Think about the changes and trends that will shape the world our students will know in the years to come. Add to the Teacher Community of Practice discussion:
- One thing you found surprising
- One thing you found concerning
- One think you found exciting
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Surprising – That future thinking and innovation isn’t a greater part of teacher training and a day to day part of the classroom.
Concerning – Electronic pandemics. With technology knowing no boundaries, how will we be protected from e-threats, and how will they be contained?
Exciting – just as ‘no boundaries’ is an issue in containing threats, it is exciting from a creative point of view. Ideas can be explored to their full, in a virtual world without restriction.
I agree! The ‘electronic pandemic’ is a perfect way to put it. Protection from technology when it is constantly evolving. How can we keep up?
Future thinking is so important. Do they need all these maths strategies and recalling details when we can ask “Hey Google! What is 7×8?” which is what my nephew did during home schooling and he had the technology available. Why should we limit this? We are told education is not just learning facts and we can easily overcome it nowadays. How do we integrate thinking and innovation to change our school? This is exciting for me.
I found it surprising that the legal profession would be changed so much with many jobs to be completed by algorithms. Perhaps they will change into different areas of identity theft or drone related crime. It is concerning that we are speculating about the jobs that will be present in the future but how will we know? We may have to change subjects to allow for the teaching of creativity and intuition, making judgements and flexibility will have to be taught. The most exciting thing I feel is the break away from traditional roles and jobs and the importance of understanding and developing algorithms that can be harnessed by the creative minds of our students.
I thought the same thing. How can we be so certain of the jobs of the future? I bet our grandparents would have never predicted that a mobile app developer or a podcast producer would be a well paid job now.
I agree, its unnerving to not know how to talk about jobs of the future.
surprising = that teachers are in the ow risk category for not losing their jobs to AI. I would have thought that AI could have taken over a teachers job of directing lessons directly from the curriculum. I know teachers play a large role in a child’s life but I didn’t think they would be low risk.
Concerning = the amount of jobs that will be lost and fizzled out over the years. People have worked for decades on their careers and may have to follow a new path.
Exciting = the new jobs that will be developed in the future for children and how they will further assist in developing our world to be more technological based.
I agree that some people who have worked in the same industry for a long time may find it difficult to to change their roles. But I also think that we are becoming less focused on following one career path for our entire lives. I think that people are starting to expect to change roles more frequently than ever before. In the future this kind of flexibility and adaptability will be important to keep up with the changes in our society, because technology seems to advance more and more quickly all the time.
Great points Liz. It’s fantastic that teachers are in the low risk category. I also agree with the new development for a range of other careers. Some of our students will have careers that haven’t even been created yet.
I agree! Its very concerning for people that are in certain careers. Those that have been working for decades on that particular job/industry and have achieved high or those individuals just starting out who have put in alot of study and financial means and have a passion for their work to potentially be out of work or looking at a career change in the near future.
What an insight into the careers of the future. This clip raises a lot of questions for me around where best to direct students for the jobs of the future considering it talks about professions like Law becoming ‘AI’ central. I am excited by what jobs are potentially created as result of ‘AI’ weaving further into our society.
It has been eye-opening for me thinking of my daughter who has just started year 7 and wants to be a dance teacher. Will her creativity and intuition allow her to have a job that is ‘safe’? What career path should I direct her down knowing that she will have a career? The possibilities are endless but also exciting.
It has definitely made me think about the future when it comes down to employment. I agree how are we meant to educate our students for the future.
I found it surprising to think that the jobs of the future are fields that we have not even needed as yet such as alternative currency, virtual world entertainment and bio-identity. We would never have thought of Uber and app developers 10 years ago but here they are today! I found it concerning, the rethink of retailing and that we can walk into a store and not exchange money or even a conversation and that it is all based on sensors and computer vision. I am concerned that out social interaction and ability to relate to others will rapidly decline and we will feel lonely. I feel the aspect of 3D printing is very exciting and who knows what could be created in the industrial and pharmaceutical fields because of this advance in technology but I feel it is exciting that the possibilities could change lives.
I agree that it is concerning that the way of retail will change. These are a great job for young teenagers starting their careers and developing their people skills buy selling. What jobs will the young people (aged 14-18) have if they have minimal practical skills or experience??
I was surprised by the number of jobs that are expected to be automated within the next few years. Although I expected some jobs would be automated, I hadn’t thought it would be so many.
I was concerned about how we can help our children to plan for a future that we don’t yet understand. How can we prepare our children for the future when we don’t know what it will look like yet?
I was excited to think of all the new jobs that will be created that we haven’t even dreamed of yet. There is so much potential for amazing new paths forward for our society.
