The Singularity is upon us.
The idea of Singularity has been around for several decades and popularized by science fiction writers such as Vernor Vinge and Ray Kurzweil to describe a time when technological progress would become so rapid that it would be impossible to predict what would come next source. Kurzweil expanded on this idea in his book “The Singularity Is Near”, arguing that we are approaching a point where machines will surpass human intelligence, leading to a radical transformation of society.
I have recently, like many others, started using Obsidian to keep track of my daily activities and organize the subjects I'm keeping track of. As you can see below, it has become a tangled web of links and relations that is growing at an astounding pace.
The speed at which individuals are required to process new information to stay relevant in the modern world constantly increases exponentially. Tools like AI assistants will lift heavy loads to organize individual and collective knowledge bases. With that in mind, we must rethink the role of education in our society to adapt to this new paradigm.
The problem with traditional Education.
From its roots in ancient civilizations to the modern era, higher education has always strived to serve as a beacon of knowledge and skill development. Traditional education models, designed centuries ago, have proven to be robust and effective in many respects. However, these traditional, syllabus-based structures have often struggled to keep pace with the rapid advancements of technology, and this disparity has become more evident in the digital age.
The rise of the internet and digital technologies has significantly transformed various sectors and industries, increasingly shaping how we work, live, and learn. Knowledge today is growing exponentially, and the demands of the workforce are changing at an unprecedented pace, which requires a more agile and flexible approach to education. The traditional syllabus, with its fixed curriculum and periodic updates, often fails to accommodate this rapid pace of change, making it challenging for graduates to remain competitive and relevant in the job market.
Furthermore, the digital age has also ushered in an era of information abundance and easily accessible online resources, which challenges the traditional 'sage on the stage teaching model. Despite this, many institutions of higher learning continue to prioritize traditional classroom-based learning and have been relatively slow in integrating digital technologies and innovative pedagogies into their teaching practices.
This is a missed opportunity, as online and blended learning could offer more flexible, personalized, and learner-centered education experiences. Therefore, while higher education has made some strides in adjusting to the digital age, it still has a long way to go in fully embracing the opportunities presented by modern technology.
We cannot wait until higher education takes note of what is happening. We must take action in our own hands and make learning the core of the human experience. There is no difference between work, play, and learning if it is set up properly. Here's our attempt.
The New Academy
"The School of Athens" by Raphael represents his idyllic vision of Plato's Academy. Plato's Academy was an open space for anyone to come and help create knowledge.
This is not a scene of a lecture with Plato imparting knowledge to his pupils. You see, everyone is represented in equal standing, and you can identify several groups of people immersed in debate or research.
Since seeing it myself, I've been thinking incessantly about returning education to these fundamental principles. This is my first attempt to put it all into words. But I want to start a discussion that hopefully creates my desired dynamic.
I prompt, therefore I am
AI-Generated Study Guides.
While most of the attention regarding AI applications has been around knowledge retrieval and content creation, I believe there's an even greater potential for AI in making questions rather than answering them.
I've created a starting point syllabus and uploaded it on this webpage This syllabus was created using chatGPT. I made a list of topics and asked it to create a syllabus for each of them, comprising a course. I was then asked to create the course material and questions for the first class.
Metaverse Multiplayer Online Learning
We collaborate in gather which we call our little corner of the metaverse.
Our goal is to be a coordination point for learning. Here's some possible activities that #TheNerdLabs can organize to assist your learning experience:
-> Discussion panels and lectures with experts
-> Coding tutorials
-> Blog posts and explainers
-> Content curation: relevant videos, posts, and threads from across the web
-> Content hackathons
A teacherless experience.
These classes are meant to be approached as a team experience. The questions presented are just starting points for a dialogue that should lead to even more questions and, hopefully, some answers about the topic.
At the end of the week, each member should be able to write an essay about their conversations. Providing their unique point of view to their insights. This would create the starting ground for the New Academy, where we can explore and create knowledge together, producing the next great thinkers of our age.
Join me.
You can find the nerds in telegram