Future of Education is AI + Teachers + Blockchain

George Washington University

13 Nov 2018

Introduction - The AI Revolution

The Fourth Industrial Age has arrived with apocalyptic prophesies by eminent

scientists and Hollywood blockbusters of Matrix-like virtual worlds, Terminator and

Lucy - inspired scary scenarios, the paranoia that AI will replace human beings, the

arrival of cyborgs, a comeback by authoritarianism; and the age Singularity, wherein

machine intelligence will surpass human intelligence.

Regrettably, educationists have a binary view on the introduction of AI in

education: AI will replace teachers, vs AI can never replace teachers. This attitude has

generated a lot of hype, hope and fear. I will argue that, the future in education is AI

plus teachers.

Our objective of eliminating poverty by equal access to quality education, is still

a pipe-dream. The world is short of 20 million primary and secondary teachers. We

will need another 48.6 million by 2027 due to retirement and other reasons.

Only AI can fill the gap.

Education in most countries is “completely broken”, as it continues to be

teacher-centric and content-driven. The challenge is becoming increasingly daunting,

because humans will not be able to compete with computers and algorithms. If we do

not change the education system, we shall be in a dire situation. People will be hired

not for the knowledge they have, but what they can do with that knowledge. With lack

of creativity and competencies to re-skill themselves continuously, large sections of

society will be socially disadvantaged, emotionally challenged and unemployable.

Consequently, they will have no economic and political value.

I believe that future competition will not be between competing political

ideologies and competing economic systems, but between competing education

systems. The individual, and the nation that has the better education system is the

one that will succeed and flourish.

Our vision is to harness the positive power of Human Intelligence,

Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain, by providing a level playing field to both

the privileged and the less-privileged, through quality and affordable education:

for any person, of any age, anywhere, anytime, at the click of a mobile phone.

I am here to share this vision with you. I also urge you to join me in making it

happen.

Artificial Intelligence will usher in a radical revolution in school education - it will

help us to outsmart computers and algorithms! For the past 1000 years, education has

been controlling the outer world. Now for the first time, Artificial Intelligence will enable

us to access the inner world, and reconnect us with our emotions, feelings and

thoughts; and in the process to expand our consciousness. With such emotional and

spiritual strengths, we shall be able to challenge the probability of Singularity.

New Realities in Education 4.0

The new realities in Education 4.0 are staring us in the face.

Thus far, education in the past has focused on controlling the outer world; and

hence the emphasis on science and math and consuming nature. This is changing. AI

now enables us to access the inner world - our consciousness, emotions, feelings,

thoughts and apprehensions.

Innovation is the #1 leadership and spiritual competency. To succeed, in the

past millennium we relied on a combination of analytical and emotional intelligences,

based on knowledge and past experiences. In the 4^th Industrial Age we need a new

type of intelligence - innovative intelligence to succeed and be competitive.

This intelligence will enable us to:

Reinvent ourselves continuously because of the obsolescence of

knowledge, of jobs and technology.

Gain insight into problems we yet do not know.

Operate through uncertainties, ambiguities and complexities.

Work collaboratively as teams to first define and then solve problems

creatively, and figure out new possibilities of doing things.

Purpose of Education

Ever since the invention of the Gutenberg printing press in 1439, education has

been, and regrettably continues to focus on understanding and sharpening the human

brain. We need a new purpose for education that addresses the head, the heart and

the mind. The brain and the mind are not the same, nor are their functions.

The brain is a physical organ containing 100 billion neurons or nerve cells, with

each neuron connected to about 10,000 other neurons which communicate through

synapses that are communication channels. It is the central processing unit of the

human body. The mind, on the other hand, goes beyond the brain and is associated

with our feelings, thoughts, emotions, beliefs, attitudes, imagination; and above all,

consciousness or awareness of oneself. This is the domain, wherein, machine

intelligence cannot compete with human beings!

The purpose of education should be to educate both the heart and the mind

and not the brain alone, in order to prepare a child to be a lifelong learner, to give

meaning to life, and unlock her human potential to succeed in a VUCA world.

 Where self-actualization, purpose, meaning, vision and values will be the

new model for educating the heart and the mind - the inner world.

 Where innovation will unlock the child’s potential.

 Where man will need to reinvent and reskill himself continuously.

