IGF 2024 Open Forum #30 Harnessing GenAI to transform Education for All

    Theater
    Duration (minutes): 60
    Format description: We hope to maximize interactions between panelists and audiences. The panel will share the multi-stakeholder perspective for up to half an hour, and leave the other 30 minutes to questions and answers. We would also welcome inputs from the room, and incorporate those points into the final outcome report.

    Description

    Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has been transforming how we teach and learn. Its interactive nature can make learning more personalized, effective, and efficient. It also makes education more accessible and inclusive, especially for those from the Global South. But if misused, GenAI would pose serious risks, such as allowing cheating in writing and exams, and thus lead to negative learning outcomes.

    The panel will consist of a UNU expert, a minister of education, a computer science professor, a legal expert, and an educational technology company CEO. The panel will explore the potential innovation of GenAI to make learning more engaging and effective. For example, the private sector panelist will share stories of some recent start-ups and their innovative initiatives building on GenAI. The panel will also provide a multistakeholder perspective on how to mitigate the risks of GenAI to ensure its safe and equitable development and use for all. The computer scientist will demystify GenAI by explaining its technical possibilities and limitations. The legal expert from the global south will discuss issues on data privacy and copyright in educational settings. The policymaker from the ministry of education will share practices in their country, as well as discuss policymaking challenges on GenAI in education. Finally, the panel will provide policy recommendations to governments and international organizations on how to create an effective eco-system for GenAI to continue to grow ethically, transparently and effectively, so to shape a sustainable digital future for all.


    We aim to organize the session in a highly hybrid format and ensure that both online and in-person participants will be able to participate in an equally effective manner. In so doing, we will dedicate an online moderator, who will bridge the discussions online and in-person. We will also use polling tools (e.g. Polleverywhere) to facilitate the online and in-person participants to interact with the panel by responding to polling questions etc.

    Organizers

    United Nations University Institute in Macau
    Dr. Jingbo Huang, Director, UN University Institute in Macau - International Organization - Onsite moderator
    Mr. Mark Ray, Director, Department of Education Services, Cayman Islands - Government - speaker

    Speakers

    Mr. Mark Ray, Director, Department of Education Services, Cayman Islands
    Stephen Ta'Bois – STEM Specialist, Department of Education Services, Cayman Islands
    Prof. Antonio Saravanos, Associate Professor of Information Systems Management, New York University, USA
    Hon. Dr. Eliamani Isaya Laltaika, Judge, High Court of Tanzania/Adjunct Faculty Member, University of Iringa (UoI), Faculty of Law

    Onsite Moderator

    Dr. Jingbo Huang

    Online Moderator

    N/A

    Rapporteur

    Dr. Jingbo Huang

    SDGs

    4. Quality Education
    9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
    10. Reduced Inequalities
    16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    17. Partnerships for the Goals


    Targets: The proposed GenAI topic is about quality education (4), but the issues around the topic cannot be addressed only by educational sectors. It requires that private sector companies enable healthy and ethical development of GenAI (9), that governments provide legal and policy frameworks for the GenAI governance in education, and that UN organizations work together with the abovementioned multi-stakeholders to ensure safe, inclusive and equitable use of GenAI (17).