Once again, this is not the end of education as we know it

I have been working in learning & education for more than 20 years and during this time I heard the phrase “we are now seeing the end of education as we know it” 4 times already. The 4th is happening right now with “ChatGPTmania” prompting people to assume that with new technology changes of traditional models is invadable. I can agree with this assumption only change does not necessarily mean entire frameworks will disappear, they survived former technological storms and will withstand this one as well.

The first time I heard the phrase regarding the end education as we know it was in the late 1990’s (Yes, I am that old). Commercial internet stormed into our lives with thousands of new software applications offering a flow of information we could not experience until then. Among others the “Virtual Classroom” was introduced. A primitive version of ZOOM if you will imitating all teaching and social class activities online. Online learning became a reality, but it was not until March 2020 that it became a necessity and even than never gave a real fight to real-life campus experiences.

?In 2008 the MOOCs (Massive Online Open Courses) began a new techno-pedagogy storm offering academic studies by video based digital learning environments. They became so popular during those first years that some academic profits assumed that universities will simply convert to online entities offering MOOCS. 15 years later completion rates are still a challenge and ROI is a mystery.

Covid of course was the next phase. Seemingly, the entire world of training, learning and education switched to online in an instant and for a while it seems that ship could float. As we humans overcame the crisis, we asked again what’s the best experience and were not afraid to go online any more for as much as needed but learning and education remained a social process conducted by human interaction.

Today we face a new and exciting technological storm brilliantly orchestrated by Microsoft and Open AI with dazzling generative applications. We justifiably ask how this affects us and the entire world of education. I think it’s too soon to fully address those questions as the current technological revolution has just begun. But judging from all former tectonic movements from Gutenberg to Zuckerberg and beyond, its probably safe to assume that:

1.??????When the dust will finally settle, we will all have a clear understanding of what the technology can and can’t do and will be able to ask again how can we improve rather than substitute.

2.??????The human factor will emerge as the key factor in education following this techno storm as well. ?

3.??????Tools will help us get better results (as teachers and students) but will not replace the act or need for learning

4.??????As we grow into the age of practical AI we will need more schools, more campuses, more educational practitioners and more diverse learning programs

5.??????Finally, AI will become a tool we decide when and how to apply to become better at what we do

So take a deep breath if current currents make you nerves. Embrace change and new technology. It can only make us better at what we do, even if it means doing things differently.