Can AI do my homework - CNA documentary

A wet weekend curtailed my usual outdoor activities. Browsing through Youtube, I chanced on this CNA documentary titled "Can AI do my homework" 

The documentary focuses on the Singapore school context and covers the pros and cons of AI use in education. The most important message is that we need to guide students on how to use AI to support learning. Otherwise, many will use AI to just provide answers, short circuiting the important processes of 'learning by doing' required for us to become proficient at various academic skills.

A post on "the Spinoff' offers similar observations from the Aotearoa NZ context. The post -'I wanted to be a teacher not a cop': the reality of teaching in a world of AI discusses the challenges and some possible solutions. Of note are examples of how 'policing' is a losing game as students circumvent every move to detect the use of AI. 

Hence AI literacies are important. However, working out when to introduce AI, especially to school students, is an important conversation that has to be undertaken. Too soon, and AI becomes the 'answer giver'; too late and AI is still perceived as a short cut to the actual hard work of doing the learning. Learners and students must therefore be guided to use AI as an adjunct or 'study buddy' and provisioned with the skills to interrogate and evaluate AI generated content.

AI implications on education

 A good overview and discussion of the impact of AI on education is provided by futuremakers.nz

Of note is the need to repurpose or review the focuses of education. Instead of facts, content, and 'knowledge', it is now important to ensure that education prepares learners for a future which is different from what has been in the past.

Futuremakers suggest the fullowing:

- complex reasoning focus

- ethics and responsibilities when using AI

- interdisciplinary education

- collaborative learning models.

To achieve the above, there is need for the curriculum to:

- integrate AI literacy across subjects

- redefine assessment strategies

- focus on human-AI collaboration skills

- prioritise ethics and responsible innovation

- address digital equity urgently 

- redesign teacher preparation programmes

- create project-based learning around real problems

-build adaptability and continuous learning. 

Vocational education aligns well with all of the above. The important direction is to ensure that graduates (although usually training towards an occupation) must also attain the skills to be agile/flexible and to move horizontally across occupations. as required when technological changes shift the labour market.

We are indeed living in a time of rapid and substantial change. Decisions made now, will have impact well into the near future. A studied approach is required, to ensure that humans are well prepared for work and learning, going into the future.

The future of jobs report for 2025

 The annual 'future of jobs report', published by the World Economic Forum at the beginning of the year, provides good updates on how various economic, geopolitical and social factors, affect the nature of work and the global labour market.

The survey undertakes to extrapolate the data across five years - 2025 to 2030. 

Despite the rise in digitisation, many jobs with the highest growth, require manual labour. These include farmworkers, delivery drivers (what has happened to driverless cars??), construction workers, salespersons, and food processing workers. As for many other predictions, care roles and education (both tertiary and secondary) will grow along with technology-related jobs.

The major decline is in clerical and secretarial roles. 

Tellingly, workers can expect to have 40% of their existing skills sets to be changed, with the need to upskill in digital/technology related job tasks. 

Therefore, no real surprises, but the need to be cognisant of the need to ensure humans maintain and enhance their contributions through creative thinking, resilience, flexibility and agility and continued curiosity across their life span. 

NoteBook LM - how to use for own learning / research

 Notebook LM has now been around for over a year. Many of my colleagues and research network have provided feedback on it's efficacy and its quirks. To date, I have dabbled with using it and found the user interface to be intuitive. The main advantage with Notebook LM is the facility to upload a range of sources - text (pdfs, .doc), multimedia (video, etc.) and websites. Curating a notebook takes very little time. The payoff comes in drawing on the selected material in the notebook, to provide answers/clarifications etc. to queries.

There are many resources on how to use Notebook LM - for example from androidauthority and a research slant with Andrew Stapleton, along with various blogs exampled by future learning and xda developers.  Xda developers also provide a good overview on how to use NotebookLM with Onenote as a study/ research buddy. 

However, as with most AI tools, there are caveats. For example, one NZ author's experience (from last year) on how the podcast generated on the book, missed important cultural nuances https://nzareblog.wordpress.com/2024/10/17/a-disconcerting-encounter-with-an-ai-doppelganger-of-my-work/

Therefore, as always, it is important to understand how the technology works and how it has influences/biases which arise from the app/tools' ontology. A reminder is provided through this article which proposes a manifesto for teaching and learning in the time of Gen AI. It calls for "robust, evidence-based research and conscious decision-making to ensure that GenAI enhances, rather than diminishes, human agency and ethical responsibility in education." 

Strengthening apprenticeship support

 Attended a webinar organised by ConCOVE to share the completed by Martin Jenkins consultancy, on issues and opportunities to support apprenticeship. Although the context of the study was based on participant responses from the construction and infrastructure sector, many of the findings and recommendations can be applied across other industries.

The webinar undertook an overview. The full report provides deeper coverage including the research approach - primary through literature scan and interviews with apprentices, (8) employers (6) and representatives from various government ministries, work development councils (WDC), NZ Construction Industry Council and other industry groups.

Notes taken from the webinar - 

Katherine Hall hosts the session, with Sarah Baddeley (Martin Jenkins consulting) and Alex Vranyac-Wheller (CEO Master Electricians).

Sarah provided a brief summary - apprentice completion numbers, diversity, fragmented system, complexity with too many parts, entry points, too many agencies involved etc. 

She also summarised policy changes required - clear vision and strategy, need to define and understand pastoral care (currently very mixed), provision for workplace learning also inconsistent.

Alex provided the industry perspective. Change has been disruptive. 80% plus of training/learning takes place in the workplace. Institutions are audited for work-integrated learning but there is no quality assurance. Employers play a critical role but are not recognised. Investment required for capability development for employers. 

At present, providers sign off apprentices. However, employers are not empowered by the process. 

Referred to another piece of research undertaken by ConCOVE to find out the workplace experience which found similar.

Employers need to be the driver of workplace learning. Industry perspectives required through the system, so that employers are greater buy in, recognised for their contributions, and provided support for capability development to support workplace training.

An apprenticeship strategy to define roles, responsibilities, funding measures etc. will be useful to bring clarity and improvement to the system.

Conversation continued to the apprenticeship boost to find out whether it has been effective. This was established as a CoVID action and was effective. At the moment, with different economic/social conditions, it is a good time to relook at it's efficacy. Boost has been good to bring people into industry however, there are challenges with bringing in the right people into industry. 

Sarah summarised apprentices' perspectives. The unique nature of apprenticeships. There are difficulties when apprentices first begin as access to support available agencies (Study Link). Matching employers and apprentices always also can be difficult. Continued devaluing of trades qualifications vs university not helpful. Older apprentices are usually more successful. 

Alex shared there is a 6000 worker requirement for the electrical industry. It is a world-wide shortage. In general, business are 5 -6 years behind new technology as it is introduced and has to be put in place! This lag seriously impacts on industry productivity.

Conversation moved to the importance of vocational education and its critical role. Partnership between all the stakeholders is crucial. Simplification of the system and clear direction for apprenticeship will help industries move forward.

Q & A ensued.