The Impact of Disruptive Enabling Technologies on Creative Education

The 3rd International Conference on Creative Education (ICCE 2017) is due to take place in Kuala Lumpur on March 3rd. The conference is an ideal opportunity to share ideas and debate on how disruptive technologies have had an impact on the way we learn and the approach educators need to adopt to meet the needs of 21st century education.

The enabling technologies which are rapidly developing and maturing since the advent of Web 2.0 have given learners greater access to information on a 24/7 basis, making them less dependent on the traditional model of teaching i.e. based on the transfer of knowledge from Human Subject Matter Experts. In making learners more able to be self-directed, these technologies have also facilitated the growth in peer to peer learning and experiential learning. The richness of digital media technologies and the techniques employed by the video games industry to engage, challenge and interact have also raised the expectations of learners and made them less tolerant of traditional classroom-based teaching.

These same technologies which include artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, cloud computing, Internet of Things, are also transforming the social and economic landscape and reducing employment opportunities for “knowledge professionals” in virtually all public and private sectors, raising questions about how we should link education policies to the needs of tomorrow’s society. Should we focus on developing the cognitive and intellectual competences of the next generation of students or should we take a radical view of what human skills are likely to be in demand in the 21st century, which may mean a focus on vocational education.

There is little doubt that Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 concepts provide frameworks for empowering learner creativity and collaboration but what key technologies available now and/or tomorrow will not only develop learners in the most effective and appropriate way but also build a sustainable, equitable and peaceful society?