DESIGNING EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION ANTICIPATING THE ‘SINGULARITY’ Arthur M. Harkins, Ph.D. (USA) John W. Moravec, Ph.D. (USA)

We thank the conference organizers!

First, a few questions For which century are we educating our children and youth? What is the role of teachers in a rapidly changing, global/solar, knowledge-based economy? Who/what are the teachers of the future? How can education help sustain human innovation?

For which century are we educating our children and youth?

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

Who/what are the teachers of the future?

How can education help sustain human innovation?

About this presentation… We introduce “Sustainable Innovation,” a new mission for formal, informal, and non-formal education

We introduce “Sustainable Innovation,” a new mission for formal, informal, and non-formal education

About this presentation… We state that Sustainable Innovation is necessary to attend to the Technological Singularity , a concept developed by Vernor Vinge and popularized by Ray Kurzweil

We state that Sustainable Innovation is necessary to attend to the Technological Singularity , a concept developed by Vernor Vinge and popularized by Ray Kurzweil

About this presentation… We define the Singularity as an emerging future radically different from the present

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

About this presentation… We project effects of the Singularity through the emergence of Trans-Humanity and Post-Humanity

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

About this presentation… With the Singularity in mind, we connect Sustainable Innovation to all levels of education, with strong emphases on routinely creative children and youth , and on revisions in the capabilities and functions of teachers, hardware, and software

With the Singularity in mind, we connect Sustainable Innovation to all levels of education, with strong emphases on routinely creative children and youth , and on revisions in the capabilities and functions of teachers, hardware, and software

What is Sustainable Innovation? Sustainable Innovation is continuous innovation, unimpeded by factors such as anti-intellectualism, bureaucracy, “tradition,” and ignorance Sustainable Innovation is a necessary response to projected and unanticipated change at all levels of humans and their environments, both Global and Solar

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

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

What is the Singularity? The Singularity is the complex, seemingly chaotic outcome of converging technologies (i.e., nanotechnology, molecular biology, virtual reality, robotics, and neurological implants) … and social change The Singularity is producing Trans-Humans (TH) and within a few decades may be expected to produce Post-Humans (PH)

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

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

Who are the TH? Trans-Humans are among us now They are often children and youth, partnering and evolving with digital and other technologies They may be ordinary adults, partnering with implanted pacemakers, artificial knee joints, or transplanted hearts

Trans-Humans are among us now

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

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

Who are the PH? Post-Humans are projected to emerge when the Singularity has progressed from today through another 3-4 decades Designed to evolve rapidly Post-Humans are projected to be new intelligent species various forms of self-aware Artificial Intelligence

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

Designed to evolve rapidly

Post-Humans are projected to be

new intelligent species

various forms of self-aware Artificial Intelligence

Effects of TH and PH Many of today’s children and youth are becoming practicing Trans-Humans As partners with machines and software, many of these children are beginning to leave their teachers behind Already, virtual environments such as Second Life allow for the design and evolution of improved virtual people

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

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

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

These dynamics mean that some children and youth are actively helping to create the Singularity

A closer look at the Singularity Change has always been with us, but now it is faster and less predictable Humans must evolve their institutions, cultures and behaviors to control their own inventions Because humans attempt to control change, the Singularity evolves ever faster as a chaotic meta-invention

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

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

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

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

Ray Kurzweil’s Law of Accelerating Returns

Accelerating Change, Accelerating Returns Time Level of Advancement J

Attending to the Singularity: the power of ‘Leapfrogging’

Leapfrog! Level of Advancement J Time J’

What does Leapfrog mean? Leapfrog means leadership rather than catching up. One could say that it offers a Great Leapfrog Forward.

Leapfrog means leadership rather than catching up.

One could say that it offers a Great Leapfrog Forward.

How does Leapfrog support Sustainable Innovation? Leapfrog education means using advanced (wireless) technologies to assist students and teachers Leapfrog education technologies permit moving from memorization to creative and innovative knowledge production

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

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

How does Leapfrog apply to education? Knowledge creation is the core of modern innovation societies Schools must learn to serve Sustainable Innovation through new relationships between students and teachers

Knowledge creation is the core of modern innovation societies

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

How does Leapfrog education work? American students read Mandarin Chinese by using special “smart” reading glasses Chinese students read English using “smart” reading glasses The glasses teach the languages

American students read Mandarin Chinese by using special “smart” reading glasses

Chinese students read English using “smart” reading glasses

The glasses teach the languages

How does Leapfrog support Sustainable Innovation? Leapfrog supports Sustainable Innovation by upgrading human capital and human performance in far shorter periods of time Leapfrog permits students of all ages to contribute to Sustainable Innovation through creativity and “instant” competence

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

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

Leapfrog ‘blends’ formal, informal, and non-formal education American students become able to accomplish many things within and beyond traditional, formal education Chinese students do the same The technologies make this possible

American students become able to accomplish many things within and beyond traditional, formal education

Chinese students do the same

The technologies make this possible

‘ Merged’ education formats are essential for Sustainable Innovation in global/solar societies

Leapfrog facilitates these mergers

Education leaders must reorient their policies and practices to attend to rapid advances in technology and the rapid virtualization of learning, living, and working. They must Leapfrog toward Sustainable Innovation.

When schools Leapfrog, they… Balance progress and economic prosperity with maintaining tradition Create new traditions to enable progress and economic prosperity in a globalized and solarized future Align their programs toward the development of global citizens Become entrepreneurial, innovative, and adaptive to their environments through assertive leadership Help create and attend to the Singularity through Sustainable Innovation

Balance progress and economic prosperity with maintaining tradition

Create new traditions to enable progress and economic prosperity in a globalized and solarized future

Align their programs toward the development of global citizens

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

Help create and attend to the Singularity through Sustainable Innovation

When schools Leapfrog, they… Integrate gaming and simulation technologies into teaching and learning practices Allow for student-student and/or student-technology-student knowledge production through information and communications technology systems.

Integrate gaming and simulation technologies into teaching and learning practices

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

Looking Ahead Imagine a global miracle in sustainable innovation… Where your students and teachers are the leaders among knowledge and innovation economies Where no student fails in schools and colleges Where your citizens are the global standard for leading edge Sustainable Innovation development and application

Imagine a global miracle in sustainable innovation…

Where your students and teachers are the leaders among knowledge and innovation economies

Where no student fails in schools and colleges

Where your citizens are the global standard for leading edge Sustainable Innovation development and application

Looking Ahead Imagine your teacher training colleges … As the world’s leading centers of Sustainable Innovation within a decade As one crucial link in a chain of education opportunities for PreK-17 learners amid an ecology of sustainability opportunities Bolstered with advanced networking technologies to support Sustainable Innovation in all levels of education

Imagine your teacher training colleges …

As the world’s leading centers of Sustainable Innovation within a decade

As one crucial link in a chain of education opportunities for PreK-17 learners amid an ecology of sustainability opportunities

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

A new education mission: Sustainable Innovation We partner with technology We nurture Trans-Humanity We radiate education services 24/7 We help children and youth create knowledge and apply it innovatively We respond to and create the Singularity We create and prepare to welcome our new partners and successors, the Post-Humans

We partner with technology

We nurture Trans-Humanity

We radiate education services 24/7

We help children and youth create knowledge and apply it innovatively

We respond to and create the Singularity

We create and prepare to welcome our new partners and successors, the Post-Humans

Continuing the conversation Questions? Workshop by Harkins and Moravec Education Futures (blog) http://www.educationfutures.com This presentation online @

Questions?

Workshop by Harkins and Moravec

Education Futures (blog) http://www.educationfutures.com

This presentation online @