The convergence of big data and machine learning with sensor technologies has led to an increasingly data-driven world. To raise awareness about the impact of big data, learning analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) on daily life, their implications for education and employment, as well as what people can do to manage disruptions brought on by these phenomena, a half-day programme was organised by the Office of Education Research (OER) on 27 April 2018 for 26 NIE appointment holders.
The session began with a presentation by Mr Koo Seng Meng, Deputy Director of Strategic Alliances at AI Singapore, about the growth of AI and its prevalence in everyday lives. Good examples, such as spam filters as well as fraud and anomaly detection, were cited during his talk. | Read More |
Dr Harold Chan, Assistant Director at NTU’s Data Science and AI Research Centre, then spoke about the potential disruptions that AI can bring to the healthcare, finance and services sectors. He also shared about what NTU has done in the fields of AI and data science, highlighting the need for more AI talent globally and the types of employment opportunities available for AI talents – such as data analysts, data scientists, machine learning engineers and business intelligence developers.
The third speaker, Dr George Siemens, Director, Centre for Change and Complexity in Learning, University of South Australia, presented on the implications of AI for education and the competencies that learners will require in the digital age. He also spoke about how AI will outdo humans in technical activities and the importance of ‘human’ skills – such as self-regulation, creativity, critical thinking – in enabling students to manage the disruptions brought about by AI.
In the second half of the session, the NIE participants broke out into discussions groups to discuss the impact of AI, big data and learning analytics on teacher education, teacher learning as well as educational research and administration.