Reflecting on the Transformative Power of Generative AI in 2023 [podcast]

The latest episode of the Learning Futures Podcast dives into the transformative technology that has captured our attention and shaped our lives in 2023 - generative AI. Hosted by an expert panel including Punya Mishra, Sean Leahy, Rachna Mathur, and Kellie Kreiser, this insightful discussion explores the impact of AI on various fields and delves into personal experiences with this groundbreaking technology.

The episode kicks off with a warm welcome to the panel of esteemed guests, who bring their diverse expertise to the table. The first topic up for debate is the evolution of AI in education. The panel highlights how AI has become a normalized tool in classrooms, revolutionizing lesson planning and potentially democratizing knowledge. The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to integrating AI into educational practices.

One fascinating aspect the panel delves into is the generational divide in AI perception. They discuss the varying levels of comfort and skepticism towards AI among different generations, highlighting a split between enthusiasts and skeptics. This divide raises important questions about the acceptance and adaptation of AI in our society.

Moving along, the conversation shifts gears to reflect on the significant advancements in generative AI throughout 2023. From AI-generated music to multimodal platforms combining text and imagery, the panel showcases the rapid progress made in this transformative technology. These advancements demonstrate the immense potential of AI to reshape various industries and enhance our daily lives.

A particularly interesting highlight from the episode is when Sean Leahy shares how AI has become an integral part of his family's routine, especially with his children. The immediate immersion and adaptation of younger generations to AI paint a picture of the future, where this technology will be deeply intertwined with our everyday existence. We are witnessing a seismic shift in how AI is perceived and utilized across different age groups.

As the episode draws to a close, the panel reflects on the speed of AI's development and its implications for the future. The educational landscape is undoubtedly one of the areas that will experience substantial changes due to AI, but its potential reaches far beyond that. The panelists leave us with a sense of curiosity and excitement about the endless possibilities that lie ahead.

If you are eager to gain insights into the intersection of AI, education, and daily life, this episode is a must-listen. The expertise of the panelists, coupled with their engaging discussions about the impact of AI and their personal experiences, make this episode captivating from beginning to end. Join the Learning Futures Podcast as they shed light on one of the most transformative technologies of our time and explore what it means for our future.

Future of being human: Will AI transform how we learn?

A Livestream Event on YouTube
In our rapidly evolving digital age, how might generative AI reshape the landscape of learning? On September 28, 2023, tune in to a live-streamed conversation on this very topic, hosted by the well-renowned Professor Andrew Maynard, as part of Arizona State University's "The Future of Being Human ... Unplugged" series.

I had the honor, along with two wonderful students, to join Professor Andrew Maynard in an engaging dialogue, seeking to understand the role of generative AI in our future classrooms, workspaces, and everyday lives.

About "The Future of Being Human … Unplugged":

Hosted by Arizona State University's Future of Being Human initiative, this series is no conventional online dialogue. Forget tedious PowerPoint presentations, prolonged opening remarks, or dense monologues. Instead, the series is geared towards creating candid, unpredictable conversations that challenge our perspectives on the nexus of advanced tech, modern science, and the evolving essence of human nature.

With the "Unplugged" theme, the discussions aim to break free from the traditional norms and delve into unconventional ideas without the constraints of disciplinary boundaries. The ultimate goal? To stimulate thought, entertain, and provide a fresh look at what being human might mean in a technologically sophisticated future.

Prepare to be inspired as we dive deep into the role of generative AI in the future of learning!

To learn more checkout all of the events from Future of Being Human: Unplugged

Unlocking Creativity with a Generative AI Workshop

Generative AI Workshop

An exploration of emergent artificial intelligence tools, Spring semester 2023.

