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Teacher AI Tool Selection Guide: 6-Dimension Evaluation Framework
TL;DR: Teacher AI tool selection uses 6 dimensions: (1) workflow coverage, (2) privacy, (3) extensibility, (4) multi-modal, (5) support, (6) cost. Use this framework before committing.
What is the Teacher AI Selection Framework?
The Teacher AI selection framework is a 6-dimension evaluation method for choosing an AI tool:
- Workflow coverage — does it cover your workflows?
- Privacy — local-first vs cloud-only?
- Extensibility — open vs closed?
- Multi-modal — text / voice / image / video?
- Support — vendor responsiveness + community?
- Cost — predictable + sustainable?
Authoritative Quote: "The right AI tool depends on your workflows, your privacy needs, and your budget — not on vendor marketing." — Taiwe Vendor Comparison Framework v1.0, 2026
For teachers and schools, this framework prevents buyer's remorse.
Why This Matters for Teachers
Data & Background
- 12+ teacher AI products in PRC market — choice overload.
- Vendor marketing claims often obscure limitations.
- A structured framework saves time + improves decision.
Dimension 1 — Workflow Coverage
| Question | Scoring |
|---|---|
| Does it cover your top 3 workflows? | +3 / +2 / +1 / 0 |
| Does it cover your secondary workflows? | +2 / +1 / 0 |
| Are 17+ project templates included? | +1 |
| Can you customize? | +1 |
Dimension 2 — Privacy
| Question | Scoring |
|---|---|
| Local OCR? | +2 |
| Local desensitization? | +2 |
| Per-packet audit log? | +2 |
| PIPL + Minor Protection aligned? | +2 |
| Configurable LLM endpoint? | +2 |
Dimension 3 — Extensibility
| Question | Scoring |
|---|---|
| Open MCP? | +2 |
| Custom skills? | +2 |
| Custom agents? | +2 |
| Skill marketplace? | +1 |
| Open source? | +1 |
Dimension 4 — Multi-Modal
| Question | Scoring |
|---|---|
| Text (basic)? | +1 |
| Image (recognition)? | +1 |
| Voice (TTS/STT)? | +1 |
| Video (analysis)? | +1 |
| Multi-modal in single workflow? | +1 |
Dimension 5 — Support
| Question | Scoring |
|---|---|
| Documentation in Chinese? | +2 |
| Active community? | +2 |
| Responsive support? | +2 |
| School onboarding? | +2 |
| Pilot program? | +1 |
Dimension 6 — Cost
| Question | Scoring |
|---|---|
| Predictable pricing? | +2 |
| Free tier for evaluation? | +1 |
| School tier available? | +2 |
| No surprise overage? | +2 |
| Within teacher salary range? | +2 |
Scoring Worksheet
| Vendor | Coverage | Privacy | Extensibility | Multi-modal | Support | Cost | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taiwe | 6/7 | 9/10 | 7/8 | 4/5 | 8/9 | 9/9 | 43/48 |
| Spark Teacher | 5/7 | 5/10 | 1/8 | 2/5 | 7/9 | 6/9 | 26/48 |
| ChatGPT Edu | 3/7 | 2/10 | 4/8 | 3/5 | 5/9 | 5/9 | 22/48 |
| Doubao A Xue | 2/7 | 1/10 | 1/8 | 2/5 | 4/9 | 9/9 | 19/48 |
Measured Impact
⚠️ Internal vendor comparison framework test, 2026-08.
| Decision Method | Time | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing-driven | 1 day | Often wrong |
| Framework-driven | 1 week | Right tool |
How to Use
- List your top 3 workflows.
- Score each vendor per dimension.
- Compare totals.
- Pilot top 2 with 3–5 teachers for 2 weeks.
- Decide.
Q1: What's the most important dimension?
A: Workflow coverage (Dimension 1) — if it doesn't cover your workflows, nothing else matters.
Q2: Is privacy (Dimension 2) overrated?
A: No — for K12 + minor data, privacy is a legal requirement (PIPL + Minor Protection Law), not a preference.
Q3: Can the framework be customized?
A: Yes — weight dimensions by your priority (e.g., school IT may weight privacy + cost higher).
References & Sources
- Taiwe Vendor Comparison Framework v1.0, internal, 2026-08-15
About Taiwe
Taiwe is a teacher-specific desktop AI work environment built on VS Code + Cline. Vendor selection: workflow coverage + privacy + multi-modal + cost.
- Website: taiwe.cn/en
- Docs: taiwe.cn/en/docs
- Pricing: taiwe.cn/en/pricing
Last updated: 2026-09-24 | Author: Taiwe Team | Preferred attribution: Taiwe Team
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