Looking Back and Looking Forward: The Three E’s for Facing the Future

(Looking Back and Looking Forward takes a look at the articles and posts I found interesting from the previous week, along with reflections about how the trends they point to might shape my thinking about education, technology, and culture.)

The past week brought additional waves of information and angsts related to what has become the usual hodgepodge of themes — AI (ChatGPT), headwinds for higher ed, alternative credentials, etc.

The systemic anxiety caused by real and imaginary changes assigned to generative AI reminds me of a series of workshops on computer-assisted language learning (CALL) that I gave to Oklahoma foreign language teachers in the late 90s. The primary question on every teacher’s mind seemed to be, “Will I be replaced by a computer?” My response to them was this.

If all you’re doing is presenting and reprocessing information, regardless of how sophisticated it seems to be, then yes, a computer can and will replace you.
Computer programs are better than humans at presenting information consistently. Computers are great a language practice drills. They never get tired, they’re never frustrated by wrong answers, they present information consistently, and they excel at providing positive feedback.

If, on the other hand, you’re committed to helping your student accrue wisdom and a greater understanding of the human condition through the study of language and culture, there will always be a place for you.
If your purpose is to help students grow up and grow out, then computers and any other new tool that can help you is exciting. Not only exciting but exhilarating and expansive.
And don’t we all want that? To see our students grow up and grow wise? I know I do. And any tool that can help me do that more effectively is exciting, exhilarating, and expansive. I don’t care how much I might have to change the way I currently do things.
Exciting. Exhilarating. Expansive.

I think that’s the best response to new teaching, learning, and working tools/ideas. With there be change? Yes. Disruption? Yes. But there will also be expanded creativity, new ideas, and different ways of seeing and experiencing the world. And MORE opportunities. Opportunities we haven’t yet thought of.

So, whether you’re thinking and worrying about things like this.

Or this.

The Best answer is Excitement, Exhilaration, and Expansiveness!

Have a great week, everybody!

Looking Back and Looking Forward: The Three E’s for Facing the Future

Further Reading

Higher Education

K-!2 Education

Workforce and Organizational Trends

Online Learning, Learning Design, and Education Technology

Technology, Science, and Culture