You too?

 Hello all!

I just skimmed through several articles.  The one below is from Alessandra Riemer, Editor at LinkedIn News, posted today. I wish to share this one with questions ka!

The title is, 'Older workers booming in workforce' which shows that those aged 55 and older run the workforce (will account for roughly 25% of jobs by 2031) while gen Z workers only represent about 13%, according to a new report from Bain & Co ka.

Obviously, it's from the western side and so let me check with us here what you think (since many of us in this egroup are over 55:)) 

Here are several questions ka:

1. Do you think your motivation has changed with age? from what ror ka?

2. What is/was your motivation after 55? and after retirement?

3. Are these two included: 'interesting work' and 'flexibility/autonomy'? which is the first? 

4. Is 'autonomy' possible in our Thai working culture especially in government service?

Enjoy your reflections ka.

post-covid challenges for IZN and English learning

 I hope life has been good to enter another long weekend soon na ka.

I read INTERNATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION, number 115, Summer 2023 and wish to share several things ka:

1.  I somehow like a simple intro (Internationalization in Higher Education: Critical Reflections on Its Conceptual Evolution by Hans de Wit) that calls for us to challenge our thoughts and past market-oriented perceptions to define relevant new directions for internationalization (IZN) in higher education because of the post pandemic and current complicated geopolitical global challenges. 

After about 3 decades of Thailand's efforts on IZN, we've formed some beliefs (true or false, relevant or irrelevant) and practices (ranking, legal compliance, 'flavor of the day', etc. ) that may slow favorable progress ka.

De Wit points out what we've stressed for years that there could never be any one model or approach that fits all. Yet, the diversity and changing contexts have added to the need for increased serious consideration. 

It's quite obvious we need to rethink our own IZN definitions (relevant 'Why' for the sake of quality of our people and systems, equity, inclusiveness and so on?), components (study abroad, international students, IaH, SDGs, etc.) and redirections, especially in terms of balancing the countries and regions amid US-China power plays. All would ensure that our IZN efforts will have impacts we wish to get.

2. IZN for us seems to tie closely with the English language and so I'd like to share its next article entitled, 'Globalization of English Language and Culture: Let’s Change English Language Instruction' by Gareth Humphreys  ka.

Many of us must have heard the term, 'Global Englishes' before na ka. Still, we, Thais, are used to admiring those who can communicate in 'near native' ways so this article to me not only discussed 'existing bias', but also the emphases on multicultural understanding starting from one's own culture (both tangible and intangible --my own addition ka)

The author leads us to see how issues arise from overrepresenting Anglophone standards and cultures in our English language learning when we see more multicultural societies with highly diverse and multilingual environments ka.

   

To be more relevant, students should be exposed to the global nature of English and encouraged to recognize their own backgrounds and think of themselves as intercultural citizens while de-linking English from the national cultures of Anglophone countries and helping students to perceive themselves as legitimate users of English, irrespective of cultural background.   

Going around to learn what our universities have been doing, I've seen much development. However, the challenges remain on how we consider becoming internationalized. We could better our mutual understanding by asking ourselves more seriously again about the following:

• Why internationalization? Would 'intercultural citizens' work? and How?
• What could international and local students and faculty learn, share, and develop themselves from their diversity in thinking, values, behaviors? 
• How could the efforts lead to stronger relationships and collaborations to live meaningfully in a highly digital world?
• How could such tacit knowledge become explicit and useful?

Again, more thinking, more work, more actions ka.

Moderating a session on IZN of medical education

The past Monday, I happily moderated a session on internationalization of medical education ka......the topic I love and the opportunity to learn more how the med ed circle thinks and acts on it.

This exercise confirmed that introducing the panelists could be fun learning (for me and hopefully for others:)) when going out a little bit of the way to touch on some keywords that corresponded with their thinking and performances (watching their interviews on YouTube, magazines to pick whatever struck me most ka). Glancing through their presentations beforehand gave me some more understanding of what to expect with more questions to ask ka.

