Computer Learning for High School Students and Adults.
Applications Include: Spreadsheets, Photo Editing, Video Production,
Website Development, Coding & AI.
AI and Education
The news is awash these days with stories about Artificial Intelligence, "The AI". Just ask the AI, it'll tell you,: relentless, dominating, disruptive, threat, savior, revolutionary, destructive, empowering, dehumanizing.
So, what is it? The greatest thing since sliced bread or the doom of humanity?
What is Intelligence?
While a catchy moniker, “artificial intelligence” is a pretty meaningless term. Defining “intelligence” is a long standing, ongoing debate in academia. One thing most agree about is that intelligence is real. Whatever AI is or isn’t, it is also real and here to stay.
Saint or Sinner?
The ongoing battle between Polyanna and Chicken Little over AI, is itself causing disruption in just about every sector of human endeavor. No one knows who will win. Everyone knows AI will change a lot of things. The impact on the education of our kids and the retraining of our workforce about AI and how to use AI is enormous.
"There is a tide in the affairs of men". We can swim with it, or against it.
Though in its current evolution AI is actually pretty stupid.
User: How do I change all the files names to lowercase?
AI: Use this regex code …..
User: Did not work.
AI: Do you want to know an easier way?
User: Uhhhh ... YEAH!
AI: Click the ‘aa’ button.
User: What the …..
A more descriptive term would be machine or digital reasoning as opposed to human or animal intelligence. But “AI” has become so ubiquitous, so AI it is.
The Future?
AI is reshaping education - curricula, teaching methods, student learning, administration, ethics, privacy. Yet many proven traditional approaches still work. AI should not be a solution looking for a problem.
Schools are adapting quickly, teachers are navigating new demands, parents are looking for guidance and students are concerned about what their futures will look like. Maine Excels was started to help give students, parents, and teachers the tools, skills, experience and confidence to shape what comes next — instead of just absorbing it.
Only the future is at stake. Let’s figure it out together.
