Solving Problems in the Age of AI: A New Approach to Education

Meet Po-shen Loh, mathematician, math professor, social entrepreneur, and pioneer in reimagining education for the AI age - where thinking outside the box is no longer just a problem-solving strategy, but a vital skill for success.

  • 1. People used to learn how to do homework and exams, but now they need to learn how to come up with their own solutions.
  • 2. The role of a person in the world is to solve problems, not just follow instructions.
  • 3. Po-Shen Loh is a mathematician, math professor, social entrepreneur, and national coach of the US International Math Olympiad team.
  • 4. He emphasizes the importance of learning mental flexibility and adaptability over memorization and cramming.
  • 5. Loh believes in creating value through interaction with people from diverse backgrounds.
  • 6. He encourages challenging oneself during the learning process and focusing on thinking and understanding, rather than repetition.
  • 7. In his free time, he enjoys meeting and understanding people with different backgrounds.
  • 8. Loh has given math talks in public parks to connect with parents and students and discover their challenges.
  • 9. He believes in hands-on experience and personally engaging in work to come up with ideas.
  • 10. Loh values creating solutions that benefit a large number of people, emphasizing social entrepreneurship over maximizing profits.
  • 11. His definition of success includes convincing a huge number of people to enjoy being thoughtful.
  • 12. He encourages everyone to be a bit of an entrepreneur, creating value in their personal and professional lives.
  • 13. Loh suggests that the new world of AI will be like the Wild West, with many opportunities for those who are skilled at creating value.
  • 14. Entrepreneurship is central to helping society survive and flourish as we move forward into this age of AI.
  • 15. In education, Loh focuses on teaching students how to think critically and solve new problems.
  • 16. He discourages rote memorization and emphasizes understanding concepts and applying them in novel ways.
  • 17. Loh encourages teachers to help students develop their own problem-solving skills, rather than simply showing them the "right" answers.
  • 18. He stresses the importance of adaptability and mental flexibility in both education and real-world situations.
  • 19. Loh's experience as a math person taking acting classes inspired him to combine seemingly unrelated fields in his work.
  • 20. He advocates for understanding people and their needs, which leads to more effective solutions and value creation.
  • 21. Loh values experiential learning and discovering pain points by engaging directly with people in various contexts.
  • 22. He believes that education should empower students to learn independently and not rely on classes or instructors for the rest of their lives.
  • 23. Loh encourages using AI, calculators, and computers to handle repetitive tasks, freeing up humans to focus on thinking and creativity.
  • 24. In his work, Loh combines his expertise in math, education, and social entrepreneurship to create value for a wide audience.

Source: EO via YouTube

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