Contrarian vs Collaborator

Rethinking about learning/education

My friend and I randomly decided to participate in an Ed-tech competition when I was in her UK house. The way we brainstorm solutions is so different even though we both think the current education system sucks. To facilitate systematic changes, she is like Barack Obama and I’m like Elon Musk

As a technologist, the way I think about revolutionizing education is destruction through technological advancement. I perceive the existing system as stupid and completely disposable. Every day, I wonder if technology has the ability to create a paradigm shift. How can we design AI to shake the existing education system? Since I’m a contrarian for most social norms, I challenge and question rules and conventional wisdom as long as it doesn’t violate first principles. Hence, I naturally lean toward solutions that are powerful and visionary while futuristic and incomprehensible for most people. (aka I engage no one.)

On the other hand, as a social media influencer, my friend is a great collaborator in transforming current society. Even though she also dislikes the system, she thinks through the lens of people who exist in the system and wants to leverage them as a strength to create changes. She said, “I motivated students to teach their teachers about AI so teachers will shut their doors.” People create and represent the system. Hence, she believes only when we can create a paradigm shift in people’s minds, we can create a paradigm shift in society. (aka she engages everyone.)

It’s hard to criticize who is better but I really appreciated and learned a lot from her perspectives. While not caring about anyone gives me the freedom to think out of the box, caring about everyone gives her the magic power to change people when learning is really about the PEOPLE. I appreciate how she genuinely believes in people and puts trust in them even if changes really take a LONG time. She reminded me of being a human and seeing the good in everyone.

I believe to create changes, we will need both kinds of thinkers. Those who can imagine the new world, and those who can bridge the new world and the old.

Note: I will write more on revolutionizing learning because it’s my work thesis. + Day 6 of 30-day writing challenges.