A new AI-school being piloted, Astra, seems to be taking an opt-in approach like you mention: "Astra wants to be that kind of resource in a few ways. It wants students to grapple with technology — weighing in, for example, on tech tools in the classroom and even phone policies. Astra wants phones to be kept in lockers by choice, not top-down edicts. And in general, how tech is changing the world won’t be ignored. It’ll be discussed. Aired out.
I think people are trying to figure that out. I think we’ll quickly find out whether requiring cell phones to be put away is a sustainable approach, especially since many US states are trying to create phone-free spaces in schools.
Interesting perspective! We're still in the early innings of AI where the assumption that AI-free spaces will continue to exist may be overestimating the control we'll have over our lives and how we engage with AI long-term. If we don't deliberately cultivate these AI-free spaces, we risk becoming passive consumers to whatever is put in front of us.
What if we challenged the thinking behind Premise 2?
The purpose of school is not to prepare students to "function in society," but to "flourish in communities." Begin with the simple question: Will using AI for this task help me, and others around me, to develop, grow, and thrive?
This really resonates with me though I am a bit more quixotic about AI. I see AI as accelerating the wind that blows the windmills that see my students as grist to make the flower that all willingly, lovingly, mix into batter, bake and eat, devour even. Mmmmm, the smell of fresh bread!
It's your syllogism that caused this tortured metaphor so I blame you. :) The idea that the purpose of school is to prepare students to survive in a cruel system has embedded in it the idea that today's students will have no agency to change that system. I refuse to accept that. https://conches.substack.com/p/we-need-more-don-quixotes
A new AI-school being piloted, Astra, seems to be taking an opt-in approach like you mention: "Astra wants to be that kind of resource in a few ways. It wants students to grapple with technology — weighing in, for example, on tech tools in the classroom and even phone policies. Astra wants phones to be kept in lockers by choice, not top-down edicts. And in general, how tech is changing the world won’t be ignored. It’ll be discussed. Aired out.
During one day of the camp last summer, for instance, Astra held a seminar on 'AI ethics.'" (https://www.piratewires.com/p/astra-academy-school-the-openai-datavant-and-education-vets-rescuing-k-12-from-itself?f=home)
This is very cool! I didn't know about them!!
Are phones like any device you can put away by choice? Especially for teens? Is this backed by research?
I think people are trying to figure that out. I think we’ll quickly find out whether requiring cell phones to be put away is a sustainable approach, especially since many US states are trying to create phone-free spaces in schools.
Interesting perspective! We're still in the early innings of AI where the assumption that AI-free spaces will continue to exist may be overestimating the control we'll have over our lives and how we engage with AI long-term. If we don't deliberately cultivate these AI-free spaces, we risk becoming passive consumers to whatever is put in front of us.
I think that's so true. We need to find ways to create spaces where we actively choose how much technology is in the space and how it's used.
Love this thoughtful piece, Jason!
What if we challenged the thinking behind Premise 2?
The purpose of school is not to prepare students to "function in society," but to "flourish in communities." Begin with the simple question: Will using AI for this task help me, and others around me, to develop, grow, and thrive?
This really resonates with me though I am a bit more quixotic about AI. I see AI as accelerating the wind that blows the windmills that see my students as grist to make the flower that all willingly, lovingly, mix into batter, bake and eat, devour even. Mmmmm, the smell of fresh bread!
It's your syllogism that caused this tortured metaphor so I blame you. :) The idea that the purpose of school is to prepare students to survive in a cruel system has embedded in it the idea that today's students will have no agency to change that system. I refuse to accept that. https://conches.substack.com/p/we-need-more-don-quixotes