Banning kids under 16 from social media might make great headlines, and give the government the appearance of doing something meaningful, but it's tokenistic at best, harmful at worst. We could have an internet that doesn't consume us for fun and profit. We're choosing not to.
Author: Dr Linda McIver
Dr Linda McIver pioneered authentic Data Science and Computational Science education with real impact for secondary students and founded the Australian Data Science Education Institute in 2018. Author of Raising Heretics: Teaching Kids to Change the World, Linda is an inspiring keynote speaker who has appeared on the ABC’s panel program Q&A, and regularly delivers engaging Professional Development for Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Educators across all disciplines. A passionate educator, researcher and advocate for STEM, equity and inclusion, with a PhD in Computer Science Education and extensive teaching experience, Linda’s mission is to ensure that all Australian students have the opportunity to learn STEM and Data Science skills in the context of projects that empower them to solve problems and make a positive difference to the world.
The Art of Being Difficult
I want to talk about change, about people, about systems, what it takes to make progress, and why being difficult is so important. From fire alarms to hospital beds. From music apps to cars. From climate change to education. Our systems are not serving us well, and it's time to push back.
Set an AI to Catch an AI
we can't detect AI enabled writing with any reasonable degree of confidence. And no, we can't mark student work with LLMs, or solve real world problems with LLMs, or replace the people doing jobs requiring judgement, compassion, or rationality with LLMs. Not without suffering painful regrets when it comes time to deal with the consequences!
Making Sense of AI
So you haven’t got time to read through hefty books about the AI industry. You’ve had fun with image generators, and you find chatbots useful although occasionally alarming. But there’s information firing at you from all directions, and it’s wildly contradictory, alarming, exciting, and horrifying, all at the same time. What the heck are you supposed to do?
All Things to All People
On the implications of an All Things to All People Device.