I agree Sarah, it is a bit overwhelming to know how to prepare our students and our own children for a future that is hard to understand and rapidly changing. But the potential is exciting!
Trying to help our children and prepare them for this the world of tomorrow is increasingly overwhelming. Where to start?!
Exciting-the amazing possibilities ahead as we see the rise of artificial intelligence, especially in the health industry treating sickness & disease. Students will most likely live & learn to thrive in a world where robotics and artificial intelligence are the norm
Surprising- the types of professions that I had anticipated being safe are not- I hadn’t thought the legal profession in particular could be impacted. This will impact teaching & learning as we endeavour to prepare students for new, emerging professions.
Concerning- I am concerned that decreased interaction & increasing AI will dramatically effect our student’s social skills & ability to interact & understand each other in a de-humanised society.
Good point Belinda! As we move towards technology taking over jobs or industries that have always been delivered face to face it does concern me as a society that we might lose the human interaction that goes along with these changes.
I share your concerns Belinda. The social aspect is an important one, especially for the health and well being of our students.
Agree with the exciting time a head in the health profession. We will all live longer, but at what cost and with what new illnesses. Surprising- the new professions are definatley some I have never heard of or thought of. I am also concerned bout how the increase in AI will impact human relationships.
Yes the possibilities in the area of health is exciting. The students’ ability to interact socially is definitely a concern for the future, especially since we already see a big change in the younger generation.
Surprising: 3D printers will soon be as common as microwaves. This will cut a lot of jobs but increase convenience for humans.
Concerning: many humans will lose their jobs as a result of automation.
Exciting: there will be lots of cool new jobs created as a result of the emerging technology
3D printers would significantly increase convenience. I hope it doesn’t create a greater divide to those people/countries who won’t have as much access to these things.
Really interesting point regarding creating a larger divide, Matthew. That’s not something I had thought of.
I agree, Imogen about the concern for the loss of jobs. It is moving very quickly and 2030 is not that far away. My husband is in finance and I wonder what his job will look like then. My daughter has always wanted to be a teacher but seems to be low risk which is a good option but maybe my son will fly a drone one day by Uber air!
I am intrigued by how a 3D printer can make food! This will have the ability to change so many lives. But then people will not be able to cook for themselves, an essential skill for all people.
Great points Imogen. I also found it surprising that 3D printers will able to make food and the negative implications for humans.
I find it surprising that the what is considered high order thinking employment such as lawyers will become redundant.
Concerning, won’t these ambulance chasers from above just slide into the morals / ethics role with regards to technology and its suitable applications?
I find it exciting that many of the worlds problems can be remedied, but with more cures comes more adaptations and issues.
I too found it surprising that many lawyers jobs could be taken over by AI.
Its a fine line , maybe they will need lawyers for the lawyers of the IA and we end up with more lawyers.
What I found most surprising was how the perception of ‘important jobs’ will change. Lawyer’s at high risk, wow! The most concerning aspect is the uncertainty. During high school, you are expected to choose subjects that will somewhat benefit your profession post school. Will new subjects be taught? Or will the status and importance of some subjects alter? I find opportunity to be the most exciting. There could be students in my Year 2 class right now who will change the world in a way I could have never imagined.
What is going to be relevant to students in the future that we currently teach?
Yes good point Matthew! Not sure how we point students in the right direction if these jobs can be created as fast the old ones are deemed obsolete.
Great point about the status and importance of subjects changing. This might also be true of the status and importance of some occupations too. I think it was interesting to know that as well as new jobs that we haven’t seen before, there are some things that will not necessarily be able to be automated. It is nice to think that some people who work in arts and trades who are under-appreciated in our current society might be given the acknowledgement of their skills that they deserve in the future.
How do they decide what jobs are ‘important’?
The impact on education is massive. How will teaching change to accommodate the ‘world of tomorrow’ ?
Something I find surprising is the types of professions that may be replaced by AI in the years to come, such as lawyers, paralegals etc.
Something concerning is the rate of change and how, as teachers, we can keep up with a continually evolving society. Will we have the time and resources to prepare a curriculum that is relevant to the changes that are to come in our society?
Something exciting is to observe our continually evolving society. I am looking forward to seeing how these rapid technological changes might create some positive changes in our world, and the potential opportunities new technology can provide for humans.
I agree that we need to look at the future and how we can adapt to these changes, because the world is not going to stop developing and evolving.
I Agree!! My concern as a mum and a teacher is trying to prepare kids and students.
Hard to prepare and inform students due to the ever changing nature and huge advancements in technology being made everyday.
Surprising – that the more cognitive jobs are the ones being taken over
Concerning – the personal security ramifications from all this change
Exciting – the possibilities and resources that are provided with the new technology
I am very much excited about the possibilities and resources that could potentially be provided with new technologies. I wonder if it could help achieve equity among disadvantaged groups and communities.
