alt Hacker NewsIsn't the available learning material better than it has ever been?
As a 30-something, basic AI uses completely blow my mind. It has never been this easy to be curious, because there is a machine in my pocket that reduces the cost of finding answers to nearly zero. I can point my phone at a painting and dig as deep as I want into its subject, artist, movement and so on. It's a real world Pokédex.
Then there are countless well-made tutorials for every imaginable topic on YouTube, and more high-quality old-fashioned websites that Google cares to index.
Claude is really cool too. If you care to look at its output, you can see a fairly good translation of your thoughts into code. You can translate your projects from one language or framework to another. We used to read textbooks cover to cover. Now we get custom examples for any imaginable idea.
So why are these technologies failing our kids? Why are they so powerful in the hands of a curious person, yet making everyone dumber?
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Have you tried one of these edutech apps? They're mind-numbingly boring and move at a snails pace. Meanwhile YouTube is lurking in the background. And if that's locked down you can always chat with your friends in a Google Doc (trust me, it happens). And the teacher now has to babysit 25 kids rather than actually developing a class that might be more engaging.
There's no comparison with an engaging Youtube lecture.
> Why are they so powerful in the hands of a curious person, yet making everyone dumber?
Curiosity level varies per individual. I find certain things fascinating that many others don't. AI has been a boon for me and others who may be limitlessly curious, and it may be a negative for the uncurious.
> Isn't the available learning material better than it has ever been?
Yes, and so’s the available distractions and entertainment.
My hypothesis is that for us, now post studying in the "old ways", are able to use these tools to increase learning.
The fundamental problem seems to be that screens as a basis for learning how to learn, study, and retain information in kids appears to be detrimental to developing that core skill we have already developed.