Treffer: The Need for a Curriculum beyond Algorithms: Cultivating Human Flourishing in the Age of AI

In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and algorithm-driven decision-making, human roles, skills, and educational priorities are undergoing an unprecedented transformation. As machines become increasingly capable of performing routine, analytical, and even creative tasks, the fundamental question arises: What remains uniquely human in the learning process? How should education systems evolve to cultivate human abilities that transcend computational efficiency? The need for a curriculum beyond algorithms stems from the urgency to redesign education in a way that fosters human flourishing, ensuring that individuals are equipped not merely to coexist with intelligent machines but to lead, innovate, and shape a meaningful future. Education has traditionally prepared individuals for industrial economies. However, rapid technological advancements are making this model obsolete. Post-positivist theorists like Biesta and Burbules (2003) and Lincoln and Guba (1985) challenge the notion of absolute objectivity in learning, advocating for critical thinking, contextual inquiry, and interdisciplinary approaches. This shift highlights the need for a curriculum that prioritizes adaptability, creativity, and ethical reasoning--human capacities that AI cannot fully replicate. As machines automate knowledge retrieval and data processing, human creativity, intuitive decision-making, ethical reasoning, and social-emotional intelligence become central to meaningful work and citizenship. Education must adopt reconstructivist approaches, grounded in Humanist Philosophy and Post-Positivist epistemology, to prioritize human potential, adaptability, and ethical reasoning in response to technological advancements (Dewey, 1938; Rogers, 1983). Post-positivist educational theory acknowledges the limitations of absolute knowledge transmission, advocating for learning models that embrace subjectivity, multiple perspectives, and the evolving nature of understanding (Creswell & Poth, 2018). This chapter explores the imperative for educational transformation in the post-technology era and conducts a theoretical synthesis of educational models. It examines how emerging technological disruptions, global challenges, and shifting societal structures necessitate a curriculum that prioritizes human agency, ethical decision-making, and the ability to engage in complex problem-solving across disciplines. Additionally, the chapter investigates various models for structuring school learning, emphasizing interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and skill-based approaches that align with the evolving demands of the postmodern world. Rather than proposing an entirely new curriculum or merely critiquing existing models, it synthesizes post-positivist epistemology and humanist philosophy into a practical, inquiry-based learning (IBL) framework tailored for the post-technology era. By integrating critical realism, methodological pluralism, and a focus on human potential, this framework shifts education from static knowledge transfer to the cultivation of uniquely human capacities such as creativity, ethical reasoning, and adaptability that complement and transcend AI's capabilities. Through a blend of theoretical analysis and actionable strategies, including interdisciplinary curriculum design and real-world educational examples, the chapter offers valuable guidance for educators and policymakers. This chapter systematically explores curriculum transformation beyond algorithms through five key sections: 1.Post-Positivism and Humanist Philosophy -- Examines the shift from positivist knowledge paradigms to post-positivist perspectives, emphasizing critical realism, methodological pluralism, and reflexivity. 2.The Need for Change: Technology and Human Roles -- Highlights how AI and automation necessitate educational reform to cultivate uniquely human capacities. 3.The Human Imperative: Adaptation and Skills -- Identifies essential post-technology skills, including intuition, ethical reasoning, emotional intelligence, and creativity. 4.Redefining Schools, Curricula, and Assessment -- Explores the transition from rigid, discipline-based instruction to dynamic, interdisciplinary, inquiry-driven learning. 5.Transformative Teaching Practices in the Age of Artificial Intelligence -- Approaches like Reggio Emilia, Phenomenon-Based Learning, STEAM/STEM, and the IB framework that emphasize human-centric education. This transition to a curriculum beyond algorithms represents not merely an educational reform but a profound reconceptualization of learning, human potential, and societal progress. Through redefined curricula, teaching methods, and learning environments, education can move beyond information delivery to a holistic framework fostering creativity, ethical judgment, and critical inquiry. In an era where AI performs tasks such as composing symphonies and diagnosing diseases, the skills enabling humans to thrive are rooted in distinctly human strengths. A contribution to the ongoing discourse on education's future is offered here, grounded in scientific analysis and oriented toward cultivating human flourishing in the age of AI. [This chapter was published in: "EDUCATION & SCIENCE 2025-I," 2025, pp. 31-56.]

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