[비즈한국] Lee, a 41-year-old resident of Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, is unhappy with the "Debut" (an educational tablet PC) used by her middle school second-grade child. Since her child received the Debut from school last year, all her previous efforts to keep smartphones out of her child's hands have effectively gone to waste. Although she instructs her child to leave the Debut in the living room or master bedroom after returning home, it is difficult to verify whether it is being used properly when the child is doing homework. Lee said, "Doesn't the child get annoyed by the nagging? But as a parent, it's also frustrating to watch them get lost in YouTube and Instagram." Security programs are also relatively easy to bypass. Lee added, "Even though there are time-based locks, it seems the children know how to use the devices while avoiding the time limits. At an age where self-control is lacking, I wonder if it can even be controlled during class time."
As 'AI digital textbooks' are set to be introduced starting next year for third and fourth-grade elementary students, as well as first-grade middle and high school students (for common subjects), concerns are rising over the expansion of mobile learning with smart devices. The prevailing view is that while the effectiveness has not been sufficiently verified, side effects such as over-immersion in digital devices are anticipated.
The implementation of digital textbooks is based on a one-device-per-student model. The goal is to enhance learning efficiency through various applications and provide customized education tailored to each student's pace. Ahead of the introduction of digital textbooks, the distribution of digital devices, currently being carried out by various metropolitan and provincial offices of education, is taking root in educational settings. In Seoul, devices have been provided free of charge to first-grade middle school students under the name "Debut" for two years, but issues of misuse and abuse are emerging.
Sharing 'How to Jailbreak Tablets' for Gaming and YouTube
On social media and online communities, methods to neutralize security programs installed on the devices, such as "how to bypass Debut," "how to bypass school tablets," or "Debut safe mode," are being shared. One can find posts claiming that access is possible for 10 to 20 minutes after installing a game, certifications from users who disabled the education office's harmful site blocking solutions, and discussions on which bypass methods are more effective.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) uses an MDM (Mobile Device Management) system to control time-based access and monitor attempts to neutralize the device. Depending on each school's internal settings, usage can be blocked collectively during evening hours, and if issues like neutralization occur, the contracted vendor provides remote or on-site support. Kim Myung-joo, a professor of Information Security at Seoul Women's University, emphasized, "Content or services with age restrictions rely on tools to enforce them, but a perfect tool does not exist, so bypass methods will continue to evolve. The first step is for adults to recognize this fact and acknowledge that technical measures alone cannot solve the problem."
A security system that no one can bypass is impossible. However, there is room for improvement compared to the current state. Professor Kim noted, "This isn't just a problem with Debut. To prepare for the era of digital textbooks, we need a fundamental design suitable for school education, starting from the lower software infrastructure level."
No Direct Management Authority for Teachers, and Difficult to Manage at Home
Currently, the five types of Debut tablets provided by the SMOE consist of devices with five different operating systems: Samsung Galaxy Tab (Android), Apple iPad 9th Generation (iOS), Samsung Windows Laptop, Chromebook, and LG Whalebook. Initially, the policy was for Debut to be used at home to support learning after school. However, following constant complaints from parents, the SMOE restricted the usage locations for Debut in October of last year. For elementary school students who will receive Debut next year, the devices are to be used only at school, while for middle and high school students, schools can decide autonomously after gathering opinions.
The SMOE decided to place 3,420 Debut charging and storage cabinets in about 400 middle schools across Seoul starting at the end of October. However, the availability of storage space varies by school. Kang, a parent of a middle school second-grader, said, "I installed a usage time control program on my child's smartphone, but it became meaningless because they could just use the Debut. Fortunately, my child submitted the Debut to the school during this vacation period, but looking around, some schools have even instructed students to take them home because they are installing the cabinets sequentially starting from the first-grade classrooms."
According to the SMOE, the installation project for charging and storage cabinets, which had been tied up by an injunction, is set to resume following a recent favorable court ruling. An SMOE official explained, "The project was delayed slightly because the previous top-priority vendor's product did not meet the required specifications. We plan to resume supply from September," adding, "Charging cabinets will be distributed according to the number of students."
The Ministry of Education is conducting teacher training, including sessions for lead teachers who will help other teachers use AI digital textbooks in schools, but voices expressing difficulties are emerging from the field. Since the devices, which serve as learning materials, are combined with smart devices that students generally perceive as "toys," the difficulty of control has increased. While each operating system has features like "focus mode" to increase classroom concentration, there are still loopholes. System management and monitoring are also not directly provided to homeroom or subject teachers.
A middle school teacher, identified as A, explained, "There is an aspect where they effectively deliver material that was difficult to convey with blackboards and traditional methods," but added, "In the past, there were students who would secretly send messages or do other things under their desks, but now, even when all students are looking at their textbooks, I am in a situation where I have to read their eyes and expressions to see if they are using other content."
Another official from the SMOE stated, "This is a process of gradual refinement. In the second half of this year, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will build an integrated management system independently to more systematically prevent bypass behaviors."