SCALE: a novel framework of educational objectives in the AI era

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become ubiquitous in the 21^st century. Their widespread popularity and utility have redefined the skills necessary for personal and professional success. Clearly, it is crucial to align modern education with these rapidly changing needs. While conventional educational taxonomies, including Bloom’s Taxonomy, are foundational, they often fail to emphasize aspects required in a world where AI systems serve as tools and collaborators. These aspects include technological fluency, adaptive learning, and computational reasoning. Therefore, it is urgent to redefine the taxonomy of human intelligence to balance digital intelligence with human-focused qualities, paving the way for authentic intelligence.

In a significant development, Dr. Weipeng Yang from the Faculty of Education and Human Development and the AI, Brain and Child Research Centre at The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China, has proposed an innovative taxonomy of authentic intelligence for AI natives—a generation of individuals who grow up surrounded by an AI-driven world—to determine the key dimensions of valuable intelligence in facilitating deep learning and all-around development in the era of AI. His novel insights were made available online on 19 September 2025 and will be published in Volume 1, Issue 2 of the journal TAO, a newly launched interdisciplinary journal, in November 2025.

In this study, the researcher introduces the SCALE taxonomy of 21^st-century authentic intelligence—a novel framework of new educational objectives that align human learning with the emerging needs of the AI age. It encompasses: Scientific literacy (ability to find evidence); Computational thinking (complex problem-solving); AI literacy (navigating human-AI collaboration); Learning to learn/metacognition (adaptive learning); and Engineering and design thinking (creating solutions through iteration).

“The SCALE taxonomy of educational objectives emerges from the recognition that education must shift from knowledge transmission to creative projects in the AI age. Its core vision is to cultivate learners who can apply scientific principles to understand the world and the society one lives in, think computationally to solve problems effectively, navigate AI systems ethically and efficiently, adapt their learning strategies in response to evolving technologies, and engage in engineering practices to design solutions for real-world challenges,” explains Dr. Yang.

In these myriad ways, SCALE can comprehensively equip AI natives to engage in meaningful experiences in diverse contexts such as big-group activities, learning centers, redesigned classroom environments, and evidence-based assessment. This learning through creating, via activities such as robotics projects, AI-driven art, and simulations, can effectively connect theoretical knowledge with practical application, facilitating engagement and metacognition in the age of AI.

Dr. Yang says: “As shared vocabulary, SCALE enables educators and researchers to collaborate across disciplines to design authentic learning curricula, advocate for policy changes that prioritize creative, tech-embedded learning, and contribute to a global dialogue on preparing learners for the AI-assisted workforce. As educators and researchers continue to refine SCALE’s applications, the taxonomy’s true value lies in its capacity to nurture resilient, creative thinkers who can shape the AI age rather than be shaped by it.”

Overall, the present framework not only delivers a shared vision for educational innovation but also acts as a practical tool for curriculum development!

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Reference

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tao.2025.100018

About ECNU TAO

TAO is an international, comprehensive, and innovative journal from East China Normal University (ECNU) that explores the "Way" of the world's science, technology, and civilization through quantum thinking and Lao Tzu's philosophy and focus on reflecting the revolutionary shifts in thinking systems, technological progress, and social innovation in the era of Al. Its current focus is on the following five disciplines or areas: philosophy, physics, chemistry, education, and AI. As an open-access, continuous-publishing journal, TAO aims to facilitate the circulation of novel knowledge and the communication of top researchers from around the globe.

Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/tao

About Weipeng Yang from The Education University of Hong Kong

Dr. Weipeng Yang is an Associate Professor and a recipient of the President's Outstanding Performance in Research Award at The Education University of Hong Kong. He is the Principal Investigator of the Early Childhood Learning Sciences (ECLS) Lab and an Associate Director of the AI, Brain and Child Research Centre (ABC-RC). As one of the world's top 2% most-cited scientists (Career-long and Single-year Impact ranked by Stanford University and Elsevier) and the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Research in Childhood Education, his research on digital technologies and young children's computational thinking has been funded by Hong Kong's Research Grants Council and has shaped early learning experiences in the 21st century.

Funding information

This research was funded by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council General Research Fund (RGC/GRF) (Ref. No. 18604423).