The most surprising is the types of positions that will be created in the future- eg, the Bio Identity Manager .
Concerning- how does the future school curriculum change and the training of teachers to fulfill , what will be expected of students to be able to enter suitable professions.
One most exciting is that the teaching profession along with other necessary jobs are safe for a while.
One thing is Life will be a matter of constant adaptability now and in the future.
I agree Noelene…nice to hear we are still vital, but need to move with the times to ensure we prepare our kids for the future. I believe we have done this over time anyway with the changes we have seen in the past 10 years.
It is a bit daunting thinking about how we need to keep up with all this change.
It is good to hear that the teaching profession will still be required but will AI be assessing those that make it? How will performance be measured, and who will actually have employment security?
Surprising: How technology is increasing every day and becoming more a part of our lives.
Concerning: Privacy and other issues especially with face recognition.
Exciting: Ability to find more health information and resources.
Yes I think Privacy issues are already a problem and in the future ??
I agree that privacy and security issues associated with new technology is concerning. I wonder what type of human rights issues this may cause within the near future and the implications of this? A very interesting thought!
Both Surprising and Concerning is -How retail is changing in particular the change in employment opportunities available for our students, how do we prepare students to be able to access employment opportunities available in the future.
Concerning- the lack of social interaction during retail opportunities and connections between people both the staff of the store and customers , what will happen to small business.
Exciting driver less cars due to the fact that i should be able to access them in the later years of my life ensuring that i can get around and do not become isolated
Surprising – the extent of 3D printing already, which is then a concern for the future
Concerning – access and equity for all to be assisted by technology
Exciting – the future development of bots to fight disease
I too am really excited about what the future holds for the technology to fight diseases. I am sure this will bring many new career paths for our current and future students. I look forward to seeing where this all goes.
I agree that the future of nano technology to fight diseases will be a great innovation
for life now and going forward.
The thing i found surprising is that jobs like lawyers are at a risk for the future.
The thing i found concerning is the amount of current jobs that will be lost and the fact that people seem happy to stand by and let technology do this.
The thing i found exciting was the new jobs that we will see in the future.
Yes that also surprised me that the legal profession will be affected greatly. Jobs are important for sure!
Shell, whilst it is sad about the legal profession…it may stamp out corruption is some areas and take away the emotion of trials etc and just stick with evidence…. not that i feel badly towards our legal system…just think there is not a lot of consistency at times!!! We have seen this trend of lost professions over time, but replaced with more efficient and streamlined ways of doing things…think about the fact we can call and see our loved ones in an instant and virtually free…this has certainly helped people stay connected at this time. i get where you are at!!
Surprising – How quickly it is all changing
Concerning – How quickly it is all changing
Exciting – How quickly it is all changing
Little side note: How long will it be before teachers are no longer needed. It wont be long before education is seen as unnecessary because everything will be automated and being uneducated wont really matter because everything will be done by machines.
A lot of change for sure Mark. Teachers should always be needed plus to also assist and guide students throughout the schooling process.
Teachers will always be needed. Teaching curriculum could be automated, but child protection, social development and creativity cannot be replaced.
There is no surprise that there is concern over job loss through technology, this has been discussed many times in the past. The presenter was concerned for what sort of jobs his kids would have and what subjects will they take and this concern is often a parental dilemma. The train of thought to take is you cannot predict. So don’t, it is too risky, but stay true to strengths, ability and interest. Be willing to learn and move beyond comfort zones and drop yourself into whatever career/job opportunity arises well equipped.
Again the events of the last 2 months have shown how important and valued “ordinary” jobs are, and if you have one, be good at it and you will probably be okay. We will also be moving into a completely different economic situation, with higher government intervention over free market strategies. 3D printed “widgets” may be cheap as chips in Wuhan, but strategically we may have to produce our own “widgets” even if it more expensive, opening up new opportunities locally.
Swings and roundabouts.
I like the strategy proposed here Glen. I think we need to be versatile and fluid to move along with this change.
Surprising: How close we are to having these technologies as a reality in our lives.
Concerning: Teachers currently lack skills and knowledge needed to prepare students for the workplace of the future. I believe that big companies will be required to train employees. This may shift present model of education, handing even more power to multinational corporations.
Exciting: The prospect of being able to order a drone as a means of transportation!
Yes Nicole, I also believe the lack of skills of teachers in the preparedness for this is concerning. Being part of the technological revolution from the 80s onwards should have given us insight into how important it is to be prepared to accept, integrate, and envisage a technological driven future…but for many it hasn’t.
