CLOUD | What can disruptive technologies bring to education?
The CLOUD is a flagship magazine published by UNESCO-ICHEI since 2021, aiming to build a platform that connects professionals in the realm of global higher education by sharing knowledge, project updates, data and best practices related to the digital transformation of global higher education. The name CLOUD symbolises a global network for knowledge sharing driven by Information and Communications Technology (ICT). As of September 2022, CLOUD has published six issues that covered various subjects such as digital transformation strategies for higher education, capacity building for university teachers, and quality assurance systems in higher education.
UNESCO-ICHEI interviews World Bank Senior Education Specialist
Cristóbal Cobo (Juan Cristóbal Cobo Romaní) is a Senior Education Specialist at the World Bank Group and a core member of the World Bank's global EdTech team, where Dr. Cobo focuses on the effective and appropriate use of new technologies in education in middle- and low-income countries and emerging markets around the world. In this session of CLOUD Guest interview, let's explore an inspiring conversation with Dr. Cristóbal Cobo, to envision the education future with ChatGPT, disruptive technologies, and a landscape for UNESCO and its related global stakeholders about how to lead a rigorous pathway with collective efforts.
01
Envisioning the futures of
Technologies in Educaion
图片来源：freepik
When
we're talking about applying technology to education today, ChatGPT, for example, there are many comments or opinions discussing on whether the technology could empower education professionals or with more opportunities, with higher efficiencies or whether the high tech might actually be replacing humans in the education field or even dominate the narratives of education. What are your suggestions for getting along with such a rapid change?
Education always navigates the tension between cutting edge technology and the traditions that our institutions carry out. It means that while institutions are building knowledge "on the shoulders of giants", at the same time, they are also a lighthouse to explore what will be the future and what is beyond the horizon. We have to understand that the ethos of the university always has thnis tension. On the one side, it looks forward, but at the same time, it brings the enlightenment of ideas from the past to the future. I think this tension is beautiful, but at the same time, it's natural in the conflicts that we are encountering today between technological disruption and education.
Picture: Freepik
It has been announced many times polarising the position between lost jobs or new jobs. I think we must be more creative than simply saying 'humans versus machine: who is going to win that contest?'. I prefer the idea of humans plus machines working together. It is easier said than done, though. Probably in 2 or 3 more years, not many will be talking about ChatGPT (or similar generative technologies). After all, it won't be a novel thing anymore. People will probably assimilate the generative technologies in their work and social practices and move into a different discussion. I think there are a lot of lessons in many areas that we should take into perspective. And Marshall McLuhan used to say " We drive into the future using only our rearview mirror". And I think it's a good idea to have a look at this rearview mirror to keep the perspective.
02
the Digital Divide &
Teachers' Capacity Building
In the post-pandemic era, do you forecast the current digital divide among different education systems will persist,though we expect an equitable innovative disruption in the future? What kind of key digital capacities should the teaching professionals,especially university teachers, have or prioritise to reduce the digital gap and to pursue an equitable education in the future?
Picture: IIOE
Let's start with the digital divide, and then we go to the question about capacity. One of the interesting things about "divide" is, that it is basically a moving target, as many other things related to development. At some point, to feel "included" was in fact having access to electricity, and then it expanded to having access to connectivity, and then it transitioned into having access to a core set of digital skills. Now, you might have all those things, but if you do not have a basic literacy in terms of AI in the forthcoming years you could be completely excluded.
Picture: World Bank
In relation to your question about capacity, what is the main skill that I consider a big enabler? I believe that teaching professionals have a fascinating role that is not only being the messengers of new content on certain knowledge, but also teaching to be "coders" and "decoders" of knowledge. University professionals are exposed to a huge amount of information every day, and they need to be able to distinguish the difference between views and facts.
It is a very challenging and at the same time a fascinating topic about mitigating digital gaps in education because governments, education institutions, and other organisations need to calibrate all the time what it means to be included (and how to avoid exclusion). If we don't take those additional measures, we might end up (without even wanting it) expanding inequities. Now, even in an environment where access to infrastructure and basic knowledge are in place, we might stagnate and replicate obsolete models of education.Change resistance can also happen in fully digital environments.
03
Prospective Practices of International
Organisations and its Global Stakeholders
What role do you believe international organisations, such as UNESCO, can play in the digital transformation of higher education, especially compared with local governments and policymakers? Also, how can international organisations' involvement contribute to shaping policies and practices that will uphold the right to education in this digital era?
In a nutshell, UNESCO and organisations alike can help to build the "architecture of the future", although that architecture might not be visible to everybody at the same time.It is helpful to lay the foundations for where the coming generation will stand. An example that many are familiar with are the sustainable development goals (SDGs), where you define challenges that are the result of very large consultations with experts and non-experts, academics and people from the street. Then, a way of structuring those goals is based on priorities that help countries, academia, multilaterals and civil society to navigate together.
Picture: United Nations
The only way to achieve sustainability andd consistency will be to work on long term agendas. The key of success is to define common goals that go beyond a specific interest. When we study outstanding education systems from the last half of century, we learn they succeeded,among other aspects, because they aligned different parties, visions, or perspectives. In that sense, UNESCO is a major lighthouse for education today and tomorrow. I'm all about long term changes, which doesn't mean that we cannot change things in the short term.The challenge is to be open to new changes, but at the same time having a clear navigation route for the future. In that sense, I think UNESCO is a strong player that really helps us look at education, from the perspective of the future.
UNESCO-ICHEI Empowers Partner Universities in Developing Countries to Jointly Move towards the Digital Future of Higher Education
Knowledge Production
Capacity
Building
Technical
Support
Information
Sharing
UNESCO-ICHEI is dedicated to bringing world-leading practices and insights from scholars and experts in the field of higher education digital transformation, international higher education management, teacher training and capacity-building fields. Through a series of international public welfare cooperation and teacher digital ability training projects, such as smart classrooms and IIOE micro-certification, UNESCO-ICHEI promotes partner universities to carry out education digital transformation and related governance work tailored to local conditions through national consultation and localization strategies, enhance the application concept of technology-enabled higher education in developing countries, and open educational resources based on the "co-consultation, co-development, and co-sharing" principle, in promoting quality, equitable higher education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.
The content of this article is compiled from the preparation content of UNESCO-ICHEI‘s flagship publication CLOUD. Click to read previous issues.
Interviewer：HUANG Chen
Editor：YANG Lan
Proofreading: CUI Yijia
Review：KPCC