In the past few months I have tried daily to keep abreast of at least some of the latest developments in artificial intelligence by subscribing to several newsletters and taking particular LinkedIn courses.
As I wrestle with how I will use artificial intelligence software constructively, I find it fascinating to reexamine some of my earlier writing.
Originally written on September 20, 2018: Improved (?) using my Grammarly app.
Liu Cixin and Ken Liu) and find it increasingly difficult to discriminate between science fiction and science fact. I am especially interested in the fictional portrayal of artificial intelligence. Last week I finished reading Joseph E. Aoun’s book Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Many of the author’s key ideas were shared by a colleague task force from the College of Arts and Sciences at the beginning of this semester. Below are two videos in the author’s own words. https://youtu.be/nu7uhjeVn4Y I found his book (and our faculty discussions) thought-provoking. Still, I reject the ideas that we must all emulate Northeastern University, cater our curriculum to what employers want, or necessarily embrace his “new learning model” of ‘humanics.’ Among the ideas in Aoun’s book and videos I find compelling are the following:
- Universities (and, I would argue, the corporate world) must teach, encourage, and provide opportunities for lifelong self-directed learning. This is a message that visionary and international thought leader Jane Hart, Director of the Centre for Modern Workplace Learning, has been preaching and teaching for the past decade.
- We need to educate people in ways that (presently!) cannot be imitated by networks of machines.
- There is a need for – and a place for technological literacy, data literacy, human literacy, critical thinking, systems thinking, entrepreneurship, and cultural agility in higher education – AND in the workplace,
- Experiential learning adds value to in-class learning experiences by encouraging going beyond acquisition and integration of skills and knowledge through application to novel, dynamic real-world situations (increasing the likelihood of ‘far transfer’).
- Universities need carefully to (re)consider ways in which alumni stay connected, develop loyalties, and define themselves as alumni.
