Lf And Singularity

Leapfrogging in Education, Leapfrogging in Education, Society, and Economy: Some Society, and Economy: Some

Necessary ChangesNecessary Changes

Arthur Harkins, Ph.D. Arthur Harkins, Ph.D.

John Moravec, Ph.D.John Moravec, Ph.D.

First, a few questionsFirst, a few questions

• For which century are we educating our For which century are we educating our children and youth? children and youth?

• What is the role of teachers in a rapidly What is the role of teachers in a rapidly changing, global/solar, knowledge-based changing, global/solar, knowledge-based economy? economy?

• Who/what are the teachers of the future?Who/what are the teachers of the future?

• How can education help sustain human How can education help sustain human innovation?innovation?

About this presentation… About this presentation…

We introduce “Sustainable We introduce “Sustainable Innovation,” a new mission Innovation,” a new mission

for formal, informal, and for formal, informal, and non-formal educationnon-formal education


We state that Sustainable We state that Sustainable Innovation is necessary to Innovation is necessary to

respond to the respond to the Technological Technological SingularitySingularity, a concept , a concept

developed by Vernor Vinge and developed by Vernor Vinge and popularized by Ray Kurzweilpopularized by Ray Kurzweil


We define the Singularity as We define the Singularity as an emerging future radically an emerging future radically different from the presentdifferent from the present


We project effects of the We project effects of the Singularity through the Singularity through the emergence of Trans-emergence of Trans-Humanity and Post-Humanity and Post-

HumanityHumanity


With the Singularity in mind, we With the Singularity in mind, we connect Sustainable Innovation to connect Sustainable Innovation to all levels of education, with strong all levels of education, with strong

emphases on emphases on routinely creative routinely creative children and youthchildren and youth, and on , and on

revisions in the capabilities and revisions in the capabilities and functions of teachers, hardware, functions of teachers, hardware,

and softwareand software

What is Sustainable What is Sustainable Innovation?Innovation?• Sustainable Innovation is Sustainable Innovation is continuouscontinuous

innovation, unimpeded by factors such innovation, unimpeded by factors such as anti-intellectualism, bureaucracy, as anti-intellectualism, bureaucracy, “tradition,” and ignorance“tradition,” and ignorance

• Sustainable Innovation is a necessary Sustainable Innovation is a necessary response to projected and unanticipated response to projected and unanticipated change at all levels of humans and their change at all levels of humans and their environments, both Global and Solarenvironments, both Global and Solar

What is the Singularity?What is the Singularity?

• The Singularity is the complex, seemingly The Singularity is the complex, seemingly chaotic outcome of converging chaotic outcome of converging technologies (i.e., nanotechnology, technologies (i.e., nanotechnology, molecular biology, virtual reality, molecular biology, virtual reality, robotics, and neurological implants) … robotics, and neurological implants) … and social changeand social change

• The Singularity is producing Trans-The Singularity is producing Trans-Humans (TH) and within a few decades Humans (TH) and within a few decades may be expected to produce Post-may be expected to produce Post-Humans (PH)Humans (PH)

Who are the TH?Who are the TH?

• Trans-Humans are among us nowTrans-Humans are among us now

• They are often children and youth, They are often children and youth, partnering and evolving with digital partnering and evolving with digital and other technologiesand other technologies

• They may be ordinary adults, They may be ordinary adults, partnering with implanted partnering with implanted pacemakers, artificial knee joints, or pacemakers, artificial knee joints, or transplanted hearts transplanted hearts

Who are the PH?Who are the PH?

• Post-Humans are projected to emerge Post-Humans are projected to emerge when the Singularity has progressed when the Singularity has progressed from today through another 3-4 from today through another 3-4 decadesdecades

• Designed to evolve rapidlyDesigned to evolve rapidly

• Post-Humans are projected to bePost-Humans are projected to be

1.1.new intelligent speciesnew intelligent species

2.2.various forms of self-aware various forms of self-aware Artificial IntelligenceArtificial Intelligence

Effects of TH and PHEffects of TH and PH

• Many of today’s children and youth are Many of today’s children and youth are becoming practicing Trans-Humansbecoming practicing Trans-Humans

• As partners with machines and As partners with machines and software, many of these children are software, many of these children are beginning to leave their teachers behindbeginning to leave their teachers behind

• Already, virtual environments such as Already, virtual environments such as Second LifeSecond Life allow for the design and allow for the design and evolution of improved virtual peopleevolution of improved virtual people

These dynamics mean These dynamics mean that some children and that some children and

youth are actively helping youth are actively helping to create the Singularityto create the Singularity

A closer look at the A closer look at the SingularitySingularity

• Change has always been with us, but Change has always been with us, but now it is faster and less predictablenow it is faster and less predictable

• Humans must evolve their Humans must evolve their institutions, cultures and behaviors institutions, cultures and behaviors to control their own inventionsto control their own inventions

• Because humans attempt to control Because humans attempt to control change, the Singularity evolves ever change, the Singularity evolves ever faster as a chaotic meta-inventionfaster as a chaotic meta-invention

Chaotic dynamics are Chaotic dynamics are the sources of Trans- the sources of Trans- and Post-Humanityand Post-Humanity

Ray Kurzweil’s Law Ray Kurzweil’s Law of Accelerating of Accelerating

ReturnsReturns

Accelerating Change,Accelerating Change,Accelerating ReturnsAccelerating Returns

TimeTime

Level of Advancement Level of AdvancementJ

Attending to the Attending to the Singularity:Singularity:the power of the power of

‘Leapfrogging’‘Leapfrogging’

Leapfrog!Leapfrog!

Level of Advancement Level of AdvancementJ

TimeTime

J’

What does Leapfrog mean?What does Leapfrog mean?

