AI and the rise of Editors: Refocusing Educational Assessment in preparing our learners for their future

Assessing knowledge and skill acquisition has been a top priority in every form of education from early philosophers questioning their audience, to master craftsman coaching their apprentices, to today’s formalized education systems. As we know, the industrial revolution had a profound impact on the later driving for summative, or end-product, deliverables to demonstrate mastery. This focus treats the learners as a product themselves, that is, a worker crafted to deliver predefined end results. Here was industry’s attempt at creating a viable workforce (societal demand) during what we might call the first three industrial revolution eras, yet now we are in a fourth (see image). (1,2)

In our fourth industrial revolution era our workforce needs have dramatically shifted, a shift which should inform our educational assessment practices. Here we find our workforce co-collaborating with technology as end-results are produced. The new skills for this workforce are significantly more process than product oriented, demanding a formative assessment focus on the learning process to help foster critical thinking and a growth mindset (3). The end result will prepare our learners to be Editors of products rather than widget/cog focused assembly line workers thinking solely on the product in front of them. The fourth industrial revolution will lead to the rise of editors, are we ready?


Sources
1. Zaman, R. (2020, July 15). Unfolding Fourth Industrial Revolution – THE WAVES. THE WAVES. https://lnkd.in/ejyASN2D
2. Shippee, M. (2023, December 22). Beyond the 4C’s: Framing our Understanding of Future Skills in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. https://lnkd.in/e28Ck2Zc
3. Shippee, M. (2023, November 30). AI in Education: a focus on pedagogy. https://lnkd.in/eV3xT4-s