Surprising. What jobs exist today that did not exist even 10 years ago.
Concerning. Yes there will be jobs but what jobs will exist for those students who are unable to do the high level jobs in technology with automation already reducing jobs in other sectors (eg retail)
Exciting. The future jobs that use technology for environmental protection.
It is funny to think that ten years ago we couldn’t have imagined the idea of Job called an Uber Driver, let alone the impacts it has had on the Taxi industry. I wonder what jobs we will see in the next ten years?
Hopefully, despite the huge impact of technology on the labour market, there will still be opportunities for students in positions that require human judgement and flexibility. Interestingly, the presenter thought those highly manual jobs like carpentry fitted this criteria. This gives me hope for those students who may be unable to do jobs requiring high levels of technology.
I agree that surprising that jobs that exist today did not exist even 10 years ago.
Concerning- is what we are teaching students now relevant or beneficial for our students
Exciting. The future jobs that use technology for environmental protection .
Surprising – some of the possible jobs of the future and use of AI with sports umpiring?
Concerning – how safe our jobs may be as educators (apparently low risk) and possible changes in the future
Exciting – medical uses of technology
Cricket and Tennis already use tech umpiring quite well. Football has been less of a successful integration and it is eye watering expensive, so grass roots will still need some old bloke trotting around trying his best to keep up with play for a little while yet.
The passion of the one eyed supporter will always have an opinion against the correct decision regardless of AI or referee doing the job. Unless the human factor is completely removed from the AI process we will have no acceptance of the decisions made.
Surprising- That highly cognitive jobs are not necessarily safe from automation.
Concerning- How the shift in jobs due to automation will impact individuals without the skills to adapt.
Exciting- The potential for new jobs to be created in the future.
I think Trent that highly cognitive jobs that involve complex people skills will always be okay. I won’t be passing the hat around for the lawyers though:)
Entry level jobs for “hands on” people is a problem currently, and you see it everyday at school.
Yeah the super intelligence factor of jobs being automated is quite interesting … Also interesting that he placed teachers on the other side of the axis from cognitive jobs … le RIP
Why do those without skills need to adapt? Shouldn’t the automation be able to provide the basic needs for life and allow them to flourish in some other way?
Surprising – Retail industries that could deliver products to consumers via drones on the day of purchase.
Concerning – Will I be equipped enough to prepare students for the Jobs of tomorrow.
Exciting – What kinds of jobs will exist beyond the jobs of tomorrow in a world of development that is accelerating exponetially.
It is surprising how drones may be used in the future. I am also concerned if we are equipping and preparing our students for the Jobs of tomorrow. It is exciting to think of the jobs of the future
Surprising – the technologies already available throughout the world that I was not yet aware of. Wow Amazon Go!
Concerning – most concerned about our ability to prepare students for a world that we do not yet fully understand, such as some of those ‘Jobs of Tomorrow’ that he mentioned. How do we know how to best prepare our students for such roles that do not yet exist?
Exciting – that our students will experience new and exciting roles/opportunities within an ever-changing world.
I was surprised by the extent of 3D printing and how it will enable consumers to make some of their own products.
I am most concerned about the impact of the rapid pace of change on employment opportunities and the preparedness we are for this.
I am excited about driver-less cars, hopefully leading to a much safer transport system and reduction in accidents, deaths and injuries.
I am also exited about the driver-less cars, however, it makes me think, could this lead to a greater possibility of a wide-spread hacker disrupting these systems, potentially increasing danger to the transport sector.
I believe everyone is on the same page about the concerns for the preparing for the future especially if society is advancing rapidly.
Surprising:- The swing from manual jobs as being at high risk due to automation to those higher academic professions
Concerning:- That I didn’t even know what some of the proposed new jobs were or what they would entail! What is a Chief Trust Officer? Who determines their level of trust?
No idea what a Chief Trust Officer is in this context unless it is to do with overseeing an amount of money set aside by business to invest in the future.
Join the discussion…What are these new jobs going to be that we keep hearing that we don’t know what they are? That’s been said for many years now, but there doesn’t seem to be much changing.
I agree. I am confused with how to prepare our students for jobs I don’t understand.
Yes me too. I think out of the list maybe some students will look at being virtual world entertainment producers 🙂 But seriously, i’m still trying to get the students to be interested in the physical (real) world, how do i help them be prepared for the future careers when i don’t feel prepared.
*Surprising – that the teaching profession is relatively low-risk
*Concerning – how do we support our children and students in building the skills and knowledge they will need for future industry? How do we teach them in schools? How will much and quickly will our curriculum change to meet these needs?
