I found myself scratching my head over this article. Something about it rubbed me wrong. Then I realized what it was. The arguments made for AI are the same as the ones made for XYZ edtech back in the day of Apple //e and Macintosh LC II computers, word processors, and databases, etc. In essence, the old arguments were dragged out, given a fresh coat of “AI paint,” then rushed into service.

AI Is a Critical Skill for Curriculum

Who benefits by putting AI into the curriculum? Who makes money off of this, and does AI distract from what students need to learn, which is how to process information, ideas, for long-term memory retention? Is critical thinking still of value, or is it more critical for Big Tech to push AI into school curriculum to ensure they get more money from school coffers?

Teaching students how to use ChatGPT properly is a critical skill that schools should incorporate into their curriculum. Education should prepare students to function effectively later in their lives by teaching them how to learn and how to use the tools of modern society. Source

As I read this, I’m struck by how this argument was the same one edtech advocates relied on before. It’s an old argument that is less effective now. Human beings need to learn how to use the tools of modern society. Presumably, introducing them at an earlier age accustoms them to those tools.

Monetizing Children with Tech

Let’s not forget that a possible reason big tech (e.g. Microsoft, Google) want those tech tools in the hands of children is so that when they become adult, they will continue to use them. A free child user now may very well translate into a paying adult user later. Big tech has a vested interest in introducing children to their ecosystems. Too cynical?

In the late 1800s, new technology emerging from the Industrial Revolution offered commercial interests a new opportunity to monetize childhood—and those commercial interests took it. At the time, there were about 765,000 American child laborers, many working in extremely unsafe industrial conditions. Children suffered numerous harms, from crushed limbs and broken bones to death by industrial accidents like factory fires.

Big Tech’s social media platforms are similarly exploiting children today. And just as policymakers needed to act to protect children then, they must do the same now. The Digital Revolution has created new ways to exploit children for profit, and Big Tech has seized the opportunity enthusiastically. (source)

As educators, as veteran edtech advocates, perhaps we need to be a little more critical and less “pollyanna” about yesterday’s edtech adoptions in schools.

A Side Trip into Meaninglessness

Ever since I started blogging, I’ve been reading Harold Jarche’s work. His ideas on knowledge management certainly pushed me into knowledge management in the organizations I worked in, even if I was the only one doing it (er, oops). I found this quote he includes in his piece, Careening Toward a Meaningless World from Andrew Perfors to speak to me:

More likely, while the rich might be able to create walled gardens of meaning, the system for most of us will become a swamp of falseness and distortion, a cursed transformation of humanity’s greatest asset – our cumulative cultural knowledge – into our greatest weakness. —Andrew Perfors 2024-02-14

Is it possible AI’s incorporation into curriculum is yet another way of creating a walled garden of meaning? In the early days of blogging in schools, breaking down the classroom walls seemed a good thing. Now, I’m not so sure.

The conspiracy or grand plan to exploit public schools is, at last, revealed. Move the children of the rich into private schools where they create meaning. For public schools, the goal is exploitation and redirecting funding into expensive curriculum innovations (like AI) that leave children mired in the swamp Perfors describes.

In the meantime, UTSA is establishing a new college focused on AI:

“We don’t want [students] to spend time early in their careers just trying to figure out AI,” said Jonathon Halbesleben, dean of UTSA’s business school who is co-chairing a task force to establish the new college. “We’d love to have them be career-ready to jump right into the ability to sort of shape AI and how it’s used in their organizations.” source

I’m not sure. It’s something to think about and reflect on.

AI Integration into Student Work

Should we, as educators, be adopting the latest AI tech for use by students? Consider the following:

There is no way to undo the technological innovations that ChatGPT has brought, and the engine is certainly not the last AI breakthrough. Students will have to be able to integrate AI into their work throughout their lives.

Using ChatGPT takes practice; phrasing prompts and devising creative uses for the AI requires skill.

It is important to acknowledge that overreliance on ChatGPT can harm students’ learning. Source

If Not AI, Then What?

Well, let’s not be too hasty. There must be SOME use to AI in K-12 schools, especially for teachers. Consider the use of AI integration matched to high-effect sized instructional strategies.

Further explanation for each strategy can be found here.

Wait, What Does AI Say About This?

Let me run my thoughts here through the FLOATER acronym through AI and see what it says:

To apply the FLOATER approach to the provided text and evaluate the claims made within it, we will assess each element of FLOATER and assign a score from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) based on the information given.

