialist, according to the ministry’s website.

Findings from the first six studies, conducted in the first half of 2026, will be released after July. These include a case study on how teachers use learning data, and a survey of how teachers and students use AI tools for teaching and learning.

Other topics include the effect of linking gamification – or using elements of game design – to learning content on students’ motivation and learning outcomes.

Minister for Education and Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration Desmond Lee said on June 2 that the fund is meant to support research that can respond quickly in a fast-moving environment like an AI-infused world, alongside multi-year studies.

“We are operating in an increasingly unpredictable environment, shaped by geopolitical shifts, climate challenges and rapid technological change,” he said, adding that good-quality research is needed to enhance teaching and learning, and to guide policy. 

Lee was speaking at the start of the 11th Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference, where more than 1,000 delegates from over 30 countries, including Singapore, will exchange research findings, ideas and teaching experiences. 

Hosted by the National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University, the conference runs till June 4.

One area where the new fund could be useful, Lee said, would be in assessing the impact of AI use in schools.

Despite AI’s rapid advancement and growing use by students in school and at home, Lee said views on AI in education are sharply divided. 

“Some worry about the spread of misinformation, unequal access, and the erosion of deep thinking and mastery. Others see great potential to enable more personalised learning, quicker feedback, and greater access to knowledge,” he said.

Lee said some areas that merit research include understanding how students can build strong core competencies at a time when AI tools can easily replace cognitive effort.

More work is needed to discern what kinds of AI tools work well for teaching and learning, and what skills students will need to do well in an AI-infused world. 

Beyond publications and conference presentations, Lee said research must shape policy and inform classroom practice to make a difference in schools.

He cited examples of this, such as NIE’s Tran-SEN study, a three-year longitudinal study to track how pupils with special educational needs move into primary or special education schools – which has helped teachers better understand and support them.

“Of course, educational change is seldom straightforward. What works well in one context or one society may not work in another,” said Lee, adding that the impact of research depends heavily on collaboration between researchers, educators and policymakers.

“Educational research may not always produce immediate results... but it is meaningful and impactful work that shapes and improves generations of learners.”