*Exciting – the jobs of tomorrow sound so interesting! Too late for a career change? (LOL)
I was also surprised by the low-risk of teaching. I have heard comments from non-teaching professions claiming that teaching could be replaced by platforms such as Youtube. Which of course, I completely disagree with. However, it is good to know that our profession is one that is recognized as being highly variable, as we know everyday is a different day in schools.
I agree with your point about how much and how quickly the curriculum will change is concerning. How will we adapt to teach students in schools for the future.
* Surprising – the new jobs of tomorrow.
* Concerning – How quickly our current teaching model will be out dated & how teaching will adjust to prepare future students for jobs that currently don’t exists.
* Exciting – the new creations that are going to become the normal & the advances in medical technology that can save lives.
How do we keep up with the rapid pace of all this progress to educate and prepare the students for this future? It is exciting but i’m not sure everyone will be up for the task!
I found it interesting when he listed all of the “normal” jobs that exist today that did not exist 10 years ago. This is interesting to keep in mind when people discuss technology in terms of job loss/creation.
Surprising – the change to sporting industry – AI being used to replace referees.
Concerning – as teachers how will be be able to educate future students to be ready for jobs that have not yet even been created?
Exciting – some of the new jobs that will exist including a Virtual World Entertainer Producer!
I think many of our students are already underway to being qualified Virtual World Entertainment Producers (TikTok anyone?)
I was also surprised at the comment about using AI to replace referees. That was something that I would have never considered.
AI being used to replace referees surprised me as well. Obviously technology is being implemented in sports with hawk-eye (tennis), touch pads and electronic timing (swimming), video replays etc but to replace the ref in the middle all together is hard to imagine.
It would be interesting to see how the people who are aggressive to referees, try to argue with AI. maybe will reduce the aggression of players and spectators ?
I was also surprised about referees/sporting officers being replaced with AI. It would certainly reduce/prevent on field disputes yet for students I feel these officials are critical to learning- my son is a hockey referee & explains his decisions at times to help the younger students understand the rules of the game. This human interaction is also important in helping maintain calm & an attitude of sportsmanship between opposing teams. I just can’t see robots doing these jobs..& who helps the injured player/s or breaks up infractions when they occur??
Surprising – changes to sporting arena in regards to AI intelligence to replace referees.
Concerning- how do we prepare our students for jobs that don’t yet exist.
Exciting – Virtual World Entertainment Producer – this job sounds so exciting!
1. What I found surprising- the impacts to professions such as lawyers. I felt sure that such occupations would remain safe into the future, even with these incredible technological advancements
2. What I found concerning- the uncertainty surrounding jobs that will be performed in the future. As an educator, this causes me great concern regarding the level of preparedness we are providing for our students.
3. What I found exciting- that there are such exciting prospects for future generations in relation to the jobs that will be available
Hi Jade, yes I agree about the concerns around how we will prepare the students.
Don’t worry about jobs for the future. We will all have our own robots that go out and work for us so we can just chill at home and do what we like right?
Surprising – being “smart” doesn’t mean job security
Concerning – work vs play mentality regarding jobs
Exciting – as one door closes, another door opens… same thing applies here
I was surprised that intellectual professions were not necessarily safe too! Particularly surprised that teachers are relatively safe too – when I heard that cognitive jobs are most at risk, I thought teaching would be too.
Like many of those who have posted I was surprised by the prediction of the amount of today’s jobs that would be lost – 47% is huge and has major implications for the world as we know it. My concern is for those people who can’t make the changes. If Michael is correct and many of the changes are going to take place in the next 15 years there will be a large number of people who can’t make the shift. This will cause stress, anxiety and economic hardship for many. There will need to be lots of support and education opportunities at all levels of employment.
It is very exciting how AI inventions and capabilities will result in change to better our quality of life particularly in medicine and industry. The nano technology and 3d printing examples were amazing. How clever are human beings and as we move forward it is unimaginable what will be achieved in the coming years. There will also be a need for ethical and moral checks and balances to be in place along with the scientific and technological developments. I guess this will be another area for employment.
Liz, I too was very surprised by the large percentage of exiting jobs that would likely become automated in the next 15-20 years. This will prove difficult for those who have been performing jobs a certain way for years to have to adapt to.
Surprising – manual labour jobs are forecast to be some of the safest.
Concerning – the outlook is largely a future of uncertainty – how effectively are we preparing our students for this?
Exciting – new job opportunities and prospects.
Agree with the concern – also what is considered “effective preparation”
Chris,
The future is very exciting. I guess to prepare students for the future we continue what we are doing plus innovate. Our education system has its faults but it also provides good framework for learning. Teachers continually improve their pedagogy and adapt to changes – its the nature of the role i.e. love of learning. A current example is the way teachers have had to adapt to teaching their students in the home learning environment due to COVID 19. The school curriculum/syllabus will need to update and change to meet the challenges ahead which may turn out to be the trickiest part of preparing students for the future.
