AI in Shadow Education: An Experimental Study in Hong Kong Tutorial Centres

Ching Ho Richard Cheng*, Hong Kong Adventist College

https://doi.org/10.9743/JEO.2026.23.3.18

Abstract

Shadow education is highly prevalent in Hong Kong, driven by parents’ and students’ desire to succeed in public examinations. However, the quality of these supplementary lessons, which exist in various forms, has often been questioned by educators, parents, and students alike. The methods for enhancing the quality of shadow education have become a widely discussed topic among scholars and educators. This study involved 10 local tutorial centres that integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) into their English lessons. Additionally, 24 participants, including centre owners, tutorial centre tutors, and students, were invited to share their perspectives on AI in shadow education through interviews. The results indicated that AI could offer students a ‘second opinion,’ but its responses often lacked clarity. As this is an experimental study, further research is needed on this topic, particularly regarding practical methods for integrating AI into shadow education settings.

Keywords: shadow education, Artificial Intelligence, teaching and learning, elearning

*richard.cheng@hkac.edu