Helen Beetham isn’t waiting for an AI upgrade as she considers what higher education is for, why learning is ostensibly ripe for AI, and how to diversify our course.     

Helen and Kimberly discuss the purpose of higher education; the current two tribe moment; systemic effects of AI; rethinking learning; GenAI affordances; the expertise paradox; productive developmental challenges; converging on an educational norm; teachers as data laborers; the data-driven personalization myth; US edtech and instrumental pedagogy; the fantasy of AI’s teacherly behavior; students as actors in their learning; critical digital literacy; a story of future education; AI ready graduates; pre-automation and AI adoption; diversity of expression and knowledge; two-tiered educational systems; and the rich heritage of universities.

Helen Beetham is an educator, researcher and consultant who advises universities and international bodies worldwide on their digital education strategies. Helen is also a prolific author whose publications include “Rethinking Pedagogy for a Digital Age”. Her Substack, Imperfect Offerings, is recommended by the Guardian/Observer for its wise and thoughtful critique of generative AI.   

Additional Resources:

Imperfect Offerings - https://helenbeetham.substack.com/

Audrey Watters - https://audreywatters.com/ 

Kathryn (Katie) Conrad - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-katie-conrad-1b0749b/ 

Anna Mills - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-mills-oer/ 

Dr. Maya Indira Ganesh - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-des-maya-indira-ganesh/ 

Tech(nically) Politics - https://www.technicallypolitics.org/ 

LOG OFF - logoffmovement.org/ 

Rest of World -  www.restofworld.org/

Derechos Digitales – www.derechosdigitales.org 

A transcript of this episode is here.