AI & Technology for Learning City Transformation & Inclusion

Join us online for this hybrid panel discussion on Artificial Intelligence, it's potential and risks related to learning, security and peace.

Chair: Catherine Lido, Professor of Psychology & Adult Learning, University of Glasgow; Deputy Director Pascal-Europe

Panel:

• Stefan Popenici, Academic Lead - Quality Initiatives, Charles Darwin University, - Ethical and educational challenges of GenAI in education; risks of an irrational fad for higher education
• Dr Sun Xuan, Nainkai University - Urban Computing in the Digital City: problems, methodologies, and trends
• Dr Sarune Savickaite, School of Psychology, University of Glasgow - Advancing Inclusive Education through Immersive Technologies

This panel is being organised by the Urban Big Data Centre and Pascal (as contribution to the 17th Pascal Conference in Taiwan).

Abstracts

Ethical and educational challenges of GenAI in education; risks of an irrational fad for higher education

Stefan Popenici, Academic Lead - Quality Initiatives, Charles Darwin University

This presentation will address succinctly a set of key problems raised for education by the roots of AI, exploring some ethical and pedagogical challenges associated with the universal adoption of generative AI in education. It will briefly explore the influential intersection between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and two of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Goal 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, and will also present some key implications for Goal 5, which focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. The impact on the SDGs will be explored in relation to ethical aspects such as biased algorithms, academic integrity, AI myths and facts, safety concerns, and the possible long-term impact of GenAI on education, gender equality and civil society. It will aim to engage participants in a personal exercise of inquiry that is stirred by issues rarely explored regarding the deployment of AI systems. This analysis aims to contribute to the creation of important reference points for the evaluation of GenAI in teaching and learning, assessment and administration in education within the evolving landscape of generative AI while upholding educational aims and agency for open civil societies.

Urban Computing in the Digital City: problems, methodologies, and trends

Dr Sun Xuan, Nainkai University

As computer technology becomes fully integrated into social life, cities are filled with more data than ever before. Through data analysis and computation, we can accurately grasp the urban state in the digital world. Urban computing, as an emerging field that integrates computer science with urban planning, transportation, energy, environment, society, economy, and other disciplines, focuses on data as its core. It combines ubiquitous sensing technologies with efficient data analysis algorithms to solve a series of real-world problems faced by cities. Addressing different levels of functional requirements, its core lies in achieving perceptual computing, cognitive computing, and decision-making computing for urban big data. Currently, the forefront areas of urban computing mainly focus on multi-scale computing, parallel computing, and neuromorphic computing.

Advancing Inclusive Education through Immersive Technologies

Dr Sarune Savickaite, School of Psychology, University of Glasgow

Inclusion in education means that all learners have equal access to education and learning opportunities. Effective inclusive education considers the physical, cognitive, academic, social, and emotional diversity among learners. Prioritizing inclusivity in every immersive learning research agenda and practice is crucial, as emerging immersive technologies present both potential and challenges for inclusive education. XR technologies are uniquely positioned to reduce barriers and create opportunities for marginalized groups because they are highly adaptable and customizable to individual users and specific use cases. However, more research is needed to better understand these technologies and utilize their potential for inclusivity. I will review key accessibility considerations and recommendations in immersive education, as discussed in the recent report "XRed: Preparing for Immersive Education."

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