Is Education in the Fourth or the Fifth Industrial Revolution?
A New Lens on Skills and Knowledge in Education
As co-founder of the idea the AI Teacher Course, I've always believed in the transformative power of technology in education. It's that belief that led me to co-create a course designed to help teachers harness the potential of AI in their classrooms. The aim is not just to make teaching easier, but to better prepare our students for a future where they will be working alongside AI and other advanced technologies.
So it was really interesting to read a piece about Skills and Knowledge in the 4th Industrial Revolution: A Focus on AI in Education by Micah Shippee. Micah is Director of Education Technology Consulting and Solutions at Samsung.
In his blog he points out that the Fourth Industrial Revolution brought about the convergence of digital, biological, and physical technologies. This is true.
But I think we are now into a new era...
This era will be characterised by INTELLIGENCE and the co-evolution of humans and machines, with AI playing a central role.AI holds tremendous promise for educators, offering a tool that can automate tasks, provide personalised feedback, and create immersive learning experiences. But the discussion around AI in education must always be centred on student needs.
Revisiting the 4C’s in the Fifth Industrial Revolution
The "Four Cs" - Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity and Innovation - have been guiding principles for preparing students for their future since 2004. But as we stand on the cusp of the Fifth Industrial Revolution, I think it's time to revisit these principles and rethink what our students will need for the next 20 years and beyond.
In the new era, the focus should be on skills like:
- Upskilling: The ability to adapt and acquire new skills as demands change.
- Intuitive Decision Making: The ability to retain the human touch in decision-making.
- Rational Decision Making: The ability to logically analyse AI-supported decisions
- Collaborative Innovation: The ability to work with both humans and AI to solve problems
- Societal Systems: Understanding the societal implications of AI and other new technologies.
The Role of AI in Instruction and Assessment
AI is set to revolutionise both instruction and assessment in education. It can streamline summative assessment, making it easier to evaluate student learning. But where AI really shines is in formative assessment - providing timely, personalised feedback that can foster student comprehension during the learning process.
Scaling Effective Practice in the Fifth Industrial Revolution
The Apprenticeship Model, arguably the most effective form of teaching and learning, can be enhanced by AI, allowing for individualised instruction on a larger scale. By using AI to guide students through tasks, provide feedback, and increase task complexity as the student gains proficiency, we can effectively apply the apprenticeship model to larger student audiences
Those of you that know my career know I have been instrumental in the apprenticeship process. Championing it wherever I could and even writing new curriculums for providers as new technologies and marketing practices have evolved. To even producing training workshops for such apprentice providers in AI marketing. For their own businesses and their cohorts.
The Future of AI in Education
As we stand on the brink of The Fifth Industrial Revolution, it's heartening to see innovative educators embracing AI in their classrooms. By demonstrating how to use AI effectively, discussing its pros and cons openly with their students, and modelling a resilient approach to overcoming new challenges, these educators are preparing their students for a future where AI is the norm.
Change can be daunting, but it's through embracing change that we can better prepare our students for the future. With AI and the Fifth Industrial Revolution, we have an exciting opportunity to continually question the status quo and challenge ourselves to ensure our students are ready for a successful future.
To learn more about how you can integrate AI into your teaching practice, visit www.aiteachercourse.com something I am launching with English teacher and AI enthusiast- Janine Atkin.
References for the piece:
About the Author:
Keynote speaker, professional speaker, Ted X talker, serial tech startup founder, ex marketing agency owner, digital trainer, and now author and media spokesperson Dan Sodergren’s main area of interest is the future of work, technology, data and AI
In his spare time, as well as being a dad, which comes first, Dan is a digital marketing and technology (and now AI) expert for TV shows and the BBC and countless radio shows.
Occasionally donning the cape of consumer champion on shows like BBC WatchDog, the One Show and RipOffBritain and being a marketing tech specialist for SuperShoppers and RealFakeAndUnknown and BBC Breakfast.
He is also a host and guest on podcasts and webinars speaking as a tech futurist. And a remote reporter / content creator for tech companies at tech events and shows. His main interest is in the future. Be that the future of marketing, or the future or work or how AI and technology will change the world for the better as part of the #FifthIndustrialRevolution
Find out more about him over on bit.ly/DanSodergren
And his books on https://futureofwork.gumroad.com
And his course on www.aimarketingcourse.co.uk
And his new idea: The AI Teacher Course. And The Fifth Industrial Revolution.