Spring semester 2023 - the one topic that seems inescapable is artificial intelligence (AI) or more specifically the “Cambrian explosion” of generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT, StableDiffusion, Elevenlabs, and MidJourney just to name a few. This increasing awareness and need for exploring and understanding generative AI led to the development of this short introductory workshop offered in the Spring 2023. One of the core tenants of the experience is taking a hands-on approach through a Learn-it, Try-it, and Apply-it model with a short section of reflection.

Goals and Learning Outcomes

As educators work to familiarize themselves with these new and emergent tools this workshop was designed to foster a positive discourse to encourage a constructive dialogue and atmosphere regarding the integration of Generative AI in educational practices, academic research, and creative endeavors.

Learning Outcomes

1. High level understanding of fundamental technology behind popular generative AI applications

2. Discuss experiences and observations of affordances and constraints of generative AI tools

3. Evaluate potential impact on educational context, and identify areas of need for deeper understanding

Background on the Purpose and Need

As the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to evolve and grow, there has been an increasing interest in the use of Generative AI in various industries (or perhaps another way to think about this - are there any industries at the moment that is NOT looking into the disruptive potential of generative AI?). In the field of higher education, Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize the way students learn and interact with the world around them. By enabling machines to generate new and unique content, educators can create personalized learning experiences that cater to each student's individual needs. However, with this exciting potential comes a need to understand how this technology actually works, and to evaluate the affordances and constraints it has in each contextual setting. Hosting a workshop for higher education faculty on Generative AI is crucial for ensuring that educators have the skills and knowledge necessary to incorporate this technology into their teaching practices effectively.

TPACK and the Cambrian explosion of AI

Cambrian Explosion of AI

Unlocking New Possibilities for Education with Neural Network-Based Models

The 2023 SITE conference provided a great opportunity to launch a short paper into publication that had been bubbling up since late 2022. Generative AI - a topic that is never far from the top of news feeds at the moment. Specifically, this paper was intended to approach the conversation in way that aims to cool the wild speculation around the hyperbole of Generative AI in education - and remind ourselves that with all new and emergent technology innovations and disruptions comes an ecological change… and while this change may have lots of affordances and constraints that need to be examined, explored, and deeply considered… we have existing technological, pedagogical, content knowledge frameworks that can help us navigate this new era of Generative AI in education.

TPACK and the Cambrian explosion of AI
Sean Leahy, Punya Mishra

Abstract
The Cambrian explosion of artificial intelligence (AI) powered tools has raised important questions about their use in education. The TPACK framework address the knowledge and skills that educators need to effectively integrate such emergent technologies into their current and future learning environments. As technologies continue to rapidly evolve, TPACK must likewise adapt to new eco-technological changes. The recent emergence of freely available AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT have the potential to revolutionize education. In this brief paper we examine the use of AI powered tools using neural network-based models in education and how the TPACK framework can be applied to consider the implications of these technologies on teaching and learning. We also explore the opportunities for educators to create new, authentic, and deeper learning experiences in their learning environments using AI tools, while also considering the potential risks and challenges.

Futures Futures Futures - ShapingEDU GCSS23

In February I was invited to present a handful of lectures and workshops to the ShapingEDU community at the ShapingEDU Global Community Solutioneering Summit 2023. The event was split over several days, starting with a virtual component where I presented a short lecture on Becoming A Citizen Futurist.

“
What could we accomplish together that we couldn’t accomplish alone?

For this event, we chose the theme of Education As Jazz. The Smithsonian Institute eloquently summarized the importance of jazz: “Often acclaimed as America’s greatest art form, jazz has become accepted as a living expression of the nation’s history and culture, still youthful, difficult to define and impossible to contain, a music of beauty, sensitivity, and brilliance that has produced (and been produced by) an extraordinary progression of talented artists.””

