I was interviewed recently by Cecília Tomás, a Ph.D. student at Universidade Aberta, the Portuguese Open University, for her thesis on the Internet of Things. In particular, she asked for my views of how automation and AI are likely to impact on security, privacy, interaction, and personalization in education.
I warned her that I’m not an expert on the Internet of Things, but I was willing to give my views on the pros and cons of automation and AI in education. In particular I pointed to:
- the importance of agency in education, and how AI and automation could undermine that;
- the need for designers of AI and automation in education to understand better how learning works and in particular the essential role of humans in fostering learning;
- how AI would be very dangerous in education unless it is value-based and transparent.
Cecília kindly gave me permission to make the interview available. It can be accessed from here, either as an audio/podcast or as a recorded Zoom video.
Dr. Tony Bates is the author of eleven books in the field of online learning and distance education. He has provided consulting services specializing in training in the planning and management of online learning and distance education, working with over 40 organizations in 25 countries. Tony is a Research Associate with Contact North | Contact Nord, Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network.
