New Perspectives in Science Education

This paper asks what kind of education is needed for science students when the emergent technology of artificial intelligence (AI) is integrated into nearly all human activity and is rapidly affecting the social fabric of our society. With accelerated interest and market demands in fields such as science and mathematics, the value of a university education seems to heavily lie on scientific knowledge and practical training that lead to employability of students. However, this paper argues that traditional educational approaches by isolated disciplines are insufficient for science students to succeed in their professional and personal life. This is because the AI-powered science and technology they develop touch wider fields than their specialization in our increasingly complex, uncertain, digital world. In such a world as this, ethical, responsible AI development, collaboration with people in other fields of expertise, and the willingness to think through uncertainty toward collective societal well-being are of utmost importance. Drawing on my experience of teaching computer science and business students an interdisciplinary AI ethics course called “Humans and Machines,” which incorporates the perspectives of the humanities and social sciences, the paper emphasizes the need for a broader approach to education. As Audrey Shafer, MD wrote about the significance of discussing works of art such as Frankenstein with artists, humanists, and social scientists at a medical school, to help us understand what it means to be human, we can broaden science education so our students will have not only scientific but also humanistic understanding of our AI-driven age. The Executive Director of the Modern Language Association of America, Paula M. Krebs also discussed successful pedagogical interdisciplinary collaborations between humanities and computer science and technology. The challenges that the emerging technology has brought—data privacy, algorithmic bias, and ethical and cultural implications, for example—go beyond the technological sphere; therefore, cross-disciplinary re-imagining of a university science education is urgently needed. This collaborative university learning process will, in turn, nurture thoughtful, engaged citizens with a broad, open mindset necessary to face our societal and global challenges.

Keywords: computer science, humanities, university education, AI ethics, interdisciplinary, engaged citizenship