— Shaping ShapingEDU GCSS23

February 16 - Virtual Component

Lecture on Becoming A Citizen Futurist: Preparing for Uncertainty (a few select slides shared below)

February 23 - In Person Conference Event

Lecture on Educating for Sustainable Futures: Scanning the Futures Horizon (select images from presentation)

February 24 - In Person Workshop

Workshop on Strategic Foresight (Becoming a Citizen Futurist). This workshop focused on using the Axes of Uncertainty as an introductory foresight tool. This session was also followed up by an extended Q&A session of “Ask a futurist” where I fielded a wide range of questions from the conference participants. (A few select slides shared below)

Futures Thinking: Exploring the adjacent possible (new book chapter)

“There has never been a time of greater promise, or greater peril ”

— Professor Klaus Schwab

How can the educational system shift to a proactive–participant model in exploring the adjacent possible ushered in through the inherent uncertainty of the Fourth Industrial Revolution? How can we look to historical patterns of disruption to gain insights into the challenges of preparing for future uncertainties? How can all of this lend itself to a more sustainable futures? Find out in the ‘exciting’ new book chapter referenced below that was published in Uncertainty: A Catalyst for Creativity, Learning and Development (edited by Beghetto and Jaeger)

We (Punya Mishra, Ben Scragg, and I) invite you to read along through our recently published book chapter and join the conversation around this growing field of inquiry in educational futures and futures thinking.

[APA Citation]

Leahy, S.M., Scragg, B., Mishra, P. (2022). Creatively Confronting the Adjacent Possible: Educational Leadership and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In: Beghetto, R.A., Jaeger, G.J. (eds) Uncertainty: A Catalyst for Creativity, Learning and Development . Creativity Theory and Action in Education, vol 6. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98729-9_17

Abstract

In this chapter we explore the unknown possibilities that lie in the shadows of disruptions and innovations known as the adjacent possible. We frame the challenges educational leaders face when trying to prepare for an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world that is propelled into the Fourth Industrial Revolution imbued with rapidly changing and unevenly distributed technological proliferation. Throughout our chapter, we offer strategic mindsets in design and futures thinking to combat the growing challenges of preparing educational systems that are rife with existing deep and complexly interwoven wicked problems for uncertainty. We propose that looking to the past, we can discover insights into meta-patterns and the ways we failed to predict the futures that emerged from previous discoveries and innovations. Using this frame, we discuss the potential of combining the interconnected mindsets of futures thinking and design, not to predict the future, but to prepare our educational systems for the uncertainty of the future.

Learning Futures Season 4 - Futures Thinking

The 4th season of the Learning Futures Podcast is now out and the first episode has dropped. In addition to being the founder and executive producer for this podcast, this season my colleague Clarin Collins and I take over the hosting responsibilities as well. In our first episode for Season 4 we are joined by Ruth Wylie, Danah Henriksen, and Maricel Lawrence to chat about all things Futures Thinking. We hope you enjoy the episode!

If you like what you’re hearing, please do subscribe to the Learning Futures Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts…

Designing Learning Futures: Navigating Toward the Next Normal

On March 17, 2021 I had the pleasure to co-present the closing keynote for the OLC Innovate K-12 Summit with my trusted colleague Ben Scragg. In this presentation we explore the challenges of creating a new “normal” as it relates to educational futures - and explore a set of strategic foresight tools and methodology that can assist leaders in creating an intentional “next normal” for their organization.

Below is the extended abstract from the event website.

Extended Abstract:

We are certainly living through a volatile, complex, uncertain, and ambiguous (VUCA) world at the present moment, and its impacts have been felt perhaps more deeply and tangibly in K12 education than anywhere else - both at global level and within our local schools and communities. Given the rapid disruption and changes brought on by COVID-19, we know that there will be no returning “back to normal.” While schools, educators, students and families have all navigated the past year in different ways and with different degrees of hardship, challenge, and even success - we still look forward to establishing a future sense of normalcy, however the new normal takes shape.

In this session, we want to explore some of the ways in which educators and leaders can begin to design and give shape to this new normal, despite all the uncertainty of now. Given all that educators and communities are facing, it’s worth exploring how we might re-imagine our teaching and learning environments - particularly online and digital learning environments - by addressing and harnessing the plausible outcomes and impacts of our collective uncertainty.

