On the afternoon of November 11, 2019, Prof. Marlene Scardamalia of the University of Toronto, Canada, and Professor Carol Chan of the University of Hong Kong visited the Advanced Innovation Center for Future Education (AICFE) and met with Professor Shengquan Yu, Executive Director of the Center. Two sides expect to conduct research and practice in the field of knowledge building in China. The development of technology tools were discussed. Researchers and engineers of Learning Science Laboratory and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory participated in the discussion.

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Professor Marlene Scardamalia is the proponent of knowledge building theory. It emphasizes the development of 'episodemic agency' and 'idea'. After nearly 30 years of development, the Knowledge Building International has successfully carried out practice in education systems in nearly 20 countries. It has significant effects on the mastery level of students' subject knowledge and the cultivation of various skills in the 21st century. Professor Scar­damalia is also the co-founder and director of the Institute for Knowledge Innovation and Technology at the University of Toronto. Professor Carol Chan is Professor and Research Leader at the Faculty of Education at the University of Hong Kong. Her main focuses are knowledge building, learning science, computer-supported collaborative learning, and conceptual transformation.

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Professor Yu welcomed two professors warmly. The two sides reviewed the development of three universities in recent years and research conducted in the field of knowledge building. Both sides have long-term and in-depth cooperation with Carnegie Mellon University and the State University of New York at Albany. Thanks to the Knowledge Building Institute held at Beijing Normal University in March 2019, both sides would like to develop online teaching and learning tools based on knowledge building theory and learning cell theory, and prepared for this for several months.

Prof. Marlene Scardamalia and Professor Carol Chan recognized social and evolutionary features of resources in Professor Yu's learning cell theory. Prof. Yu hoped that some elements of learning cell would be included into the Knowledge Forum online teaching and learning tool. The two sides explored the possibility of practice and application of knowledge building related technology tools in China. Professor Yu hoped that the two sides can further deepen cooperation under the cooperation framework between the University of Toronto and Beijing Normal University, and welcomed international Knowledge Building scholars, especially scholars from University of Hong Kong, Carnegie Mellon University, the State University of New York at Albany and the Ministry of Education of Singapore. Finally, two sides have determined that Prof. Scardamalia and Professor Yu would lead the team, having regular online meetings and occasional visits, hoping to jointly promote the output of research in this field.

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