126. Beyond the Hype: Rethinking Education in the Age of AI

Artificial intelligence is advancing at an extraordinary pace, and education is being reshaped whether we are ready for it or not. In this episode, we discuss a new and fascinating book on this topic — Artificial Intelligence in Education: The Intersection of Technology and Pedagogy. The contributors are experts from around the world who are both educators and technically proficient. I’m joined by the editors of the book, who are leading experts in the field of learning technologies. Dr. Peter Ilic is a Senior Associate Professor in the Center for Language Research at the University of Aizu in Japan. Dr. Imogen Casebourne is the research lead at the Innovation Lab at the Digital Education Futures Initiative (DEFI) at Cambridge University. Prof. Rupert Wegerif is Professor of Education in the Faculty of have Education at the University of Cambridge and the founder and academic director of the Digital Education Futures Initiative (DEFI) at Hughes Hall, Cambridge University. The book and this conversation sit at the intersection, and sometimes the tension, between technologists and educators. Historically, educational technologies promised transformation but often end up reinforcing outdated models of learning. AI poses a new challenge that is fundamentally changing education. Together, we explore why simply adding AI to existing systems doesn’t work, why dialogue between technology and pedagogy is now urgent, and how approaches like design-based research can help us develop educational AI more responsibly. We also discuss what it might mean to move toward a more dialogic understanding of education, one focused less on the transmission of knowledge and more on collaboration, problem-solving, and learning with both people and technology. At its core, this episode is a call for collaboration between educators, technologists, and policymakers and for taking an active role in shaping the future of AI in education, rather than being shaped by it. Links: Book: Artificial Intelligence in Education: The Intersection of Technology and Pedagogy https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-71232-6 Dr. Peter Ilic: https://u-aizu.ac.jp/research/faculty/detail?lng=en&cd=90119 Dr. Imogen Casebourne: https://www.deficambridge.org/people/imogen-casebourne/ Prof. Rupert Wegerif: https://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/people/staff/wegerif/