Manual labour is interesting. I met someone who built and patented a 3d printer for “printing” low cost housing in poorer parts of the Philippines. I found out later through a common friend that he was killed by a cartel of corrupt builders.
Exciting – Is the potential for new and unheard of jobs that are created to deal with the evolution of AI technologies
Concerning – the ignorance/misconception that many ‘Highly regarded’ professions (law) do not understand the possible impact on their professions and the continual drive of higher education facilities to feed students into careers that are at risk of demise.
Surprising – the numbers of jobs lost – although I wish they had developed some algorithm to predict the number of new jobs created.
It would be very interesting to see that algorithm and adequately weight up the pros and cons of technological advances in each job field.
It would be Christine but I’m sure it would be AI that would be used to investigate the pros and cons, not us! Therefore they would be actually investigating themselves and coming up with data to reinforce their existence. Sounds like DR Who!
Totally agree with your concern & an intriguing thought as to how many new jobs will be created!
I totally agree with your comment re Higher Education and their continual push for enrolments in courses that may no longer be needed. I’m not sure how student engagement and positive subject selections can occur if educators lack knowledge, data and skill.
Surprising for me was that while there may be a shift toward jobs that do not exist yet, there is still the implication for those less creative and more practical in their make up.
Concerning, While A.I. is perhaps a necessary comfort we desire as a human race, lets not forget who is programming this. How far do we go? What become the significant implications for a society dependant on such automation and technology.
Exciting is that there are jobs out there that we know do not exist. Jobs will be discovered and developed perhaps beyond the realms of comprehension.
Your concerns have been highlighted throughout much 21st century science fiction Andrew, thank goodness we’ve had these creative minds to help mould the direction we should take with AI. I agree with your sentiment though, I already see the peril of blindly automating and easing things for future generations – what will they do if it all collapses and they don’t know how to start from scratch?
It was surprising to know that the prediction of job losses in professions that I thought would not be impacted by AI would be eg. lawyer.
Another prediction was types of jobs in the future. This is concerning as paths for these jobs are not yet in place and how do we teach and providing learning opportunities for these potentialities.
The type of jobs predicted eg. drone pilot for Amazon!
Hi Beau,
I know that in my recent stint at university, we were largely being pushed towards creating autonomous and critical thinkers in our students in order to prepare for uncertainty – because this is really the only way we can prepare, give the students the skills necessary to navigate uncharted waters. However, this is unfortunately not the reality I get to see every day – there seems to be a piece missing here in motivating students towards desiring challenge and uncertainty in the first place.
Hi Chris,
I agree with your statement about motivating students towards desiring challenge and uncertainty. It does not seem to be the current reality in our classrooms.
100% – finishing UNI it was all about creating critical thinkers and problem solvers, I read my philosophy of teaching a shudder at the naivety. The reality is that students are just not interested in improving their minds because “computers can do everything”.
SURPRISING – the jobs that were classed or referred to as relatively safe compared to those that were at high risk, AI will possibly know everything about us
CONCERNING – education today is not totally preparing students for the future world and we as educators need to be upskilling and preparing our students for change
EXCITING – that there will be jobs for the children of tomorrow – our children and grand children
Hi Kathy totally agree with the education and lack of preparedness. Shifting our own mindset is challenging enough. These type of ideas are like watching the show beyond 2000. Some things will eventuate, other will be a laughable joke in the future eg. hover-boards. As educators what do we teach about.
I also agree with your statement on education and what I find just as concerning is the pressure that is placed on students to achieve a certain standard to access particular professions but in reality many of these professions will suffer with advancements in AI technologies.
Agree with your concern. We are way behind the times!
I think an all round holistic approach is the way to go. High schools have limited knowledge of those skills necessary for specialist jobs, so better to have them with an overall enjoyment of learning for the future yet to arrive. the discussion…
One thing I found surprising was the extent to which artificial intelligence already exists and how it’s currently affecting the world of employment. I was concerned by the implications of a post-singularity world, where the nature of work (particularly for survival) will be transformed altogether. The concept of work as we know it might become completely redundant. I was also excited thinking about a post-singularity world where work and survival are no longer intertwined and people are free to pursue whatever they are passionate about.
Mat
That in itself is exciting, pursuing passion which is not linked to the survival of our societies. Imagine a world free from currency, rich and poor, squalor and slums.
I found it surprising to see what jobs were potentially at high risk in the future, but as explained by Michael, those roles that require cognitive thinking, but are routine seem obvious.
Interestingly for me is that the variable structure of education is what makes my role as school teacher so engaging. I love to be challenged and have to think on my feet each day.