The onsite presentations by Prof. Suttipong Wacharasindhu (the key co-founder of the Chulalongkorn University's International Medical Education Program -- CU-MEDi) and Prof. Nijasri Charnnarong (Director of the program)  shared was fantastic (they both are refined presenters kaa!) as we could listen and read between the lines, observe verbal and non-verbal behaviors, and ask quite a few questions.

My best learning is about leadership and it concerns basically the people involved. I also wish to share the following ka:

3.1 Like other circles, internationalization in medical education takes time. When a small try-out with students of high English proficiency works successfully, big bolder steps follow (not too much focused on resources like funding and national licensing!) One crucial action is to integrate other key dimensions like world trends from various lenses, cross cultural understanding,  international partnerships and generation diversity. 

3.2 Leaders are those with passion and purpose! They are capable of looking at the macro pictures while linking them together to align with national policy directions. They are visionary to know how the world is going and dare to take risks when they know it's about 60-70% ready! They pick their team members who have relevant capabilities and more importantly, who have mutual respect and trust.

Their leadership made me think of an interview of Dr. Bob Grossman, CEO of NYU Langone Health who was able to turnaround the hospital. He stresses these elements ka: Right people, right vision, focused driven!

3.3 In such an international program with high profile international partners and students, it's essential for leaders to make sure that medical students from their regular program have also benefited from the advantages the international program offers. This will further enhance the healthy promotion of both equality of students and quality of graduates in many ways!

3.4 In our today's AI era, humanistic experiences are even more focused. Yuval Harari has warned us early this year not to think that AI wouldn't be creative and now it's proven how AI could overtake us quite easily and could do quite close to empathy, but definitely not much yet about non-verbal behaviors!

3.5 For me, I sure value the diversity of students regarding nationalities, education backgrounds, and age. The students and the whole community sure learn from different perspectives, heightening intercultural interactions and adaptability, widening networks, and enhancing growth mindsets ka.

Sanuk and hopeful again ka. Hope you feel so too ka.

one skill to use AI and more to need humans

Hello all, last week I read an article entitled, 'AI Delegation: The One Skill You Will Need To Succeed In The Future' by Bernard Marr, July 3, 2023. I guess the 'one skill'  kind of caught my attention ka. Let me share with you na ka.

So for this egroup message, I'd like to talk about the 'one skill to work with AI', and 'one skill we still own it' ka!

First, the 'one skill ' is the ability to understand and work with AI! 

Sounds kind of simple but not quite mai ka when asking ourselves if we have 'the ability to understand'. Listening to more podcast episodes makes me so unsure how to keep up ka. The author suggests, '...working out what we still need to do for ourselves and what’s best left to machines.' ....working out? how? Can we ask ChatGPT:))?

Anyway, it's really great to know quite a few Thai universities have been active in preparing their faculty to know how to use AI in teaching and research. Seriously, I'm happier to know it includes some human sciences faculties too kaa!

One question remains to be tackled, 'how to attract more senior faculty who are scared and reluctant to join in?' Could the lessons be made simpler for them to get it to reduce their inner fear (not just theirs, mine too kraaa!) Khun Rawit, Srichand CEO is offering an online course on, 'AI for daily life' something like that ka. I plan to pick up some good lessons ka.

What about the one skill we still have?

I'd say, 'listening and asking with empathy (plus some contextual understanding and their tacit knowledge)'.

Late last week, I had a chance to join an EdPEx assessment team on a site visit. It was clear to me that the practice of having the visit as an open sharing platform is really beneficial. 

During several discussions, the assessors' questions ignited thinking and reflections for the faculty to realize how much they've known and possessed including what to do/not to do next. 

I don't think at this stage, AI can compete with us yet for several reasons ka:

1) When it's contextual, AI needs lots of data inputs from what's been done and periodic/prompt changes made.

2) AI may not be able to detect issues of concern from the presentations or anecdotes raised as it's more of the non-verbal behavior! 

3) Diverse tacit knowledge of assessors, their well-intended questions/advice, and their interactions are still excellent human qualities AI can't possibly express lae ka.

Comments?