Quantum Oddities

Quantum physics seeks to explain the physical micro-processes that occur at very small levels of metric scale. And these processes involve phenomena that are highly unusual when regarded from the vantage point of the familiar macro-level of physical reality. Specifically, the anomalous phenomena at issue include such oddities as:

• –Probabilism and impredictability, as when we encounter such processes as the radical decay of heavy transuranic elements, occurrences predictable with statistical probabilities on the larger scale, but individually unpredictable.

• –Complementary uncertainty of physical state parameters with a see-saw relation where the more precise specification of one constrains the other into greater unspecifiability.

• –Position-ambiguity via an infeasibility of specifying the precise location of physical processes and providing for continuity in physical interactions.

• –State superposition with different quantum states combining or conjoining otherwise incompatible possibilities in an impenetrable fog of indetermination.

• –Wave-packet collapse with observation presenting a definiteness that physical theory does not provide for and indeed disallows.

All such eventualities are “something completely different” from what we encounter in the course of commonplace experience. In the physics of the macro-objects we encounter in everyday life we have transactions that are subject to lawful determination, physical parameters that assume definite values not subject to probabilistic variation, descriptively different states that are disjoined and incomparable, and state-conditions that evolve in smooth continuity and are not disjointed in abrupt inexplicability. At the physical macro-level where we humans standardly function things thus behave very differently.

Schrödinger's Cat and the Basic Problem Posed by the Quantum Theory

Reality at the quantum level enjoys a dramaturgy of its own. The everyday reality of our experience yields observationally definite resolutions, whereas quantum theory can at most provide for probabilistically indefinite alternatives: quantum waves functioning with smooth regularity among alternative possibilities in line with Schrödinger's Equation unless and until observation intervenes to disrupt matters a the theory-inexplicable collapse to a single alternatives. This so-called “wave-packet” collapses when issue arises in the curious thought-experiment of Schrödinger's Cat.

This thought experiment is predicated on the following suppositions. At time t the cat is placed in an opaque box containing an apparatus that potentially produces a quantum event triggering the release of a jet of cyanide gas sufficient to kill the cat. But no further changes occur in the box subsequently.

Introduction

The future challenges us with complex and conflicting models of what to value, what to believe, how to make decisions and how to live productively (Lieberman, 2021). Numerous international futurists, neuroscientists, educators and sociologists advocate for problem solving, creating, innovating and communicating to sustain our global society. The needs they list are dispositions that are necessary to lend oneself to learning (Costa & Kallick, 2016). This chapter makes the case for dispositional learning as most needed for learning, working, and citizenship for living productively in the new era.

What are Dispositions?

In this chapter, the term, dispositions, refers to thinking dispositions—tendencies toward particular patterns of intellectual behavior. Perkins, Jay and Tishman (1993) propose three psychological components which must be present to initiate dispositional behavior: (1) sensitivity—the perception of the appropriateness of a particular behavior; (2) inclination—the felt impetus toward a behavior and (3) ability—the basic capacity to follow through with the behavior. For example, someone who is genuinely disposed to seek balanced reasons in an argument is (1) sensitive to occasions to do so (for instance while reading a newspaper editorial); (2) feels moved, or inclined, to do so; and (3) has the basic ability to follow through with the behavior—they identify the pro and con reasons for both sides of an argument.

16 Habits of Mind

The Habits of Mind is a set of thinking dispositions at the core of social, emotional and cognitive behaviors. These habits were derived from studies of successful, efficacious problem-solvers from many walks of life. While there may be more, Costa and Kallick (2008) described 16 Habits of Mind that can serve as a starting point for further elaboration and description. Each of the habits end with -ing verbs to signal that growth is a life-long journey rather than something that can be mastered. While there is no order of importance, each of the habits are numbered for easier reference.

Habit 1. Persisting

Do your students ever give up in despair when a task proves to be difficult or when the answer to a problem is not immediately found? Do they say, “I can’t do this,” or “it’s too hard?” Do they sometimes write down any answer just to get a task over with or find themselves easily distracted from a task rather than sticking with it?

