In the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education, could teaching students creativity through design thinking be the key to unlocking the potential of AI? Let’s explore this compelling possibility.
As director of Stanford University’s AIRE initiative, Dr. Li Jiang’s job is to stay on top of the latest developments in artificial intelligence. And he believes the era of AI is not ten years into the future. “It’s started already,” he says. (00:37)
It’s a scary thought, which understandably has led to some people trying to ignore the new technology. But Dr. Jiang warns that it is a dangerous approach to take. AI is potentially one of the most powerful tools ever invented by humans. If you’re not using it, you won’t be able to compete with others who do.
He gives three key elements for mastering AI:
If humans can use AI to its full potential, Dr. Jiang sees a future in which the two can co-exist. But in the present, it’s already starting to make a huge impact in one industry in particular: education.
We’re already starting to see the impact of AI technologies such as ChatGPT in education. Nothing stops students from using AI tools on homework assignments, and it has already proven capable of passing a range of graduate-level exams. This has left colleges and universities questioning how they should approach the technology.
In his Stanford classes, Dr. Jiang takes a novel approach to ChatGPT. Instead of warning his students not to use it, he actively encourages them to work with the technology. Why? Because we must learn how to embrace AI.
“It’s just like water,” he says. “You cannot block it. You have to go with it. For me, I want to understand how ChatGPT is going to impact our education system and I want to work with our students to understand that better.” (08:11)
Just as water flows, shapes, and nourishes, so too can AI shape and nourish our educational systems, provided we choose to understand and embrace it.
“My ultimate goal is to find out what is the ideal education system for the future,” Dr. Jiang says. “The education part is really important. It has a profound impact on the next generation’s future, and that’s my ultimate goal.” (09:13)
And that’s really the key to understanding the role of AI in higher education. Rather than battling to keep it out of education, Dr. Jiang says we should find ways to incorporate it into our learning. Just like society itself, he sees a place for AI in the future of higher education.
The arrival of AI won’t just have consequences for school exams and essays. It will impact the very way that we teach students. By reconsidering our whole approach to teaching, we won’t just survive the arrival of AI. We can thrive.
According to Dr. Jiang, before the involvement of AI, there’s a “0 to 1” period. This is where new ideas come from. By teaching students how to generate these new ideas from nothing, we can then use AI to take those innovative ideas forward.
Creativity is often seen as an innate skill that can’t be taught. But Dr. Jiang says that’s not quite true. Like any skill, it can be taught, developed, and improved. And it’s one which is untouched by AI, for now anyway. The key to unlocking human creativity may lie in teaching approaches such as design thinking.
The design thinking process has five stages:
“Design thinking is a methodology that we use here at Stanford to teach people how to make innovations,” he explains. “We do not make you as innovative or creative as Steve Jobs or Elon Musk. However, we can use this methodology to make you more creative or innovative than yourself.” (04:08)
The rise of AI in education is not something to be feared but embraced. Incorporating AI into our educational systems could transform how we teach and learn. By applying design thinking methodology and promoting creativity in our students, we can utilize AI to take those innovative ideas to the next level.
It is not just about keeping pace with technological advancements but using them to improve the quality of education and foster innovation. Embracing this change and promoting creativity through design thinking may enhance the learning experience and prepare students for a future where AI is ubiquitous.
Curious to learn more? Reach out to an ambassador to learn how AI has changed their graduate school experience.
