I characterise the computational or maths process as 4 step. (If you haven’t come across this central theme of The Math(s) Fix before, here’s a quick description). And the central problem with our mainstream maths education has been the failure to recognise that step 3—compute—has been almost completely taken over by computers in real life…and that totally changes the what, when and how.
Read MoreThe byline for “The Math(s) Fix” was “An Education Blueprint for the AI age”. And I meant it. I just didn’t know that ChatGPT would so suddenly expose the need for reformation.
I have relaunched my book today, with a new foreword (for Kindle Edition) that explains “how The Math(s) Fix addresses key issues not only for the future of maths, but for AI-age education in general. This book uniquely puts the ChatGPT shock into perspective by offering the reformer's roadmap for reaction to policymakers, employers, parents, teachers, and students.”
Read MoreThe combination of ChatGPT with its Wolfram plug-in just scored 96% in a UK Maths A-level paper, the exam taken at the end of school, as a crucial metric for university entrance. (That compares to 43% for ChatGPT alone).
If this doesn’t shock you, it should. Maths A-level (like its equivalent in many other countries) is held up as the required and essential qualification
Read MoreOver the last few days, I’ve been asked how ChatGPT (particularly allied to Wolfram|Alpha) will affect education, how it relates to “computational literacy for all” and the computer-based mathematics education that my book The Math(s) Fix maps out. Actually, Wolfram is involved in Edtech in many other ways too; it will be great seeing how the full range of powerful integrations emerge that can deliver better education.
In this post, I want to zoom out to put this new technology in context hopefully to help to suggest how we might think about changes it should and shouldn’t cause.
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