The purpose of Is Artificial Intelligence in School the Smart Thing To Do?, is to not only fulfill the partial requirements for the Digital Futures in Education course at the University of Edinburgh, but to prompt and encourage discussion regarding the immersion of technology into the school setting. It is understood that technology in the form of Smartphones, PowerPoint, etc., is already standard, emerging technologies that are now blending and blurring the human-machine experience are fast arriving on the education scene. It is hoped this book will encourage us to think about some of those technologies not only in the sense of using them for learning, but perhaps look deeper into the ethics and as of now unforeseen, consequences of actively promoting what some may believe as the next step of human evolution, that of the Posthumanist-Transhumanist Era.
I have used Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, as the foundation for this work. Frankenstein has been used in literature classes for generations as an example of classical Gothic literature. Its full social application is overlooked however, in terms of applying it to other facets of our culture, and especially the progression of educational pedagogy.
Scientists today are still seeking the secrets to life. More of a reality now than in Shelley’s novel, the breaking of the DNA code and developments in DNA engineering, bio-mechanics and neuro-mechanics have enabled researchers to intertwine the elements of humans and machines, creating a potentially new race of humans that will transcend what we are now. As we will see in subsequent chapters science-fiction authors such as Isaac Asimov and others wrote about a future where humans and machines evolved together, not unlike what science is developing today. This project seeks to briefly portray some of the advances that have been made in recent years and what these may mean not only to humans in general, but to our schools in particular, as we attempt to tap into the vast stores of knowledge now so abundantly available.
At the end of each chapter you will read the ACTIVITY prompt and enter your response in the reply section.
ACTIVITY: In the comment section briefly describe or explain your view of how humans may evolve. Try and focus on your understanding of transhuman/posthuman theories where you see humanity in 25 years.
