From the Other Side of the Desk
Education Generation's Weekly Newsletter
School is back here in India after a marvellous Diwali break, and teachers and parents alike have been pouring themselves double doses of coffee as we all return to term-time routines. Though the Christmas holidays are already in sight, everyone is gearing up for a productive few weeks ahead.
An exciting new initiative launched recently by Humane - an organisation that believes in “building innovative technology that feels familiar, natural, and human” - is their wearable AI pin. While you may think it has nothing to do with education, the reality is that this is the first concrete step towards a more personalised, adaptable form of education. I expanded on this further in last Saturday’s article, Beyond the Screen, and previously in my initial musings on the Box and the Mirror.
In short, what this really signifies is how AI technology has the ability to impact your child’s learning, and unleash their full potential.
There is no doubt that questions need to be answered, especially around the ethical usage of technology. As hopeful as we all were when the internet, and then social media, launched, there’s no doubt that these have gone down some darker routes, and we’re all in agreement that no one wants AI to do the same. Whether we’re concerned about privacy and data protection, or bias and discrimination issues, there are some very real challenges that need to be addressed thoroughly.
Fortunately, we are further forward in our discussions and debates on this tricky topic than we ever have been, and the progress that has already been made leaves me immensely optimistic.
Utilising AI technology in education has the potential to lessen education gaps traditionally in existence, across diverse situations for diverse reasons. When we fully harness the possibilities within this field, we will have the ability to ensure both equality and equity in terms of access to quality education on a global scale.
And ultimately, that can only be in the best interests of all of us, all around the world.
Extra Credit Reading:
Artificial Intelligence in Education: Addressing Ethical Challenges in K-12 Settings
Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research
EDUCATION GENERATION
This week, my wife is super excited about phonics.
I know, I know.
I was sceptical too, particularly as a specialist in upper years education. But with a child who is on the cusp of reading I have suddenly have realised that I don’t know enough. The many types of phonics programs, the best ways to learn with your child, the steps and stages to follow… After all, it’s been an awfully long time (don’t ask how long!) between when I first learnt how to read, and now.
And in between then and now, one forgets.
But that’s precisely the thing. When we take something for granted, like reading for example, it’s hard to appreciate the efforts of another approaching it for the first time.
The philosophy of Shoshin, as it’s known in Zen Buddhism, advocates adopting a beginner’s mind, whether towards everyday things we may have become inured to, or new ideas and concepts. It promises the ability to recultivate the joy of learning through this practice.
Imagine approaching learning - and life - having dropped expectations and preconceived notions about what should be. By looking at everything as if it’s brand new, with wonder and curiosity, we remain open to the twists and turns we never even noticed were there.
Now imagine how applying these fresh eyes and an open mind will support your child’s learning journey immeasurably, whether they are dealing with basic arithmetic or extended calculus, or anything in between. Without the pressure on the parent to always be right, without the pressure on the child to absorb unquestioningly, a true learning team can be formed.
That’s when growth and development can bloom in all those wonderfully unpredictable ways that ultimately lead to a lifelong love for learning.
And who wouldn’t want that for their child.
A little postscript: I have to confess, it is only now that I have a toddler that I am coming to truly value the incredible efforts of early childhood education teachers. So kudos to all the early childhood education teachers who are there each and every day, and setting these all-important learning foundations - like phonics, that I know nothing about!
THIS WEEK…
Listen to:
You probably know award-winning British data journalist and illustrator Mona Chalabi best for her work where she “rehumanizes data to help us understand our world and the way we live in it”, but did you know she has a great podcast too? In this episode she questions whether children should have more freedom, and how independence should be navigated. A great listen on the TED Audio Collective, this is one that can help us reflect on what early age autonomy can teach us about community, resilience, and family, and what we ourselves believe within our own contexts.
Watch this:
Writer, speaker, and musician K. Allado-McDowell has already co-written three books with Chat-GPT, and in his TED talk - Our Creative Relationship With AI Is Just The Beginning - he speaks about how “nurturing a creative relationship with these systems can open minds and make new worlds possible.” Evidence of this is in the opera, Song of the Ambassadors, he co-created with AI, also presented in this talk, but, perhaps more importantly, he outlines three principles for a harmonious world lived in conjunction with this technology.
Worth reading:
I can’t lie: the work Es Devlin does happily geeks me out as a creator in the best possible way, with Chimerica still being my favourite. Her artistry as a set designer is truly unparalleled, and there hasn’t been a single piece of her work I’ve been able to fault. A recent piece in The Guardian offers us insight into some of her recent inspirations, from books and poetry, to dance, opera, art, and more.
Know someone who might like to join our conversation about education? Fantastic! Go right ahead and forward this email to your friend, and invite them to subscribe.
As always, do feel free to reach out at any time - I’d love to hear from you.
Yours in the spirit of inquiry,
Alexander