• Leapfrog means leadership rather Leapfrog means leadership rather than catching up. than catching up.

• One could say that it offers a Great One could say that it offers a Great Leapfrog Forward.Leapfrog Forward.

How does Leapfrog support How does Leapfrog support Sustainable Innovation?Sustainable Innovation?

• Leapfrog education means using Leapfrog education means using advanced (wireless) technologies to advanced (wireless) technologies to assist students and teachersassist students and teachers

• Leapfrog education technologies permit Leapfrog education technologies permit moving from memorization to creative moving from memorization to creative and innovative knowledge productionand innovative knowledge production

How does Leapfrog apply to How does Leapfrog apply to education?education?

• Knowledge creation is the core of Knowledge creation is the core of modern innovation societiesmodern innovation societies

• Schools must learn to serve Schools must learn to serve Sustainable Innovation through new Sustainable Innovation through new relationships between students and relationships between students and teachersteachers

How does Leapfrog education How does Leapfrog education work?work?

• North/South American students read Mandarin North/South American students read Mandarin Chinese by using special “smart” reading Chinese by using special “smart” reading glassesglasses

• Chinese students read English and Spanish Chinese students read English and Spanish using “smart” reading glassesusing “smart” reading glasses

• The glasses teach the languagesThe glasses teach the languages

How does Leapfrog support How does Leapfrog support Sustainable Innovation?Sustainable Innovation?

• Leapfrog supports Sustainable Innovation Leapfrog supports Sustainable Innovation by upgrading human capital and human by upgrading human capital and human performance in far shorter periods of timeperformance in far shorter periods of time

• Leapfrog permits students of all ages to Leapfrog permits students of all ages to contribute to Sustainable Innovation contribute to Sustainable Innovation through creativity and “instant” through creativity and “instant” competencecompetence

Leapfrog ‘blends’ formal, Leapfrog ‘blends’ formal, informal,informal,and non-formal educationand non-formal education

• North/South American students become North/South American students become able to accomplish many things within able to accomplish many things within and beyondand beyond traditional, formal education traditional, formal education

• Chinese students do the sameChinese students do the same

• The technologies make this possibleThe technologies make this possible

‘‘Merged’ education Merged’ education formatsformats

are essential for are essential for Sustainable Innovation in Sustainable Innovation in

global/solar societiesglobal/solar societies

Leapfrog facilitates Leapfrog facilitates these mergersthese mergers

Education leaders must Education leaders must reorient their policies and reorient their policies and

practices to practices to attendattend to rapid to rapid advances in technology and advances in technology and the rapid virtualization of the rapid virtualization of

learning, living, and learning, living, and working.working.

They must Leapfrog toward They must Leapfrog toward Sustainable Innovation.Sustainable Innovation.

When schools Leapfrog, When schools Leapfrog, they…they…

1.1. Balance progress and economic prosperity with Balance progress and economic prosperity with maintaining traditionmaintaining tradition

2.2. Create new traditions to enable progress and Create new traditions to enable progress and economic prosperity in a globalized and solarized economic prosperity in a globalized and solarized futurefuture

3.3. Align their programs toward the development of Align their programs toward the development of global citizensglobal citizens

4.4. Become entrepreneurial, innovative, and adaptive Become entrepreneurial, innovative, and adaptive to their environments through assertive leadershipto their environments through assertive leadership

5.5. Help create and attend to the Singularity through Help create and attend to the Singularity through Sustainable InnovationSustainable Innovation

When schools Leapfrog, When schools Leapfrog, they…they…1.1. Integrate modeling, simulation, and gaming Integrate modeling, simulation, and gaming

technologies into teaching and learning technologies into teaching and learning practicespractices

2.2. Allow for student-student and/or student-Allow for student-student and/or student-technology-student knowledge production technology-student knowledge production through information and communications through information and communications technology systems.technology systems.

Looking AheadLooking Ahead

Imagine a global miracle in sustainable Imagine a global miracle in sustainable innovation…innovation…

• Where our students and teachers are the Where our students and teachers are the leaders among knowledge and innovation leaders among knowledge and innovation economieseconomies

• Where no student fails in schools and Where no student fails in schools and collegescolleges

• Where our citizens are the global standard Where our citizens are the global standard for leading edge Sustainable Innovation for leading edge Sustainable Innovation development and applicationdevelopment and application

Looking AheadLooking Ahead

Imagine our teacher training collegesImagine our teacher training colleges……• As the world’s leading centers of As the world’s leading centers of

Sustainable Innovation within a decadeSustainable Innovation within a decade• As one crucial link in a chain of education As one crucial link in a chain of education

opportunities for PreK-17 learners amid an opportunities for PreK-17 learners amid an ecology of sustainability opportunitiesecology of sustainability opportunities

• Bolstered with advanced networking Bolstered with advanced networking technologies to support Sustainable technologies to support Sustainable Innovation in all levels of educationInnovation in all levels of education

A new education mission: A new education mission: Sustainable InnovationSustainable Innovation

• You partner with technologyYou partner with technology

• You nurture Trans-HumanityYou nurture Trans-Humanity

• You radiate education services 24/7You radiate education services 24/7

• You help children and youth create You help children and youth create knowledge and apply it innovativelyknowledge and apply it innovatively

• You respond to and create the SingularityYou respond to and create the Singularity

• You create and prepare to welcome your You create and prepare to welcome your new partners and successors, the Post-new partners and successors, the Post-HumansHumans

Continuing the conversationContinuing the conversation

1.1. Questions?Questions?

2.2. Education FuturesEducation Futures

http://www.educationfutures.comhttp://www.educationfutures.com

Technology

Lf And Singularity