This collaboration with UPOU and the introduction of FASTLearn are pivotal in our journey towards a future where education is more dynamic, accessible, and aligned with the needs of modern learners. I am enthusiastic about the prospects this partnership holds and am committed to continuing this exciting journey of educational innovation.
The Gatekeepers’ Gambit: Strategizing AI Safety
When pondering the future of artificial intelligence (AI), one might be tempted to invoke the imagery of Skynet from the Terminator films, a cautionary tale of technology spiraling out of human control. While our current technological landscape hardly mirrors the cataclysmic events of those movies, the analogy serves a functional purpose, illustrating the imperative need for robust safety protocols as AI continues to integrate deeply into the fabric of society. The saga of California’s Senate Bill 1047 (SB 1047) underscores this need with stark clarity, capturing a moment in legislative and technological evolution where fiction increasingly informs reality.
Orion’s Gaze: Meta and Snap Peering into New Reality of AR
As Meta unveils its Orion smart glasses and Snap releases its latest Spectacles, the augmented reality landscape is poised for a transformative leap. These developments not only advance the technical frontiers with innovations such as silicon carbide lenses and sophisticated waveguide technologies but also challenge us to rethink the integration of augmented reality in daily life. My work with Reality Labo intersects these advancements, offering critical insights into how AR can enhance educational and spatial acuity while navigating the ethical terrain of biometric data collection and privacy concerns in this rapidly evolving ‘phone on the face’ era.
The article explores the latest AR developments from Meta and Snap, discussing how their innovations might impact the future of wearable technology. It also highlights how my own initative, Reality Labo’s projects integrate these advancements to redefine educational experiences. Get ready to ‘see’ the future through a new lens as we examine the potential of augmented reality in reshaping our world and our classrooms.
Virtual Reality, Actual Policies: Navigating the Metaverse of Educational Legislation
Buckle up, education enthusiasts! We’re diving headfirst into the wild world where virtual reality meets school policy. From the early days of floppy disks to today’s AI-powered classrooms, we’ve come a long way, baby. But as we hurtle towards a future where students might be solving math problems in the metaverse, our policymakers are scrambling to keep up. Are we on the brink of an educational utopia, or are we unknowingly coding ourselves into a corner? Join me, Eric Hawkinson, your friendly neighborhood Learning Futurist, as we unpack the promises and perils of governing the digital classroom. It’s time to get schooled on the future!
Transforming Education: A Deep Dive into Immersive Innovations in Tourism Training
Join us for a compelling workshop with Professor Eric from Koto University of Modern Language Foreign Studies, held at Kaplan Singapore. In this exclusive event, Professor Eric shares his insights and experiences from his 20-year tenure in Japan, focusing on the integration of technology in education. Dive into a discussion on the innovative use of immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) that are reshaping learning environments.
Ctrl+Alt+Forget: Balancing AI-Augmented Memory and Cognitive Flexibility in Future Learning
Eric Hawkinson’s article “Ctrl+Alt+Forget: Balancing AI-Augmented Memory and Cognitive Flexibility in Future Learning” explores the burgeoning role of AI in enhancing human memory, particularly in educational contexts. He highlights the paradox of AI-augmented memory: while it enables us to remember vast amounts of information effortlessly, it also necessitates the ability to forget to maintain cognitive flexibility. Hawkinson emphasizes the importance of balancing enhanced memory capabilities with the natural human process of forgetting to foster adaptability and personal growth. He advocates for mindful integration of these technologies, promoting creativity, critical thinking, and ethical considerations in the evolving landscape of education.
Developers on AVP: The Reality Behind the Hype
Developers are increasingly seeking ways to establish direct relationships with their customers, pulling users out of tightly controlled app ecosystems. In contrast, Apple aims to maintain its position as the intermediary, a strategy that supports its business model but often hampers developers’ ability to innovate freely and maximize their revenue. While it is Apple’s right and fiduciary responsibility to protect its business interests, I contend that the balance is starting to show signs of wear within the developer community, particularly from my perspective as an educational technology developer. This tension could ultimately stifle creativity and hinder the progress of educational advancements if developers like myself find ourselves overly constrained by Apple’s ecosystem.
World Immersive Learning Labs 2024 Report (Part 1)
The World Immersive Learning Labs Symposium 2024 brought together leading figures in immersive technology, each offering unique perspectives on integrating advanced digital tools in education and other professional fields. Held in Tokyo, Japan, from March 25-27, this symposium served as a vital convergence point for discussing the innovative applications and ethical implications of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) across various disciplines.
Navigating Big Tech’s AI Casino: Is the House Always Winning?
Navigating Big Tech’s AI Casino: Is the House Always Winning?
Picture stepping into a Las Vegas casino: you’re ushered in with ease, but finding your way out is another story. The absence of clocks ensures you lose track of time, and every amenity is designed to keep you playing. This is precisely how I see AI being woven into our digital lives by tech giants like Google and Microsoft. Like the casino’s one-way escalator, these companies use AI to tighten their grip, often shaking up built-up agreements with content creators, journalists, small businesses, and educators.
Google’s AI now directly extracts answers from web content, effectively bypassing traditional traffic and revenue models. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s latest Surface laptops feature an AI key, embedding users deeper into their ecosystem. This level of AI integration raises significant concerns about competition, innovation, and user autonomy. As I prepare to teach my upcoming coursework on GenAI, these are the pressing issues I’ll be discussing with my students. We’ll explore how these developments are reshaping the digital landscape and why it’s urgent to decouple AI from these dominant platforms.
AI Dumbs Down, Teachers Level Up: Hope for the AI-Enhanced Teaching Era
I would like to share some AI research that paints a future of teaching and learning with AI, which leans more towards the hopeful explorations of Star Trek than the grim battlegrounds of Ender’s Game. Imagine this: AI starts eating its own homework, and instead of conjuring up a digital wonderland, it ends up turning…