When I take columns on technological innovations of the day, I sometimes remember the innovators of the past. Modern technologies that we adopt so easily from most likely from innovators who have tried to solve complex problems with simple creative solutions. Today, we intend to talk about innovative uses of generative artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data and digital transformation. These innovations did not occur overnight, but rather came from a unique series of events which, stacked together, brought us where we are today, in a world of technology. What we must recognize is that there are important skills that we must learn, either from our education or through global experiences, to use and rely on these advances – skills such as problem solving, innovative thought and communication.
To better illustrate the importance of these skills and how they relate to our use of technology today, I would like to share what I learned from my father and his time abroad during the Second World War in the body of American army engineers. By looking for his photos and his personal story, I acquired a unique knowledge of the importance of these essential elements to navigate in our technological future.
Problem solving
Photo credit: PFC Bernard JORSTAD
The story began when I came across a self -portrait of my father whom he took with his camera in a box in a forest near Munich, Germany, towards the end of the war. Interestingly, he wrote a short message on the back of several of his photos. For this image, he wrote: “If you notice my left arm while holding a long stick to break the shutter.” It was an innovative self -portrait of over 80 years ago, and a notable example of problem solving, innovation and documentation of an event through the story. My father’s opportunity was not limited by what he already knew. Think of how we take images today on our smartphones instantly, with little planning or foresight. Like the CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella, said it by the Technological Service Company Technician“The opportunities are not limited by what we know; They are limited by what we are ready to learn. Keeping open eyes to emerging technology markets, we can stay at the forefront of innovation and position ourselves to succeed. ”
In other images, my father documented a B -17 bomber, displaying the number of bombings, and also photographed a wide variety of German aircraft captured at the end of the war – an invaluable and ephemeral memory. He probably didn’t realize it, but he captured history for future generations to learn and rely. In this same vein, studying past technologies reveals how fast they can transform the world and highlights the importance of taking up both the advantages and challenges they present.
Change of change
When we look at the history of technology, we can understand how innovations can change and reshape our lives and society. What was once new and creative can become quite common, such as our ability to take high quality selfies at any time, anywhere and without human intervention. A blog article in September 2024 of the order of management of the professional organization, entitled “Leadership in the digital age: navigate the challenges of a world -oriented world“Underlined,” in the rapid world and focused on technology, leadership is no longer just about guiding teams – it is a question of navigating in complex digital landscapes that are continuously evolving. “We can face obstacles along the way, but we can learn from them and better prepare to face our future challenges through technology.
Educational impact
Technology has considerably changed our education in multiple ways. From books to magic lanterns, audio recordings, films, computers and AI, all these incremental steps come from a continuous process of test, error, failures and modifications. For Smithsonian MagazineErica Hendry wrote on the importance of failure in an article entitled “7 epic failures brought to you by the genius spirit of Thomas Edison. “Although these” epic failures “are difficult, they also paved the way for many successes. I would say that I have found 10,000 ways that will not work.”
The way we use technology in education has been deep. He moved the role of the teacher and forged new ways that students can interact as well as co-creation, which can generate much more significant learning experiences. As Associate Professor Stacy Katz of Lehman CollegeCity University of New York, said once: “Co-creation with students gives them an agency on their learning and helps develop self-direction, trust, creativity and critical thinking. It allows educators to create significant learning experiences for students by engaging in a more difficult and enriching teaching practice. ” The creative resolution of students who can co-create with teachers can lead to innovative solutions.
Lessons learned
Finally, our successful use of technology is preserved not only with education, but with our own desire to learn and experience. Thomas Edison himself was educated at home by his mother and had no formal education. It is reported that he only attended school for about three months. THE Edison higher education did not include the continuation of the college or the university, because it was largely self -taught or had received education by training. However, throughout his life, he had a continuous thirst for knowledge and was a frequent reader.
In some respects, Edison’s thirst for information and knowledge reflected my father’s state of mind, although my father did not have the opportunity to work with so many technological inventions and innovations over the years. My father worked as a farmer, never attended high school and was then a machinist. His service in Europe during the Second World War was the first trip he ever made outside the Midwest. What was struck me was his endless desire to read, learn, innovate and document the world around him, to preserve his stories so that we remember.
While on leave in London during the war, he had a photo taken from himself and his GI friends near the parliament. Several years later, I had the chance to stand in the same place.
While I was standing there while the photo was taken, I felt a deep feeling of appreciation for what my father had carefully documented so that we could ask ourselves, so many years ago. He made it possible to understand how the world had changed, and always does it at an ever increasing pace. Technology is only part of our history. The broader story is the way we have solved the problems, innovated and communicated our achievements along the way. It is not always the destination, but rather our personal trip to get there.
