Invited Keynote "Upskilling, deskliing and skillflation. A critical reflection on the AI skills discourse and the implications for (VET) education"

Abstract

With the public access to generative AI and the provocation that those tools could pass numerous high stakes exams there has been an intensive discourse on the impact of generative AI on the education system. This discourse consists of a “confusion of tongues” in which competences and skills are in the focus and knowledge is increasingly neglected and devaluated. This devaluation of knowledge is discussed under the themes of the constantly repeated need for upskilling, the danger of deskilling and the trend of skilllflation – a tendency to repeatedly invent new skills while neglecting existing ones. Epistemic and instructional implications are discussed and didactical strategies are proposed.

Marco Kalz

Professor of Educational Technology

My research interests is on open education, pervasive technologies and formative assessment to support (lifelong) learning and knowledge construction.