Educational Neuroscience

This chapter begins with a basic question: What is your definition of teaching? Is it “the act of one person imparting knowledge or skill to another?” Is it “the sharing of information that falls within a discipline?” Is it “the act of a person who teaches?” Or perhaps some variation of these? I would like to share my definition which will then set the stage for this chapter. Teaching is the only profession whose job it is to change the human brain every day. When learners decide to remember what the teacher has presented, their brains establish new connections between neurons and consolidate that learning into existing cerebral networks or create new ones. In sum, teachers are brain changers. What a remarkably different and more accurate description of the teaching–learning process.

Teachers have been changing learners’ brains for centuries. Yet, until recently, most teachers had little knowledge about how the human brain really learns. They relied on what teachers had done in the past, so that teaching, in effect, was a handed-down art form. The artistry was manifested in the techniques, strategies and styles that teachers used when presenting their lessons. Sometimes their performance resulted in students learning, but sometimes it did not. And when it did not, teachers often did not know why. But that has now changed.

In recent years, there has been an explosion of scientific research on the human brain, thanks to sophisticated imaging and recording devices. Much of that earlier research focused on diagnosing and treating medical problems that involve the brain. However, later research is revealing much about the brain’s growth and development, and even its inner workings during learning. These findings have led to the emergence of a new field of scientific inquiry—one that examines how some of the results of neuroscientific research can be translated into educational practice in schools and classrooms. This field is known as educational neuroscience. The good news is that neuroscience research continues to tell us more about how the brain learns. However, the bad news is that these findings are not getting to teachers—the brain changers—fast enough.

Introduction

For centuries schools were focused on the cognitive aspect of learning, while ignoring (or actively suppressing) its social aspect (see Classic and Industrial Learning in this book’s introduction). Accordingly, in the traditional classroom setting, students were separated in individual desks, and were expected to “passively absorb” knowledge from the teacher.

From the mid-twentieth century neuroscience research has become an important front in understanding and unravelling the underlying mechanisms of learning processes. Recent educational-neuroscience research suggests an integrative view of learning, as a cognitive, emotional and social experience (Diamond, 2016; Immordino-yang, 2017; Immordino-yang & Darling-hammond, 2018; Schonert-reichl et al., 2015; Sira & Mateer, 2014). Furthermore, it implies that a learning experience consist of both individual and social-collective aspects. On the one hand, it holds an intimacy of subjective processing and private associations, that differ from one individual to another. At the same time human learning is a social process and highly influenced by cultural, social context and emotional information (Immordino-yang & Darling-hammond, 2018). Brain science has confirmed what antient societies knew by intuition; learning is not a one-way process and students are not empty containers in which teachers pour their knowledge.

In addition, as the world becomes more global and more virtual, there is a growing need and challenge for people to connect. As mankind’s goals (in politics, science and technology) become more complex and ambitious, the need for effective social interactions and cooperation is stronger than ever. Students’ social competences are predictive to future success and well-being as adults in their relationships and as professionals (Taylor et al., 2017). Moreover, intervention studies suggest that unlike previous conceptions, these social competences are not fixed traits, but malleable skills that can be developed through education (Durlak et al., 2011). These findings have supported a paradigm shift in education toward a more holistic, learner-centered approach. Following the rise of a new educational field named SEL in the 1990s (Elias et al., 1997), the theory of SEL has become more accessible and actionable. As this theory was supported by research, and translated into practical teaching methods, school systems have started redesigning learning environments and pedagogy to be more social, interactive and inclusive.

When the time constants for change in technology respectively education in that technology differ widely, special ways of education are required. The training of highly qualified specialists in microelectronics is a such a case. In addition, this industry has several peculiarities which lead to other problems to the higher educational system. This chapter reports on a successful collaboration between an advanced IT-firm and a technical university.

First, we will discuss the peculiarities inherent in IT-education.