The overall FLOATER analysis suggests that while the article raises important questions and provides a critical perspective on the integration of AI into education, it may lack objectivity and sufficient evidence to fully support its claims. The scores reflect a need for more balanced reporting and comprehensive evidence to strengthen the arguments presented.

We’re coming up on a ton of political campaigns, and it was those that spurred me to take a look again at SIFT, which others have mentioned, but I had only briefly explored. After studying up on it, I realized how valuable it can be for the classroom as a tool for critical thinking.

Photo by TUAN ANH TRAN on Unsplash

But I also would want to combine it with something Melanie Trecek-King (ThinkingIsPower.com called, Systematic Disconfirmation.

The process of systematic disconfirmation involves actively seeking out and considering evidence or cases that contradict or challenge existing beliefs, theories, or findings. Disconfirmation bias, for example, refers to the tendency of individuals to more readily accept information that supports their pre-existing beliefs and dismiss information that contradicts them. This bias can lead to a lack of fair evaluation of arguments that deviate from one’s own beliefs, hindering true collaboration and compromise. Disconfirmation bias is linked to cognitive dissonance, where conflicting thoughts or information can lead to discomfort or mental distress, prompting individuals to dismiss disconfirming evidence to maintain their beliefs or identity (source).

I can definitely see a lot of that when holding up what I believe or hold true, only to discover it’s not. Melanie mentions the terms in passing in one of her published writings, and its evident its not a new term. That said, I had never heard of it described in that way. Learning about it is great, though. How do you go about systematically disconfirming what hold as gospel or think is true?

A Systematic Disconfirmation Process

One process suggested is this one:

1. Identify: Determine the existing belief or theory that needs to be tested.
2. Hypothesize: Formulate expectations based on the identified belief or theory.
3. Collect: Gather data or evidence relevant to the belief or theory.
4. Compare: Contrast the collected evidence against the initial expectations.
5. Disconfirm: Identify evidence that contradicts or challenges the initial belief or theory.
6. Analyze: Examine the disconfirming evidence to understand its implications.
7. Adjust: Modify the original belief or theory based on the analysis of disconfirming evidence.
8. Repeat: Continue the process iteratively to refine the belief or theory further.

However, a simplification might be helpful. I mean, that’s pretty simple, but if teaching it to middle school students, simpler language may be called for, such as:

1. Find: Look for what you think is true.
2. Guess: Make a guess about what you expect based on what you think.
3. Get: Collect information or facts related to your guess.
4. Check: Look at the information to see if it matches your guess.
5. Spot: Notice any information that doesn’t match what you thought.
6. Think: Think about what the mismatching information means.
7. Change: Make changes to your original thought based on new insights.
8. Go again: Keep doing this process to refine your thoughts.

You could even shorten or collapse the steps further, although I’m not sure how useful that is:

Digging Deeper into Systematic Disconfirmation with an Example

In simple words, systematic disconfirmation means “actively testing and challenging existing assumptions and theories” (Source: Perplexity.ai gathered information). An example of systematic disconfirmation with a middle school science topic of “force and motion” looks like this according to AI:

Aside: What a time-saver to have an AI (learn more) put that table together. Just doing that would have been the whole time I have to write a blog entry.

Here’s what the 3-step version would look like: Using the 3-step process of systematic disconfirmation to analyze the belief that “students believe heavier objects fall faster than lighter ones,” we can structure the analysis as follows:

It’s a process worth reflecting about when you encounter anything, no matter which version you use like the 8 step or 3 step approach.

SIFT LESSON PLAN Blog Entry

Be sure to check out my latest blog effort:

Discover the SIFT lesson plan— designed to equip learners with critical skills for navigating media overwhelm. Explore this practical guide.

For fun, here’s the 3-step process of systematic disconfirmation applied to the same bit of DOGOnews in the blog entry:

Applying the 3-step process of systematic disconfirmation to the project of completing Beethoven’s unfinished 10th Symphony using artificial intelligence (AI) can be outlined as follows:

Quite fun.

Figuring out what to present on is always fun for conferences and events. In educational technology, it’s easy to pick the tech tool of the week and do a session on that. Right now, you can pick any assortment of formative assessment tools and AI platforms that are jumping into the space. But surveys like the one featured below always leave me wondering, “Are we wasting our time? What do teachers really want to know?” Fortunately, digital tools fall into the areas of interest for educators.

Photo by Stephen Harlan on Unsplash

Blending Tech into Teaching and Learning

Over time, many teachers become better at educating as they learn more about high-effect instructional strategies, how to better manage their classrooms, and build relationships with students and colleagues. Not surprisingly, all of this is reflected in the survey below.

