We’ve had a rich few days to consider what we mean by “education at a crossroads”. Sincere thanks to all our speakers and moderators for the insights and perspectives you’ve so generously shared.

What’s become clear is that when we say education is at a crossroads, this reflects the fact that humanity itself is at a crossroads. Technology, geopolitics, demographics, and climate are changing in rapid and destabilizing ways. So, how can education be a stabilizing force for humanity in the face of this disruption? And not just be a stabilizing force, but also help us navigate the path ahead.

 

1. Prepare learners for uncertainty on the path ahead

It is vital that young people learn how to learn (through acquiring critical thinking skills, for example); and importantly, that they learn to adapt. Because there is so much uncertainty in what lies ahead, and what the landscape of jobs will look like even a few years from now.

We need to prepare learners not just for exams but for life: to navigate ambiguity and to build a sense of self that is grounded in place, language, and connection.

Fundamentally, it is the attributes of empathy, creativity, and critical thinking that are coming increasingly to the fore as cornerstones of humanity — of being a global citizen — to be nurtured through education. The ability to see the world through different lenses, and to see ourselves in the mirror of others. How we teach and nurture these skills and attributes, how we assess and value them, is where some of the big questions lie ahead.

 

2. Recognize who can be our guides on this journey

We need to appreciate the importance of having leaders on the path ahead who young people can follow, who they can relate to, who’ve been through what they’re going through. Lived experience has power, and it enables young people to find connection.

We’ve heard examples from our speakers of how the power of lived experience can be unlocked. These success stories are often hard-won. Why? Because local knowledge and the expertise that comes from lived experience are too often undervalued, because of narrow, elitist views of who is the so-called “expert”. In this new era, we need to reframe what we mean by “the expert” in education, not as the holders of knowledge, but as guides.

 

3. (An African proverb which says) “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”

Education is a community endeavor. We have a collective responsibility to navigate this new era in education, as this will have profound consequences for all our futures and those of our children. This responsibility is held at the global and national level, but also at the local level — where, as a community, we need to get behind teachers and school leaders who are carrying a heavy burden at this crossroads.

AI can be used to reduce the burden on teachers by solving repetitive tasks like grading and routine assessments, and so freeing teachers’ time for mentoring, listening, and guiding. In this way, technology can be deployed in the service of human connection, not as a replacement.

 

4. Successful AI is intentional and human-led

If we are to succeed in AI being human-led, then we need to move beyond AI literacy to AI competency in education.

We need to think about how we build these AI competencies and also how we assess them — not only in terms of outcomes (conventional education assessment), but in terms of readiness (job-related AI skills).

We must also consider how we embed equity and ethics in the development of AI competencies. Not just in access to AI and technology, which of course is a source of major inequity across the world, but also the principle of equity within AI itself. It means we need global governance mechanisms that can enforce equity by ethical design.

Our relationship with AI forces us to confront many of these issues at this crossroads in education — to find the point of harmony between technology and humanity.

 

5. Education can steer us towards a more equitable, just, and hopeful world

It can, yes. But only if we are prepared to steer education through this crossroads.

And this is where I believe the Yidan Prize has such an important role to play. The Yidan Prize is a lighthouse, illuminating research and practice in education that is transformative and future-oriented. It is a beacon for a better world, lighting the way ahead.

The growing Yidan Prize community brings together individuals from different disciplines and representing diverse perspectives, and all united in our belief in the possibility of creating a better world through education. And we take on the responsibility for making that happen.

 

——
Lucy Lake
Director of Global Engagement, Yidan Prize Foundation;
2020 Yidan Prize for Education Development Laureate