Monthly Archives: May 2023

ChatGPT can’t think – consciousness is something entirely different to today’s AI

ChatGPT can’t think – consciousness is something entirely different to today’s AI

There has been shock around the world at the rapid rate of progress with ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence created with what’s known as large language models (LLMs). These systems can produce text that seems to display thought, understanding and even creativity. But can these systems really think and understand? This is not a question that can […] … learn more→

Attacks on ‘segregated’ graduation ceremonies overlook the history of racism on campus

Attacks on ‘segregated’ graduation ceremonies overlook the history of racism on campus

For most college students, graduation is a one-time event. But for a growing number of students from various groups, such as students of color or LGTBQ students, there might be multiple graduation ceremonies to attend. These special graduation ceremonies for certain groups are known as “affinity graduations.” These ceremonies are drawing the ire of conservatives, who […] … learn more→

Is it beneficial to read aloud in class?

Is it beneficial to read aloud in class?

Our cultural tradition gives more weight to individual reading and writing than to the art of oral discourse. In schools and institutes, the teaching of written communication prevails over oral text or reading aloud. In fact, it seems that, as a classroom activity, listening to a person (student or teacher) read aloud is an outdated or boring […] … learn more→

AI: evolution is making us treat it like a human, and we need to kick the habit

AI: evolution is making us treat it like a human, and we need to kick the habit

The artificial intelligence (AI) pioneer Geoffrey Hinton recently resigned from Google, warning of the dangers of the technology “becoming more intelligent than us”. His fear is that AI will one day succeed in “manipulating people to do what it wants”. There are reasons we should be concerned about AI. But we frequently treat or talk about AIs […] … learn more→

Esol English classes are crucial for migrant integration, yet challenges remain unaddressed

Esol English classes are crucial for migrant integration, yet challenges remain unaddressed

In the year ending September 2022, more than 70,000 people had claimed asylum in the UK. The vast majority were from countries that do not use English as a first language. Being able to communicate in English is essential for newly arrived migrants. People who have gone through traumatic experiences are, understandably, often desperate to build new […] … learn more→

Maths for boys, French for girls? How gender stereotypes are perpetuated in school

Maths for boys, French for girls? How gender stereotypes are perpetuated in school

Do gender stereotypes enter the school preferences of French pupils? A study conducted in 2005 showed that they strongly influenced the perceptions that CM2 pupils (10-11 years old) have of school subjects . Thus, boys tended to value mathematics and physical education and sports lessons, while girls valued French lessons and reading and written expression work. How have things evolved […] … learn more→

It’s important to rethink the purpose of university education – a philosopher of education explains why

It’s important to rethink the purpose of university education – a philosopher of education explains why

Most philosophers of education or philosophically inclined scholars of education in the past century and a half would agree with the claim that, ideally, education should be the practice of freedom. That is, it ought to cultivate the ability to intelligently decide how we want to shape our lives. The aim of education should be […] … learn more→

Australia has way more PhD graduates than academic jobs. Here’s how to rethink doctoral degrees

Australia has way more PhD graduates than academic jobs. Here’s how to rethink doctoral degrees

One of the key reasons for doing a a doctoral research degree or PhD is to pursue an academic career. But this dream is becoming increasingly far-fetched, due to a decline in academic positions and a steady increase in Australians undertaking PhDs. The number of PhD completions has been steadily growing over the past two decades, from […] … learn more→

“The other side of words”: Algocracy

“The other side of words”: Algocracy

Made up of algo , apocope of algorithm , and the suffix -cracy (which comes from the Greek kratos , power), algocracy is a term that has emerged in recent years to designate the new political system in which we would have entered. A system in which algorithms – the elementary steps of calculations used to solve a problem, such as answering a query on a search […] … learn more→

We need to prepare for the public safety hazards posed by artificial intelligence

We need to prepare for the public safety hazards posed by artificial intelligence

For the most part, the focus of contemporary emergency management has been on natural, technological and human-made hazards such as flooding, earthquakes, tornadoes, industrial accidents, extreme weather events and cyber attacks. However, with the increase in the availability and capabilities of artificial intelligence, we may soon see emerging public safety hazards related to these technologies that we […] … learn more→