I am concerned about jobs being lost to technology. I am yet to see how the new jobs that we are creating each day match up par for par with the jobs lost to technology,
And yet, I am also excited to see what new roles do appear. A lot has changed in a very short period of time and moving forward I expect the pace of change to go even faster.
Hi Rae,
I like your comment on variability. I think it is good to use AI for repetitive and systematic work as it frees people up for engaging with problem solving activities.
I support your thoughts on job loss and job creation, I assume there will have to be some sort o f balancing act. My other concern would be the wage factor. Will wages be lower for jobs where AI has taken over much of the so called repetitive “skilled” component of jobs.
Good afternoon Rae and Beau,
It all sounds very exciting but i acknowledge both your concerns. I agree that a balance will be important and not just for wages as you have mentioned Beau. If advances in AI leads to replacement of routine roles eg accountants, tax agents, paralegals I hope there will still be jobs for the people who need to work in different ways. My son for example is a tree lopper. He loves the work and enjoys the physical labour. I guess ultimately robots/machinery could also take over many of these manual labour roles. Where will it leave people who need to work in more manual roles, those who are studying, the uneducated, the mentally unwell and people with a disability?
Hi Liz, yes my husband is a painter and we were just discussing that robots could easily be programmed to paint, a manual job that most home renovators would happily give over to a robot. In regard to home renovating what about the idea of having 3D printers that could print small construction parts. So handy!
Surprising to see the enormous scope that 3D printing has for the future. Amazing technology!
Concerning that as educators, we are responsible for preparing our students for this very different world. The pace of change requires us to be upskilling all the time.
Exciting to know that creative professions are less likely to be affected by automation and AI. In a world that will become even more automated and reliant on technology, the personal, human element that is evident in every creative project will be necessary to bring some balance into our lives.
Hi Suby
I agree the scope of 3D printing is mind blowing, though I’m not certain I’d venture into printable food (I like to cook).
I am concerned about practical jobs becoming somewhat redundant, what becomes of those individuals who are less creative or worse still, not?
One thing I found surprising was the jobs that are safer e.g. landscaping, were ones that I would have thought as of more easily automated.
I found concerning, or thought provoking, was trying to look forward to prepare students for future jobs.
Overall I think it is an incredibly exciting time, I think peoples creativity will be used to enhance future job opportunities.
I agree with you here about looking at ways to prepare students for future jobs; when many of us may not have the skills to pass on to our students.
I also share this concern – but maybe the skills are not required as much as the need for an open mind to encourage the students to be flexible and worldly learners. Trying to pigeon hole students educating them about the rise of AI so that they can be better prepared to adapt to these changes
Totally agree with this concern, it really is the great unknown and makes our job as educators incredibly difficult to provide students with the necessary skill sets to be able to perform these job in the future.
One thing that I found surprising were the types jobs considered relatively ‘safe’. They do not necessarily match with what a large percentage of society consider a stable and or suitable career path.
One thing that I found concerning is the direction of education. It is not only educating for careers that might not exist, but the skills/ knowledge that we are directed to equip our students with. Placing emphasis on certain skills for student development eg. research (common in many courses) becoming obsolete to some extent.
It is exciting that change is happening. Change can be an exciting and exhilarating part of life. It breaks the monotony and inspires creativity and innovation. For our students? A whole new world that they will be a part of shaping.
We wrote very similar comments. Certainly equipping students for the future is such a big topic because it will change so quickly.
You raise an interesting point with regards to the direction of education in the future. We need to prepare our students to be able to think on their feet and manage variable situations confidently. Whilst University does play a role in further education, I do not believe that it is the only option and we should continue to encourage our children to think ‘outside the square’ when looking at job options.
I agree with you Jess, however I don’t think that research will become obsolete. Technology makes it easier to sift through Big Data, however, students will still be required to analyse and interpret their findings. I also think that our emphasis in education on 21st Century learning will allow students to master skills that will enable them to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing world of work.
I agree with all your points. It’s interesting research type jobs will go and that is a key part of many stage 6 courses. We need to be getting students to solve problems, manage changes and think on their feet. They need to be a lot more resilient and education needs to cater for these amazing changes
One thing I found surprising is how far the industrial revolution is already taking place on a smaller scale, unaware to the majority of the people.
One thing I found concerning is that fact that so many of our parents are still unaware of the importance of the shift in education.
It is exciting to see the increasing important of the Approaches to Learning skills (from IB). It makes me excited to ensure we are teaching our students, even more, the skills we really would benefit from.
I agree with your concern. I think it extends much further than the parents though. Quite generally, society is conditioned into the understanding that schooling should provide certain things. It is a clarification of what those certain things are in our changing world, that needs to be illuminated on a larger, cultural level.
