Critical thinking and emotional intelligence – key skills of young people in the era of technological changes
On October 30, 2024, we held a conference in Zagreb dedicated to digital literacy in the age of artificial intelligence and digital transformation of education. More than 70 participants, mostly from the education sector, gathered to exchange experiences and best practices and open a dialogue about current challenges and opportunities in modern education.
The focus of the conversation was the role of artificial intelligence, its development and application in the educational process.
The conference program included three inspiring lectures and three panel discussions where 12 experts shared their knowledge and experience.
Žarko Čižmar from Telecenter/Algebra Media Lab presented the results of research on data literacy and artificial intelligence literacy in high schools.
The research was carried out as part of the project “Digital Literacy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, and its goals were to gain insight into the attitudes of students and employees of high schools about the needs for the development of data literacy and literacy about artificial intelligence, and to collect examples of good practice in interdisciplinary project learning.
Antun Palanović from the Department of Psychology of the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb spoke about key skills for successful team management and employee satisfaction, while female students of the 5th Grammar School in Zagreb presented research on young people’s attitudes towards artificial intelligence and ways of applying artificial intelligence programs in classes.
The first panel (Every day, in every aspect, we are progressing more and more) brought a dynamic discussion about how artificial intelligence is changing the education system and which competencies are important for future entrepreneurs. The panel consisted of experts from the business sector: Ratko Mutavdžić from Microsoft, Tomislav Bronzin from Citius, Leo Mršić from Algebra LAB and Drago Cmuk from Forvis Mazars, while the discussion was led by Jasminka Martinović from the Croatian Association of Employers (HUP).
The second panel (Isn’t life a hundred times too short to be bored?), moderated by Žarko Čižmar (Telecentar/Algebra Media Lab), focused on the importance of project-based learning and the development of various competencies, and the panelists were: Mirta Mornar from the Institute for social research in Zagreb, Ksenija Banović from the School of Fashion and Design, Paolo Zenzerović from the Institute for Youth Development and Innovation and Darko Jureković from the Oracle Academy.
The third, final panel (Is there a pilot in the plane?), moderated by the director of ODRAZ, Lidija Pavić-Rogošić, opened up the issues of education policies and adaptation of the education system in the era of artificial intelligence. The participants of the panel were: Paško Bilić from the Institute for Development and International Relations, Mislav Balković from the University of Algebra, Vjekoslav Robotić from the Gymnasium “Fran Galović” in Koprivnica and Luka Juroš from the City of Zagreb.
The panel’s conclusions highlighted the need to develop critical thinking and emotional intelligence so that young people are ready to face the challenges brought by rapid technological changes.
The conference in the Algebra Spark space was jointly organized by members of the Network for the Development of Digital Literacy – Telecenter, ODRAZ, University of Algebra, the Association of Croatian Secondary School Principals and the Croatian Association of Employers.
The conference was held as part of the Digital Literacy in the Age of AI project. This project is financed by the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) within the EURECA 2024 project. The project is co-financed by the European Union.
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