Peculiarities Inherent in IT-Education

The disbalance between the dynamics of the semiconductor industry and the educational system

Over the past 50 years the development of the semiconductor industry has shown very high rates of growth. That circumstance is vividly reflected in Moore’s law, according to which the number of transistors in an integrated circuit (IC) doubles every 18 months. Currently the number of transistors in ICs already surpasses several dozens of billions. This unprecedented rate of development has led not only to a change of IC complexity, but also of other basic parameters, in particular:

• • the clock frequency has racked up from several dozens of hertz (Hz) to several dozens of gigahertz (GHz);

• • the capacity of memories today is measured in terabytes rather than kilobytes;

• • the power consumption has moved to several kilowatts (kWs) from less than one Watt;

• • the power density has moved up to several thousands of W/cm2;

• • the gate length of complementary metal–oxide–semiconductors (CMOS) transistors has been reduced from several micrometers to three nanometer (nm).

All this has been achieved thanks to the application of constantly renewed technological processes of IC manufacturing. Where micrometer technologies were used a few years ago, today 65, 45, 22, 14, 7, 5 and 3 nanometer technologies have become a reality. The transition of every new technology is considered a “revolution” in the semiconductor industry. The reason is that each transition rearranges the significance of different physical phenomena occurring inside a IC, which necessarily leads to the development of specific new methods of IC design as well as corresponding new Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools at each transition. In particular, the role of leakage currents up to 0.13 micrometer technology was rather small.

Introduction

The acceleration of today’s technological and scientific evolution is unprecedented. Devices and the lure of the screen have not only become a fact of life; they drive scientific progress and the Internet revolution. The development of smart technologies has created a new paradigm for machine–human relationships in which the machine is not only becoming the repository, but also the curator and orchestrator of knowledge. Knowledge acquisition in itself no longer suffices to succeed and thrive in the world. Acquiring and applying knowledge in and through experience is becoming ever more important to tackle the challenges and uncertainties of our world.

The reality of experience in, and of the physical world, is increasingly moulded in digital interaction, enabled by high-end computers, graphics, smartphones and progress in machine learning and artificial intelligence. Add the evolution of VR and immersive technologies, it is clear that our experience of reality and relationship with the world is impacted profoundly. This has become most obvious in gaming. Reflecting on Third Generation Learning and Teaching, however, the uptake of VR and immersive technologies is rather sluggish and disparate, as education typically remains a late adopter of technologies.

Generation Z or Generation Zoomers (Gen Z or Generation Zoomers, born after the Millennials between 1990 and 2010) engage passionately in the fast-evolving new realities and make-belief worlds these technologies evoke. It is the world Generation Z grew up in and their successors Gen Alpha, born after 2010, have lived in since birth. The question begs whether the temptation of the screen obfuscates their experience of the world and understanding of what knowledge-acquisition in a digital world means, refers to or should be. What do Gen Z and Gen A learn today, and more precisely what should they learn today and how? We know that knowledge alone is no longer an asset in a world in which The Fourth Industrial Revolution, a term coined by Klaus Schwab, has shifted the paradigm of intelligence and knowledge. The importance of what we learn may be declining, the importance of how we learn and how to apply knowledge in and through experience is evermore critical to thrive.

Introduction

The combination of globalization, demographic changes and technological advances together with environmental changes is impacting all what man intends to do; it influences the societal environment and creates new demands and needs. That requires specific skills and good preparation. Education and innovation in education are cornerstones to respond to the changes and redeem the skills’ gaps created through these changes. The changes in education require new pedagogical approaches. This chapter will focus on one such approach: digital storytelling (DST).

After giving some backgrounds (Part I) and a discussion on DST (Part II), four different examples of digital story telling are presented (Part III) followed by some conclusions. The experiences have demonstrated a strong interest of students in DST-methods as an alternative to traditional lecturing. The students were better motivated to question, comment, search and to interact.

The evaluation of the experiences opens the door for some recommendations and possible improvements as well as the evaluation of the efforts linked to their implementations.

PART I. BACKGROUNDS

Methodology and Limitations

The paper is based on an extensive literature review which will explain the theoretical bases of the study and the logic behind it.

The experiences were developed and conducted by the author in his classes. Some of them—at earlier stages—were in presence form, the others were conducted later in online form (due to the Covid-19 pandemic). The classes concerned different topics in bachelor and master classes. The students’ feedback and the author’s self-reflection about this experience are given in the final recommendations of this chapter.

