A conversation with my DTCE colleagues Amanda Banks Gatenby and Drew Whitworth about what generative AI means for the future of education:
There are many things I enjoyed about this conversation but two points made by Mandy and Drew stood out in particular:
- The opportunities for dialogue with students opened up by a mutual encounter with new technology. Rather than seeing it in terms of acquiring expertise which we then impart to students, it is an opportunity to explore together in a mutually enriching way.
- The possibility that AI can automate some routine work which frees up staff to focus on more creative forms of engagement, particularly with students.
It struck me how the two points could support each other. How can we use this free time to explore these dialogical opportunities? How do we fight against the inevitable tendency of organisations to treat automation in terms of efficiency savings, enabling less staff to do more of their existing activities?
Mark Carrigan 
2 responses to “Podcast: how generative AI is going to transform education (for better or worse)”
Thanks for sharing this conversation. My personal belief is mainly centred on your second question which hits to the heart of the matter. Before AI, say, with the introduction of edtech tools or even virtual conferencing/teaching tools, this was a standard response. That is, it will allow people to focus on more value-add, creative work freeing up time from administrative tasks. However, how much of this has actually happened? Have we seen an increase or output of new ideas, projects, papers, etc? How has this helped or given back to educators, employees, schools, universities or communities they serve? I’d hope that they have in some way. However there’s also a part of me skeptical that the ultimate decision for use of AI would be with the human outcome in mind. It’ll be about profit and the bottom line ultimately.
Agree but I think it’s important to keep stressing how that’s the socio-economic organisation of education rather than the technology itself.