We will invite participants to learn about and experiment with emergent design and strategic foresight tools that can reveal risks and opportunities, helping us prioritize the work needed to build the next normal. The goal of this session is not to predict what will happen in the future, but to stretch the imagination (and ourselves!) to think about what we would like to have happen, using a framework and tools for how it might happen. The maxim “we cannot predict the future, but we can invent it “ is often cited as a call to design and use strategic forecasting tools and methodologies. Join us as we create a studio space to explore a set of tools and reflective prompts that we’re describing as Learning Futures.

An Invited Talk: Futures Thinking & Strategic Foresight

It was a lot of fun to join the panel of invited speakers on July 14, 2020 for the first Learning Futures Leadership Studio, hosted by Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College and Arizona State University.

Learning Futures Leadership Studio Speakers

Learning Futures Leadership Studios
For full program details and information.

“The events of the past few months have demonstrated that we live in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. Whether the global shutdown of schooling due to COVID-19 and the sudden move to remote learning, or the more recent protests against systemic, recurring inequities in our society, it is clear that we as educators need to do a better job.

This summer, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College hosts Learning Futures Leadership Studio, a series of four online action-oriented studio sessions that are designed to engage teams of education leaders in creating pathways for leading systems in a time of change.

You will be immersed in provocative questions and ideas through interactive studio experiences. With your colleagues and others, you will reflect on these ideas and experiences. And you will develop action steps to pursue in your own context.

This is a BYOC (Bring Your Own Challenges) experience intended to allow you, in a team, to explore new angles and perspectives on the issues that you face today and expect to face in the future.
”

— https://learningfutures.education.asu.edu/

As the first studio to kick off the event, I focused on a topic that is not only contemporary, but one that I feel is critical to the collective needs of our society, Futures Thinking and Strategic Foresight.

Official tagline of my studio:

It is clear today that there will be no return to “normal” or to a pre-COVID-19 world. As a result, leaders must be prepared to forge ahead – with courage and efficacy – in a policy and bureaucratic context where there may or may not be clear guidance or feasible policy mandates. In this context, leaders cannot simply wait for guidance; rather, they must design and lead for the futures of learning.

In this session, we will introduce leaders to practical and creative tools of scenario planning and strategic foresight for leaders to explore new ways to think about strategically planning for uncertainty. Participants will learn how to forecast future trends and develop strategic plans to identify possible, plausible, and preferable futures.
(https://learningfutures.education.asu.edu)

In other words, the main objective of this studio is to demonstrate the need for organizational leaders (especially those in the educational system), to actively engage in futures thinking and strategic foresight. To create an organizational culture that allows for this type of thinking, planning, and strategy. I covered a handful of foresight methodological tools developed and open sourced (via Creative Commons) by the Future Today Institute.

The aim of this talk was to start an ember of futures thinking in educational systems leadership, with the hope that this will be the first of many subsequent explorations into the realm of strategic foresight.

Invited Lecture: Principled Use of Technology in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

On February 22, 2020 I delivered an invited presentation on the “Principled Use of Technology in the Fourth Industrial Revolution” as part of the Principled Innovation: Leadership for today, tomorrow and the future conference held at Arizona State University.

The main objective of this particular talk was to provide a general ‘provocation’ or ‘call to action’ for educational systems leadership to take note of the emerging Fourth Industrial Revolution, and to understand the implications of the potential systems-disrupting innovations and convergence of physical, digital, and biological technologies.

This talk also presented the audience with a cursory exploration of the need for organizational leadership to engage in strategic foresight and futures thinking.

To help illustrate the complexities of future uncertainty I also explored the Black Swan Theory and model used to demonstrate the potential peril or promise from new or converged technological advancements in society.

Overall it was a fun and engaging presentation with a lively group of participants that drove an enriching conversation throughout the session.