Within the frame of this chapter, it is not possible to present all the details supporting the research; they are part of other publications. Please note that the experience is not representative in term of the numbers of participants and the number of repetitions and hence, the results are not definitive. Other important limitations were the lack of time, available material and technical skills to develop the stories and make the video clips. Three experiences (stories I, II and IV) were conducted on the base of existing recorded material. The story III is based on a commercial film.

Introduction

The Mind, Brain Sciences and The Learning Sciences (in short Brain Learning Sciences (BLS), which is the later usage of concept respectively for separate studies), both developed very recently as interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary fields made up of education, psychology, neuroeducation, biology, science of the mind, brain and education (Sawyer, 2005; OECD, 2007; Lee 2018). The BLS aims at fostering understanding, instruction and learning. The BLS attempts to support effective learning and teaching environments by focusing on instructional, technological and social policy innovations and the course design at every level (Ferrari & McBride, 2011; Lee, 2018). The BLS highlights working on effective teaching and training, the improvement of learning environments, the development of new software and effective school administration. The BLS provides information about cognition, effective course design and socio-cultural settings that are essential for effective teaching and learning in formal and informal schooling. The BLS promotes the research and theory in cognition, learning sciences, socio-cultural context and course design (AECT, 2018). It aims to inform about the processes of teaching and learning, as well as scientific models of the structures for maintaining essential knowledge, understanding and skills when necessary. The BLS also addresses the socio-cultural basis of learning and scrutinizes the socio-cultural dynamics of learning and teaching. The field is based on learning and teaching not only with a particular focus on classrooms and schools but also on activities outside schools and informal learning settings such as museums, corporations and homes. The BLS has pointed out the need for new approaches for course design as well as building new environments such as infusing multimedia, AI and computer networks into learning and teaching, creating innovative curriculum and classroom activities for effective teaching. The BLS attempts to bring together interdisciplinary areas such as educational psychology, curriculum and instruction, with educational technology and research. Within this framework, it is aimed to clarify the differences between the BLS and educational sciences to create a history of the BLS. The field engages in analyzing learning, technology and instructional design. Therefore, there is a common misunderstanding regarding these fields that composes the BLS (Hoadley & Van Haneghan, 2011). The history of the BLS dates back about 30 years.

The mandate system is sometimes described as a waystation between colonialism and independence. The population of Palestine had lived under foreign overlords, but not in classic colonialism. Under Turkey, the Palestine Arabs enjoyed considerable autonomy in local governance. They even held seats in Turkey's parliament. Britain not only assumed full control but, in collaboration with the Zionist Organization, inserted an outside population bent on taking over the country. The League of Nations, more through its weakness than as a matter of its policy, provided cover for Britain, lending an aura of pseudo-legality to its project. When the Arabs staged an armed revolt, as they did in 1936, Britain put it down so harshly that their capacity to protect themselves was severely reduced. As a result, the European settlers who came under Zionist auspices were able, a decade later, to force most of the Arabs out of the country.

The star of self-determination shone briefly at the Paris Peace Conference as Britain felt itself compelled to subject its conquest of Arab territory to a procedure that gave the appearance of limiting Britain's power. That appearance was largely illusory. Britain could decide on its own to remain in Palestine and to govern it. Britain could define the territory of Palestine. The mandate system required Britain to consult the population on the choice of a mandatory, and to allow for an indigenous government. Britain ignored these stipulations, and the League Council did nothing to enforce them. The Covenant, to be sure, gave the Council no enforcement authority, leaving Britain a free hand. The mandate system presupposed that a mandatory would hold legal title to the territory. Britain never gained that title, so even by the Council's standards, Britain had no legal authority over Palestine.

The peace treaty by which Turkey renounced sovereignty, the Treaty of Lausanne, gave no sovereignty to Britain or its Allies. Britain conceded that fact, as we saw, in the Permanent Court of Justice. It acknowledged to the Court that Britain had taken Palestine militarily during World War I and was holding it on that basis and on that basis alone.