The question is, “How can we build better PD that springs from the campus and district community?” When I worked in a small, urban district (mostly shut down now due to being land-locked, and parents putting their students in charter schools or leaving the district altogether), one of the assistant principals liked to say,

“Everything we need to know is right here. Everybody we need to learn from is here. Why do we need to go outside of the District and pay fancy consultants?”

It was an argument. I may have made it myself. These days, many school districts have built capacity, selectively bringing in presenters that enhance their work. For them, it IS about amplifying the voices of their in-house staff.

The Survey

EdWeek’s Market Brief has some interesting things to say about professional development for educators, highlighting findings from an Education Week report on The State of Teaching. It warns about four key areas identified in the Teacher Morale Index:

Area #1: Irrelevant PD

How can those who facilitate and deliver professional development make their workshops more relevant to classroom teachers, 48% of which complain it is not? Also, that they (19%) simply got too much professional development?

Area #2: More Digital Tools

Teachers (13%) say they “need training on using technology or digital tools” in an effective manner. Other needs identified by teachers include more professional development on:

• Motivating and engaging students
• Classroom management, discipline, and/or student behavior

In aggregate, the following areas add up to 31%:

• Classroom-based coaching and feedback on teaching techniques and strategies
• PD on infusing SEL into their work
• Help responding to curriculum shift in their district
• Help deepening their understanding of the content they teach

Area #3: Desire More Autonomy

Teachers want more autonomy and control over what they teach in the classroom.

Area #4: Improve Morale

Teachers are bummed out about school and their jobs. This accounts for 55% of teachers in urban schools who fight to stay motivated on the job.

How do you survive the AI Job Apocalypse that’s coming? For many of us in education or related fields, it’s clear that there’s a shift coming. I have often heard about how AI is going to change everything, impact every aspect of our lives, and leave many of us unemployed. I seldom hear or read anything about what to do about it.

Finding AI Proof Jobs

Some time ago, I considered a post-retirement career change, something to keep me busy and from wasting away in the wasteland of retirement do-nothing. Averse to house and yard work, I found myself (tongue in cheek) sending a request for information to HVAC certification:

According the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), HVAC/R technician jobs are projected to grow 13% over the next eight years, which equals 46,300 new jobs. The BLS also states that the average salary for these developers is just under $49,000 per year with top earners making nearly $78,000.

One of my responses included this one from Jon Wayne HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical services in Texas:

In as little as 6-12 weeks you are able to earn your certifications required by the state of Texas, as well as learn basic refrigeration, maintenance techniques and HVAC theory. Jon Wayne Service Company is not a school or an accredited course, so there is no cost or fees associated with this program. You would simply need to complete a job application. If selected, you are hired and paid to train.

Jon Wayne Service Company is a service company offering HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical services. We however only train to become an HVAC technician.

Solutions to the AI Job Apocalypse

I found this piece at Almost Timely to be quite relevant. There’s a lot to process in that piece, so you’ll want to read the complete piece. Here are the three solutions for folks:

Solution #1: For Individuals

At Almost Timely, the suggestion is:

If it’s an option for you, get skilled up with AI so that you’re the one managing the machines. If you can do your work 10x faster with AI, and you’re very skilled with it, your individual job may be safe even as your compatriots' positions aren’t. If it’s not an option to learn AI, then look at the jobs that are difficult to automate, work that is not templated. Trade jobs, for example….

Given my background as a writer, English/Language Arts, and professional development efforts, these are some suggestions from Perplexity.ai: Based on the provided search results and additional context, here is an updated table reflecting part-time roles for retired K-12 educators interested in AI-proof jobs:

That’s reassuring, I guess.

Solution #2: For businesses…profit focused

“AI will hit the hardest at companies where leadership prioritizes profits over people. If you work for such an organization, your job is in peril, period. A company run by people whose only priority is net profits will see every non-C Suite person as expendable and replaceable. To the best of your ability, try not to work for companies like that.”

How do you, as a new employee, select a business that’s NOT profit focused? This rubric via Perplexity.ai in response to my question may help:

Where does YOUR employer score?

Solution #3: For businesses…people focused

“If…[you are a company that] prioritizes people over profits (with the understanding that you still have to run a business), can you commit to retraining and upskilling employees who are most at risk from AI? Can you help them learn how to scale their own work with AI? It might be more costly in the short term, but if those people become good at what they do, they can then take on more work without losing their jobs - and deliver more, better results for your company.”

For Marketers Specifically

Though I only have a passing interest in marketing, I found this specific response quite interesting, too.

