A key aspect of our project is engaging in critical discourse with the Pitt community. To this end, we plan to facilitate a series of four study group sessions with faculty, students, and staff at Pitt. We will return to Dr. Roop’s question about what educators need to know about AI, and follow that inquiry to reveal new and rich explorations that build on the wisdom of our collective. Through this process our aspiration is to demystify AI (and technology, more broadly) such that people in education might feel more confident in adding their voices to the discourse about the intersections of technology, education and society.
Study Group Sessions will be held (in-person) on the following dates at the CUE Commons (see full details below):
- Wednesday, September 20, 2023 – 10 a.m. to noon (Eastern Time)
- Wednesday, October 18, 2023 – 10 a.m. to noon (Eastern Time)
- Wednesday, February 14, 2024 – 10 a.m. to noon (Eastern Time)
- Wednesday, March 27, 2024 – 10 a.m. to noon (Eastern Time)
We’ll explore different media and resources, play with ideas, and discuss questions and topics in a supportive community. You need not know anything about AI or technology to join these sessions. We only ask that you bring your curiosity, wisdom, and collaborative spirit to the space.
If you have questions about the sessions, please email Bea Dias at beadias@pitt.edu.
Study Group Session #1: What is “Intelligence”?
How do we understand the word “intelligence”? We begin our series with this question because it is a widely used qualification in describing both people and machines. Intelligence is also closely tied to the history and purpose of education, which is invested in the power of knowledge and inquiry. As people in education, how might we grapple with the commodification of intelligence in this technological age? During this session, we will collectively explore our questions about what it means to be intelligent, and develop ideas about the epistemologies, pedagogies, and algorithms of intelligence.
Date: Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Time: 10 a.m. to noon (Eastern Time)
Location: CUE Commons (Posvar Hall 4310)
Session Resources: TBA
Study Group Session #2: Grappling with Safety & Power
Fear is a fundamental aspect of the human experience. Throughout the millennia, we have worked to combat fears using various safety measures, from elementary resources (e.g. shelter, clothing, etc.) to advanced technology (e.g. alarm systems, security cameras, etc). Yet, fear continues to play a dominant role in our society, and technology is increasingly incorporated into our defensive machinations. This leads us to ask questions about whose safety is prioritized, and whom or what are we protecting them against. During this session, we will collectively explore our questions about safety, and grapple with how power operates to protect some while exposing others.
Date: Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Time: 10 a.m. to noon (Eastern Time)
Location: CUE Commons (Posvar Hall 4310)
Session Resources: TBA
Study Group Session #3: Hidden Labor & Hidden Costs
In our day-to-day interactions with apps and websites, we are often only privy to the up-front, monetary costs and user interfaces. When we order a mug from Amazon, or like a picture of puppies on Facebook, we enjoy the ease and entertainment of these services, but the inner workings that make these transactions so seamless and satisfying are hidden from us. We are promised and have come to expect technology to ensure our package arrives in two days or that our latest post is seen by our followers, but we are rarely compelled to question the “how” of these operations. What might we uncover if we dared to look into the mechanisms that make our lives so convenient and efficient? During this session, we will collectively explore our questions about costs, labor and automation, and critically consider the true price of the technological infrastructure that supports our ways of living.
Date: Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Time: 10 a.m. to noon (Eastern Time)
Location: CUE Commons (Posvar Hall 4310)
Session Resources: TBA
Study Group Session #4: Collective Futures
As humans, we are inherently future-oriented. Our dreams and hopes fuel our lives and livelihoods. When you think of the words “future” and “progress”, what comes to mind? Our popular media and rhetoric is filled with narratives that essentially equate progress and the future with the emergence of superior technology that will either solve all human problems or destroy humanity entirely. Who drives these dominant visions of the future that we are steering toward? How might we conceptualize future possibilities, outside of a framework of technological inevitability and centrality? For example, what might future families, communities, gardens, and schools look and feel like? During this session, we will collectively explore our questions about progress, and imagine education futures rooted in justice and freedom.
Date: Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Time: 10 a.m. to noon (Eastern Time)
Location: CUE Commons (Posvar Hall 4310)
Session Resources: TBA