Managing Director at The Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT); Helping clients unlearn, relearn, and redesign business models in Asia
I read a lot of commentary on technology in education: The potential & pitfalls of AI; The banning of devices. But are students learning how to think critically about technology in society? It is arguably the most important subject kids need to learn as they become active members of society. Lest we collectively remain blind to the social costs of existing digital tech applications: consumption, distraction, polarisation, etc Continuing to allow market forces to set the agenda, even against public interest . Bold new approaches are needed for preparing students for a technology-enabled future. This is what we are now working on in Hong Kong, for K-12 students, in preparation for our annual experiential leadership programme. In 2022 the HKSAR Government released the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology (I&T) Development Blueprint with the vision to establish Hong Kong as an international I&T hub. https://lnkd.in/gW23f_jE A key objective is to cultivate the local talent needed to realise the ambition – in addition to attracting talents from around the world. But how to best prepare these future tech talents - and professionals in all fields? To leverage China’s industry strengths and Hong Kong’s access to capital and international super-connector status. It requires expansive international mindsets. The future workforce, to say nothing of future tech leadership, must be able to think critically, not simply follow trends from Silicon Valley. If we believe technology is a problem-solving tool, what problems does Hong Kong need to solve? Who will teach the next generation? We examined this in 2021 in our report Redefining ‘Smart City’ for Resilience in the New Normal. https://lnkd.in/gGa58TxT What public goods can be enabled by technology and need to be prioritised? How to put money to work in developing the technology applications that will benefit all of society, not only tech owners? These are questions that go beyond simplistic notions of how to scale an app and monetise attention. Cultivating a broader view on technology should start early. Teachers at all levels need new training, new skills and a practical understanding of current and future technologies. It all needs funding. All of it needs to be driven by bold and visionary policy making. Share your comments below and talk to us if you want to help us as we shape this project.
Loïc Martineau
6mo
The increasing impact of technologies on our physical amd mental health is widely underestimated because we often only look at the immediate benefit, which is having less effort to do. This is a tricky advantage though: neither our brain nor our muscles benefit from less exercise ! Children born with all the digital world around are even not aware of that and this is just very dangerous for them. Great to hear that GIFT is working on that.
AI • International Education • Innovation • Worldwide Operations • Futures Studies • IB Digital Society • IB Global Politics • IB TOK • Humanities • Advisory Board Member • Contributing Writer • Guest Lecturer
6moEarly-stage research addressing generative artificial intelligence (AI), and its applications in education - suggest caution is needed when using it in educational settings to ensure students continue to develop critical skills. Appropriate safeguards and design considerations are important for maintaining long-term learning outcomes. The nascent findings do highlight the complex relationship between AI assistance and human learning, emphasizing the need for careful implementation of AI tools in educational contexts.