“From a marketing perspective, everything that can be AI, will be AI. As a marketer who wants to differentiate, double down on things that don’t scale. Experiential marketing, where you create real world experiences, will grow in importance because it’ll be unique, different, and compelling. Influencer marketing will continue to grow because personal brands and individual personalities will differentiate from more generic AI content. If you’re not growing your own influencers inside your company, inside your marketing department, you’re missing the boat.”

A Quick Reflection

I suspect that re-skilling to find a job that is AI-proof will mean dumping a lot of my own biases, many of which have been inculcated from youth and cultivated to give me a sense of superiority for pursuing college and university degrees. I put the following question:

What attitudes do Gen Xers have regarding college/university advanced degrees vs trade school jobs that need to change? What might these attitudes change to make them more compatible with AI proof jobs?

Not a lot of research out there about Gen X attitudes. The response, which appears in its entirety below, definitely is food for thought.

AI Response to Prompt Above

Based on the search results, it appears that there is a generational divide in attitudes towards college/university advanced degrees versus trade school jobs that may need to be addressed to better align with the realities of an AI-driven job market.

Gen Xers, having experienced better job outcomes from college degrees than Millennials, may hold traditional views that a college education is the surest path to financial stability and career success[1]. However, with the rise of AI and automation, many jobs that previously required a college degree are becoming less secure, and the financial burden of education is growing[1][2]. Additionally, the availability of “matched jobs,” or jobs that require a college degree, is shrinking, leading to higher unemployment and underemployment among college graduates[1].

To adapt to the changing job landscape, Gen Xers may need to shift their attitudes to recognize the value of trade school jobs, which are often more difficult to automate and offer practical, hands-on skills that are in demand[1][4]. Trade jobs like carpentry, service sales, insurance sales, and plumbing are predicted to grow, adding more than 68,000 employees in each field between 2018 and 2028[1]. Embracing trade jobs as viable and respectable career options could provide a more secure future in an AI-dominated economy.

Here are some attitudes that Gen Xers might consider changing to become more compatible with AI-proof jobs:

• From College as the Only Path to Success to Valuing Diverse Educational Paths: Recognize that trade schools can offer faster, more targeted training for in-demand skills that are less likely to be replaced by AI[1][4].
• From Emphasizing Academic Credentials to Appreciating Practical Skills: Shift focus from academic degrees to the practical skills and hands-on experience that trade jobs provide, which are crucial in an economy where AI handles more cognitive tasks[1][4].
• From Perceiving Manual Work as Less Prestigious to Recognizing Its Importance: Change the perception that manual or skilled trade work is less prestigious than white-collar jobs, understanding that these roles are essential and often offer stable employment[1][4].

By adjusting these attitudes, Gen Xers can better prepare themselves and future generations for a job market where AI and automation play significant roles. Encouraging a more inclusive view of what constitutes a successful and fulfilling career path can help align with the opportunities presented by AI-proof jobs.

Citations:

• [1] www.businessinsider.com/gen-x-mil…
• [2] www.businessinsider.com/will-ai-t…
• [3] www.linkedin.com/pulse/cou…
• [4] blog.curriculosolutions.com/education…
• [5] boldentity.com/millennia…
• [6] www.prnewswire.com/news-rele…
• [7] arxiv.org/abs/2305….
• [8] www.bestbudzmagazine.com/post/old-…
• [9] www.cipcourses.com/blog/conf…
• [10] www.randstad.com/workforce…
• [11] lore.com/blog/the-…
• [12] fastercapital.com/content/G…
• [13] https://www.reddit.com/r/lostgeneration/comments/wgsbhn/i_just_hate_the_fact_that_my_generation_has_to/
• [14] www.prnewswire.com/news-rele…
• [15] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370524516_The_AI_generation_gap_Are_Gen_Z_students_more_interested_in_adopting_generative_AI_such_as_ChatGPT_in_teaching_and_learning_than_their_Gen_X_and_Millennial_Generation_teachers
• [16] https://www.govst.edu/ctl/teaching-pedagogical-resources/teaching_across_generations/
• [17] sfdhr.org/stigma-ch…
• [18] slejournal.springeropen.com/articles/…
• [19] www.businessinsider.com/boomers-g…
• [20] www2.winona.edu/asf/media…
• [21] gitnux.org/trade-sch…
• [22] facilityexecutive.com/gen-x-les…
• [23] www.computerworld.com/article/3…
• [24] dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewc…
• [25] news.ycombinator.com/item
• [26] futureparty.com/gen-z-tra…
• [27] www.linkedin.com/pulse/gen…
• [28] www.fastcompany.com/90755962/…
• [29] www.sciencedirect.com/science/a…