The new division of labor between human and machine and its educational implications

Lars Geer Hammershøj

Technology in Society, 2019, vol. 59, issue C

Abstract: The aim of the article is to clarify the future division of labor between human and machine and its educational implications. Recent studies on future employment discuss whether growth in computer power and advances in artificial intelligence enable the automation of non-routine tasks, including tasks that require creativity and innovation, which are among the most unique human capacities. However, this discussion generally lacks research-based concepts of creativity and innovation. In order to clarify the discussion on the division of labor, relevant theories of creativity and innovation are introduced. The inquiry shows that creativity and innovation consist in making new connections between domains or practices. While computers and robotics are capable of operating only within specific domains, in which rules apply or data are available, creativity and innovation operate beyond the boundaries of such domains and must be guided by emotions and driven by moods. This suggests that computers and robotics make rapid change possible, but cannot solve the task of creating change themselves. The educational implications are that it is vital to cultivate the unique human capacities of sensing, understanding, handling and creating change, and to teach students and employees to collaborate with computers and robotics.

Keywords: Division of labor; Creativity; Innovation; Digitalization; Educational implications (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X18300903
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:teinso:v:59:y:2019:i:c:s0160791x18300903

DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2019.05.006

Access Statistics for this article

Technology in Society is currently edited by Charla Griffy-Brown

More articles in Technology in Society from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().