In 2023, we’ve covered a lot of ideas about learning, with a particular focus on how emerging technologies are being used now and how they’ll affect the future of professional learning. Here, let’s summarize some of the key themes that emerged across these, and talk about some concrete next steps you can think about as you move forward in your own learning journey.
Theme 1: Learning is an active process
Have you ever fallen down a YouTube black hole watching really interesting, informative videos (maybe about black holes!)? Did you ever follow that up by trying to explain to someone what you’ve learned? If so, you probably discovered a few black holes in your understanding. That is because learning, ultimately, is not about getting information into your mind, it is about being able to use that knowledge productively. No matter how engaging it may be, simply watching videos or reading a text is not going to lead to a robust memory. Instead, it is important to practice using that knowledge to make it more likely you’ll be able to access it later on.
So, whether putting on the virtual reality headset and testing out new communication strategies or creating new scenarios to practice project management skills, make sure you are active in your learning approaches.
Theme 2: Think critically
Generative AI tools are helping cut out a lot of tedious steps in a number of simple processes and even handling the first draft of more complex work. But, they aren’t perfect, and what they create is often better thought of as a first draft rather than a complete solution. Large language models also can “hallucinate” false information that you may not catch if you aren’t thinking carefully about the output.
Ultimately, generative AI works by predicting what seems the most likely to be a good fit, based on prior examples. This means that true novelty and “outside-the-box thinking” is not really its strong suit. That is where people, armed with their particular knowledge and experience, can really elevate what these systems are currently capable of. Being able to think critically, to go beyond simply what information you’ve been given, has never been more important.
Theme 3: Human-to-human connection
While the increased use of educational technologies is unlocking a lot of benefits and unique opportunities, it also has the potential to lead to a very solitary learning experience. We should resist visions of the future where learning is exclusively done by individuals sitting in front of personal computers. One way to do so is to foster opportunities for collaborative learning, as research has found that it is a very impactful way for people to improve their own understanding while also having benefits for motivation, belonging, and other important emotional outcomes. In addition, as it becomes possible to automate more advanced decision-making to AI-powered systems (such as learning analytics platforms), we need to ensure that humans remain “in the loop” and are ultimately the ones making accountable decisions.
Try it out!
As we move into the new year, take the idea of active learning into your own practice, and try out the new tools that are available to you. If you haven’t been using generative AI in your current work, commit to trying it more regularly. If you don’t have access to GPT-4 but want to test it out, look into using Bing’s Chat mode, which runs on a version of the same underlying large language model (just make sure to use the “creative” or “precise” mode). Keep an eye out on LinkedIn and other social media for people like Ethan Mollick, who regularly posts about interesting new use cases or research in the world of AI. If there is a special use case you have in mind, see if anyone has developed an AI tool for that, specifically (you can start your search here). And, if you want to learn more about AI, in general, check out Horizon’s content.
