In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the journey towards embracing digital technologies has been nothing short of transformative, marked by significant milestones that have reshaped teaching and learning practices. As we progress into the digital age, transitioning from the teaching of ICT to Computing and further into Digital Literacy, it becomes imperative to equip students with future-ready skills. Yet, the rapid advancement of technology, particularly with the emergence of AI, poses a significant challenge to the educational system, demanding yet another more complex and advanced breed of technological literacy essential for students to succeed in the years ahead.
To make sense of these rapid changes and chart a practical yet pragmatic course forward, it is imperative to reflect on past developments of technology, consider the current digital skills landscape, and look into the future to anticipate the emerging AI skills required to cater to the needs of tomorrow’s learners.
ICT and Computing
The digital journey in education began in the late 20th century with the introduction of basic, discrete ICT lessons, designed to equip students with fundamental digital skills. Schools integrated computer labs, multimedia software, and online resources to augment traditional teaching methods, ensuring students acquired the necessary information technology skills vital in an evolving landscape. Basic skills such as word processing, spreadsheet applications for data input and analysis, email communication etiquette, and internet safety formed the core of these lessons, often delivered by ICT-skilled teachers to meet the demands of the school curriculum and evolving skills required by industry.
However, as the digital era progressed, so did the educational response. The introduction of the Computing curriculum in 2010 marked a pivotal shift towards a more comprehensive approach to becoming IT literate. Led by specialist Computing educators, the curriculum placed increased emphasis on programming and coding principles, aligning with the rapidly growing industry of mobile technology. Embracing a project-based learning approach, students were encouraged to delve into problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity, fostering a deeper understanding of computational concepts and preparing them for real-world applications of computing skills sought after in the contemporary workplace.
Developing Digital Literacy
As the development of technology continued to accelerate at pace, the emergence of mobile technologies brought about a seismic shift, exemplified by the eruption of over 100,000+ apps catering to diverse needs. The proliferation of mobile technology quickly found its way into many classrooms across the world, and educators recognised its potential to enhance their current teaching and learning practices across the curriculum. Consequently, educators embarked on a journey of quickly up-skilling themselves in leveraging this technology, integrating educational apps into their pedagogical practices to enrich and liven learning experiences for students. This technological evolution unleased a new focus in digital education, transcending beyond mere programming and coding.
A new type of digital literacy began to emerge, with a focus on preparing students with the necessary skills they need to thrive in an ever-changing technological landscape. With a concerted effort towards fostering a comprehensive approach to learning, education placed a significant emphasis on emerging digital literacy skills, encompassing diverse domains. Students were introduced to the intricacies of programming languages, honing their skills to develop complex applications. They explored the key concepts of networking infrastructure, gaining insights into the processes that underpin connectivity and learned how to leverage data to tackle complex challenges, acquiring problem-solving abilities to real-world problems.
| Early Years | Primary Years | Senior Years |
|---|---|---|
|
Pre-Coding |
Computational Thinking |
Programming |
|
Developing Awareness |
Cyber Awareness and Wellbeing |
Cyber Security and Wellbeing |
|
Using Technology |
Computer Networks |
Data Analysis |
|
Developing Digital Innovation |
Multimedia |
Innovation |
Gone were the days when proficiency in basic ICT and rote programming sufficed. The evolving digital landscape introduced a plethora of new job roles ranging from, App Designers to Cyberhackers, Blockchain Developers to AR and VR specialists, into Robotics and Biotechnology, to reflect the growth and progressiveness of the digital era.
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The latest and most trending chapter of digital education is marked by the arrival of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the wider community in late 2022. Although adaptive AI itself is not a novel concept and has existed since the 1950s, the introduction of Generative AI Large Language Models (LLMs) has precipitated a paradigm shift in education. Educators find themselves navigating unchartered territory once again, where digital education is being disrupted and challenged.
Given the unprecedented scale of change and the capacity to keep pace with the rapidly changing digital landscape, there is a compelling need once again to develop an integrated curriculum that fosters AI literacy among our students. We know that integration of Artificial Intelligence applications into education holds immense promise, offering opportunities to personalise learning experiences, automate administrative tasks, reduce teacher workload and unlock new means for creativity and innovation. However, it also presents unique challenges, including the need to foster and develop AI literacy in students within K-12 education.
AI insights from prominent figures in the field advocate the following:
- Dr. Marina Umaschi Bers, Professor and Chair of the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development at Tufts University, highlights the need for educational curricula to incorporate computational thinking and coding skills from an early age. The development of AI requires complex machine thinking and deep learning skills. By introducing students to AI concepts and technologies from an early age, schools can nurture a generation of digitally fluent individuals capable of leveraging AI for innovation and problem-solving.
- Dr. Tony Bates, Distinguished Visiting Professor at Ryerson University, emphasises the importance of fostering critical thinking and ethical reasoning in AI education. Curricular frameworks should encompass interdisciplinary perspectives, exploring the societal implications of AI, including conscious bias, privacy concerns, ethical considerations and algorithmic accountability that human intelligence can differentiate from machine intelligence.
- Furthermore, Dr. Mitchel Resnick, Professor of Learning Research at the MIT Media Lab, advocates for a constructionist approach to AI education, wherein students will need to actively engage in hands-on practical projects to develop AI applications. By creating opportunities for experiential learning, schools can begin to empower students to become creators rather than passive consumers of AI technology.
- The Impact.AI literacy framework developed by the MIT Media Lab covers the AI concepts, practices, and perspectives that align with a techno-social change agent identity. This framework can inform the development of AI curricula that empower students to become conscious consumers, ethical engineers, and informed advocates of AI.
- Lastly, Professor Yam Yeung from The Chinese University of Hong Kong advocates that Students should learn the basic concepts of AI, computer vision, computer speech and language, robotic reasoning, and AI ethical issues. Through awareness, knowledge and application, students will come to understand the role of AI and it resulting social impact it will have in the wider community.
The digital future of education represents a dynamic and ever-evolving journey. From the inception of basic ICT literacy programs to the introduction of the computing curriculum, onwards to an advanced Digital Literacy framework and now to the emergence of AI-driven education, educators have continuously adapted to meet the demands of advancing technology within their teaching and learning practices. As we look into the future, it becomes paramount that we persist in evolving our approach to education, ensuring students are equipped with the requisite skills, knowledge, and attributes to excel in an increasingly digital and AI-driven world.
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References :
- Bers, M. U. (2018). Coding as a Playground: Programming and Computational Thinking in the Early Childhood Classroom. *Routledge*.
- Bates, T. (2021). Teaching in a Digital Age: Guidelines for Designing Teaching and Learning. *Tony Bates Associates Ltd*.
- Resnick, M. (2017). Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating Creativity through Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play. *MIT Press*.
- https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/impact-ai-k-12/overview/
- https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3224954/hong-kong-rolls-out-first-ai-curriculum-junior-secondary-students-including-chatgpt-lives-definitely