 Where habits of excellence and competencies for innovation will be the

norm.

Rise of Man-Machine Teams

Thus far, for five millenniums, the delivery of learning in schools has been the

sole responsibility of the teacher - a one person show. The trajectory of learning has

been binary - either teachers or AI; with nothing in between. This has already been

changed. Talent now resides in man-machine teams and not in the individual any

longer.

The education system of the previous Industrial Ages was directed towards

teacher-centric learning, namely, the teacher teaching X number of students in a

classroom. We now know for certain that this is an inefficient method for learning, as

the teacher is no longer the sole repository of knowledge. Regrettably, this model is

still prevalent in most schools of the world even today.

The second model is one-to one tutoring which is a variation of teacher-centric

learning.

The third model aims at student-autonomy in learning, and is, therefore,

student-centric, whereby the responsibility for learning shifts from teachers to

students. This is not an alternative because of the demands of high levels of student

motivation, and the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge which only a teacher would

be able to manage.

The fourth model advocates is machine learning where teachers are replaced

by inspirational robots that read the emotions and facial expressions of students, and

adjust their teaching accordingly. Technologically this may be feasible in the future,

but humans will always have a distinct edge in educating the heart and the mind.

Future teaching and learning will be done collaboratively by Man-Machine

teams, a close partnership between humans and AI. In this partnership, teachers will

be learning companions to students and robots. This collaborative model is founded

on the scientific belief that, in the 21^st century, talent resides in the team and not in

individuals any longer. It is based on the close partnership between humans and AI,

resulting in super-human performance. Call it humanistic AI.

Research and findings in detection of metastatic breast cancer in biopsies

bears testimony to this phenomenon.

We are now looking at a future in which man and machine work together as

partners rather than competitors.

Humanity AI Model for Teaching

Nearly 95% of a teacher’s time is taken up in:

Preparation and delivery of content

Formative and summative assignment

Record-keeping tasks

Additional school responsibilities

This leaves no time or talent to teach the child and personalize learning. With

robots (AI) taking over repetitive traditional tasks of the teacher, she can now devote

all her time to the child.

The humanistic AI model of learning - Teacher, Student and Robot, is shown

schematically.

Blockchain and Credentialing

Blockchain and credentialing play a key role in the success of the humanistic

AI model. The two are inseparable as they provide easy access to quality education,

as well as bestowing a level playing field for children of the haves and have-nots.

The introduction of blockchain in 2008 has unlocked the potential of the Internet

- from Internet of Information and IOT, to Internet of Value, for both personal and

professional advantages. The Internet of Value will trigger new innovation in reskilling

human beings, providing financial inclusion to billions of people who are left out of the

structured financial system, compelling people to be innovative; and exchanging

assets of value with others - from stocks, to frequent flyer points, to intellectual

property.

Blockchain and Credentialing are part of the AI package in education - they are

force-multipliers - they empower AI. Blockchain is rich in data that cannot be altered,

and enables AI to create algorithms, make predictions, discover patterns, and develop

insights.

The introduction of blockchain in schools will be revolutionary, as less-

privileged children will be the greatest beneficiaries. People don’t care what your

achievements are. They want to know what you have done with your achievements.

Presently, blockchain and credentialing support services in India and

developing countries is woefully deficient and unaffordable for the less privileged.



WES and Credly blockchain ONLY in education, not citizenship,

reskilling competencies and identity.



One time storage uploading is $160, whereas the less-privileged Indian

family income is below $140 per month.

Conclusion

Companies and schools will boost their performance when machines and

humans work together as allies; and not as competitors, thereby taking advantage of

each other’s complementary strengths.

The glue that will bind the man-machine team is Blockchain, Credentialing, VR

and AR. Without them, the benefits of AI and human teachers will elude us, so will

innovation.

Consequently, the future of education is AI, plus teachers, plus blockchain -

the emerging man-machine teams that will make a difference in

21^st century

education. In one stroke, it will cut the Gordian knot of personalization, a critical aspect

of education we have not been able to crack so far. Only then will teachers become

relevant.

Schools of Future will be schools of innovation. The new paradigm will be

education of the heart and the mind, and not the head alone - the grand strategy to

expand human consciousness, and combat the probability of singularity.