He 3rd Educational Innovation Seminarorganized by tickmas in the Buenos Aires International Book Fair, brought together leading experts, who worked on the most current issues of education. One of the panels addressed the upcoming transformations, as well as the challenges and opportunities that technology, especially artificial intelligence, poses for student training and the labor market.
With the title “Education and the future of work”, they participated Sabrina SeltzerDirector of Transfer and Entrepreneurship at the Institute for the Future of Education of the Monterrey Tech, Laura HuarteBusiness Development Manager for Government and Education in Argentina and Uruguay for Inteland Mariano YacovinoDirector of Education Microsoft Argentina. The moderation was in charge of the journalist Eduardo Feinmanwho led with elegance and warmth a table that shone for all the ideas that were raised.
Some of the topics that were addressed were: the impact of technology in closing digital gaps, the implications of artificial intelligence in the articulation between education and work, the challenges to prepare students by focusing on relevant skills and competencies, the educational transformation that has already begun.
Education and the future of work
The first to speak was Laura Huarte. The Business Development Manager for Government and Education in Argentina and Uruguay for Intel highlighted the fundamental role of the company in closing digital gaps through the implementation of cutting-edge technologies. In that sense, he said, Intel is not staying only in traditional disciplines like mathematics and technological sciences, but is also venturing into emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, robotics, 3D printing and autonomous driving. In addition, he stressed the importance of that technology promotes skills such as creativity, innovation, teamwork and critical thinking. These skills are key to preparing the workforce of the future and ensuring its adaptability in the face of increasing digitization in various walks of life.
For his part, Sabrina Seltzer addressed the relationship between technology, education and the future of work, emphasizing the importance of students being prepared to face current and future challenges —even in the short term: in five or ten years—. In his own words: “It’s interesting to think How are we going to reconfigure educational institutions?, the ways of learning, where we learn and how we take advantage of these technologies”. According to Seltzer, educational systems are facing great challenges that require a change in the way they perform their tasks. In agreement with Huarte, he pointed out, for example, the need to rethink educational assessmentplacing emphasis on the skills and competencies.
Mariano Yacovino added to the spirit of the panel and highlighted the importance of awakening vocations in students so that they are interested in careers STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). He Director of Education of Microsoft Argentina He emphasized the need to work together on educational changes, involving students, teachers, governments, the private sector and non-governmental organizations. According to reports from the OInternational Labor Organizationaround 50% of the workers will require skill upgrading programs (upskilling) or retraining (reskilling). This implies that many current employees will have to adapt, improve their skills and even completely change what they have learned. Is a challenge that must be addressed collaboratively and jointly by all the actors involved.
Regarding examples of the articulation between education and work, Huarte mentioned two outstanding educational programs that exemplify the relationship between education and work. One of them is “Skills for Innovation” (skills for innovation), specially designed for teachers, who acquire tools to apply technology and foster skills in both exact sciences and social sciences. He also highlighted the existence of an artificial intelligence program aimed at students and workers. In this initiative, Intel works closely with governments, taking into account current needs and anticipating the professional profiles that will be in demand in the short, medium and long term.
In the particular case of TEC of Monterreythe director of Transfer and Entrepreneurship at the Institute for the Future of Education He shared that his area focuses on higher education and lifelong learning. From this perspective, he pointed out, there is a change in the way people go to university: “They no longer go as they used to, looking for a degree to later work, but the institutions offer continuous training with a link throughout lifetime”. This approach challenges the traditional structure of education, which is why it works in two types of links: on the one hand, alternatives such as micro-courses, bootcamps and online learning are offered, which focus on technical skills; On the other hand, collaboration is established with companies and industries to understand their present and future needs in terms of human talent and training.
Artificial intelligence goes to school
When reflecting on the future of education and work, it is essential to consider the role of artificial intelligence today, the technological advance that appears as the most revolutionary impact on our society. Eduardo Feinmann highlighted that the development of the first personal computers began just 40 years ago, a milestone that marked the beginning of a new era. If we project ourselves forward in that same period, he asked a challenging question: “How do you envision the future of artificial intelligence in the next 40 years?”
“I am going to ask artificial intelligence if it has the answer,” Yacovino joked, highlighting the speed with which technological changes occur compared to the industrial revolutions of the past. Although he did not provide detailed forecasts on future developments in the technology, he did point out that it is expected a paradigm shift in the labor market. “According to Unesco, approximately 85 million jobs could be automated, but the creation of 97 million jobs related to data science and artificial intelligence is also estimated,” he mentioned. This represents a major break, where as some tasks are replaced, new employment opportunities will emerge. “We must prepare ourselves to be immersed in this circle of lifelong learning,” she said.
Laura Huarte stated that changes have always generated resistance. When asked about fears of the destructive power of artificial intelligence, she stated categorically that they are unfounded fears. “Today we already have things that could destroy humanity and they still haven’t,” she said. In this sense, he highlighted the importance of promoting an inclusive debate that involves various actors —from civil society to industry, including the public and academic sectors— with the aim of demystify new technologies. For her, it is essential to deepen the discussion on the use and purpose of emerging technologies. Huarte pointed out that artificial intelligence is closely related to the economic growth of a country, since it has the ability to transform a large amount of data into valuable information for making the right decisions.
Sabrina Seltzer said that when she first observed the ChatGPT, an example related to the strategic plans of universities occurred to him: using this tool could perhaps be cheaper and more agile compared to hiring a consultant to carry out the analysis of strategic plans and vision of the future. But, at the same time, he stressed the importance of dedicating time to activities that cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence, such as collaboration, decision-making and the development of leadership skills. According to Seltzer, one way of take advantage of ChatGPT in the educational field would be to use it as a starting point and then invite students to express their opinions and participate in the discussion. In this lies the key, according to his perspective: ask the right questions to get answers that are truly meaningful.
“How would you avoid having a thesis done with the help of ChatGPT?” Feinmann questioned. “What a good question…”, he replied and, after a few moments of reflection, he continued: “It will depend on the type of thesis… We probably have to rethink the theses”. Feinmann insisted: “Then we will come to the conclusion that education must change.” Seltzer stated: “It is going to change and it is changing. Although sometimes educational institutions have a hard time with that transition”.
READ MORE
