AI Spotlight: Education in an AI Era
In this spotlight, Charles Fadel explores how education needs to change in a world where AI is everywhere. He encourages educators to guide learners beyond just using it— to leading, questioning, and thinking critically about the future it shapes.
Charles highlights the importance of understanding artificial intelligence and working together with smart systems while reminding us that human capabilities like critical thinking, creativity, adaptability and ethical decision making will always be valued.
What you’ll learn in this 60-minute session:
- How AI is transforming education with real-world examples you can relate to.
- Its growing impact on teaching, learning, and the future of work.
- Approaches to help learners strengthen their capabilities that matter the most.
Why this matters for educators
Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than education is adapting. As Charles explains that, while AI can handle many tasks, it cannot replicate imagination, empathy or adaptability. Educators play a vital role in helping learners think deeply, express creativity, and build the human strengths needed to thrive in an AI-driven world.
South Australian Department for Education employees can access this course through plink here:
AI Spotlight: Education in an AI era
Time commitment: 60 minutes
This includes videos and reflection prompts.
Watch the trailer.
Transcript
[Music]
One of the key distinctions of humans is, compared to AI, is adaptability. And so it’s up to us to leverage it to the full extent.
All right. So, let's talk about hype versus reality of AI.
Its capabilities are doubling every 7.7 months. This means that we have to modernise what we've been teaching. How would you train adaptability in your students?
So, what should we be teaching in the first place and how should we be teaching?
These are profound questions that AI forces us to confront head on. For the first time in human history, we have a very powerful cognitive technology which we need to harness and not fall behind.
[Music]