I think you are spot on with your concern. We do a lot of IBL and at times it can be challenging for some parents to see the positives of the creative side of it.
I agree Remke. There has been a lack of awareness in society as a whole of the future trends discussed in this presentation. I believe the Covid19 pandemic has woken us out of our complacency though..people will be looking for answers, seeking out knowledge, more eager to be part of the solution,,,once we get through this awful period.
One thing I found surprising- that this shift in change will occur in approximately the next 15 years.
One think I found concerning- is that 375 million workers will be displaced by technology. How do we support them so they can adjust to this change and what new jobs could they do? What category of people will need the most support? As a teacher how can I support my students with jumping on board this change?
One thing i found exciting- that there will be many jobs for the children of tomorrow. Like Michael said, 10 years ago the following jobs did not exist- an Uber driver, a drone pilot, an app developer, social media strategist. There will be jobs- but they will be different then what we know today.
Leanne, I agree with you but then also I believe that people will be given opportunities to adapt as this shift does not happen overnight but gradually, although at a decent pace.
Something I found concerning was around Artificial Intelligence and particularly the Artificial Super Intelligence where it is possible that machines become smarter than humans.
One thing I found exciting was the Amazon Shopping example. Amazing that you can just walk into a shop – scan your phone app and then start shopping. I found it incredible that if you take something off the shelf you are charged, but if you change your mind and put it back on the shelf it removes it from your shopping list – still trying to get my head around this concept.
Another exciting thing is robots for surgical purposes which results in them being more precise, better recovery times, no hand tremors etc. I imagine there would also be less room for infection. My brother had prostate cancer and was operated on by a robot to remove the prostate – amazing.
Something I found surprising was the floating warehouses where you will be able to order online and have the order delivered by drone. I was also surprised with the 3D printing – imagine breaking something at home and then just logging onto the computer to print a replacement item!!
Hi Janice, yes the 3D printing sounds amazing doesn’t it! I still think for a long time though this will be only for people with a select set of skills or access to that technology. But definitely a game changer- Bunnings and stores like it will definitely change in how they operate.
Hi Janice, I fully agree with you. There are exciting and some more scary opportunities coming up for all of us!
I agree Janice. In particular the possibilities of automation in surgical procedures. Imagine saving the lives of all those health workers who were exposed to Covid19. Automated nurses,,,3D printed protective equipment…this all could have helped in saving lives.
Yes, the discussion points around Artificial Super Intelligence are particularly concerning. I wonder though whether Hollywood plays into our minds when we think about the future? Movies like ‘I Robot’ do not paint a pleasant picture. It seems odd to consider something we create become smarter then ourselves, and yet isn’t this what we try to do with our students each day- to empower them to become more knowledgeable? Perhaps we are not giving due recognition to the increased aptitude of our future adults?
I felt like Peter, I was surprised that much of the changes in automation and AI are happening already.
I feel very concerned to know how many organisations are using AI to track people and their habits. We are already seeing a sinister side to this in countries where populations are being watched by their governments.
I found many things exciting, but to name one would be the nano technology used in the medical world. I have already seen an example of this where my neighbour recently had to swallow a tiny camera and it took hundreds of photos for the specialist to check if there was anything amiss. Marvellous!
I agree Kerry-lea, that the invasion of privacy is certainly a concern where AI comes into play. The driver-less cars are a bit exciting. I am starting to imagine myself getting into a car to travel a long distance and being able to read a book, answer some emails, have a snooze – what a different world it will be!!
One thing that I found surprising was how far some of these new technologies have already progressed
One thing that I found concerning was the potential impact to privacy with the facial recognition
One thing that I found exciting was how seamless things like shopping will become without checkout lines etc
Yes, interesting Peter. I wonder if the advancement in technology will assist with things like finding a cure for cancer or creating a vaccine for things like the corona-virus.
I too was quite surprised at the developments in AI that have already occurred. We come so focused on our own little worlds that so much can happen and become of use to us without seeing or understanding the implications.
One thing that I found surprising was that highly intellectual jobs like a lawyer could be automated
One thing that I found concerning was the huge number of workers who will be displaced by automation, ~375 million
One thing that I found exciting the medical mini robots that can selectively target tumours
Hi Peter, yes i think it is exciting what mini robots will be able to bring to the world of medicine. Already there are wonderful things that are happening, as Janice commented, her brother was recently operated on by a robot to remove cancer in his prostate!
I also found it surprising that professions identified as cognitive and routine were at the most risk. Realistically however, once we hit the point of singularity, the world of employment will be completely transformed- employment in its current form may become redundant.