Featuring original research and analysis on mobile and open learning published as Open Educational Resources (OERs) by professional educators enrolled in the University of British Columbia's Master of Educational Technology (MET) program. Browse and be inspired!
Posted in (A2) Movable Feast
Hello ECTEC 523, find the link to our Movable Feast OER below.
Within the OER you will find interactive activities. We ask that users use the space provided within the OER for discussions posts and comments. The discussion post below can be used for any feedback outside the scope of our interactive discussions.
Enjoy the feast everyone,
Dave & Jake
Corporate educator, systems administrator, life-time hockey player, and fantasy nerd.
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Hello Dave and Jake,
I need to start by acknowledging the incredible amount of work on your OER. The content was presented in an engaging way and incredibly well sequenced. Specifically, the micro-course caught my attention and the format supported my learning.
The questions you asked readers to consider during the BBC video were thought provoking. I had never considered evolution beyond our current form, especially in regards to technology. Transhumanism is a new concept to me, but my initial thoughts are that a transhumanist would prefer that humanity grow, thrive and extend through the support of technology.
As AI and evolving technology advance in the medical field as an example, human beings are able to live longer and endure less physical suffering. I question whether any significant biological changes will come from these innovations. These medical upgrades could be the biggest motivator in a jump from humanism to transhumanism. I feel that we are a long way off from having life extending and disease defending technologies available on a mass scale that is affordable and social acceptable. Reliable testing to ensure safety could take several years, I could envision several vocal critics as these ideas become more mainstream. We are already seeing some mobile technology that support this transition (apps on phones, apple watches, etc…) but these tools seem less intrusive than the biochemistry altering methods the OER described.
Hey Mark,
We appreciate the kind words! Always nice to get positive feedback from other professionals.
I also agree that the medical advancements could offer the most profound jump from humanism to post-humanism, but I also think the current AI revolution is the CURRENT jump we’re dealing with, and really one of the first truly transformative ones. From my experience in the space, it’s already asking us to reconsider what it means to know, what it means to learn, and most concerningly, what it means to be human.
I consider the AI wave now of a dress rehearsal for the eventual corporeal evolution when the technology for bio-engineering really ramps up. In my opinion, we’re not exactly killing it.
Hi Dave and Jake,
Great job on putting together such a detailed and comprehensive project. The depth of information you included was really helpful, and I appreciated the level of organization and embedded quizzes that made it super engaging!
One line from your presentation that stood out to me was “transhumanism challenges traditional boundaries and encourages lifelong learning and adaptability.” I found this powerful because it captures how transhumanism pushes us to continually question what it means to be human and remain open to change. Furthermore, it reflects the idea that learning and self-improvement are not limited, and can extend to how we integrate technology into our physical selves and daily lives. I personally find the concept of transhumanism, particularly in healthcare-related fields, especially fascinating, especially with the use of AI. I think an intelligence upgrade through technology could help make us more efficient in a lot of aspects, such as diagnosing, treating, and even preventing illness by processing complex data beyond regular human capacity. It could also lead to personalized medicine; however, I think this kind of enhancement must be approached carefully. While greater intelligence and technological integration can lead to remarkable progress, it’s equally important to maintain empathy and ethical awareness. Without that, even the most advanced intelligence might struggle to solve the deeper social and moral issues that underlie many of the problems we face today.
I would like to start by saying this has been the most engaging and interactive OER in my opinion. Great work! I just wanted to touch upon some of the mobile technologies that have allowed humans to progress towards transhumanism.
One example is health-monitoring apps. Wearables that offer technologies like Apple’s Health app, Fitbit, and smartwatches collect continuous data on heart rate, sleep patterns, blood oxygen, and stress levels. This real-time feedback allows users to understand and optimize their bodies in ways that were once impossible. This biological feedback creates a closer connection between human physiology and digital systems.
Like you mentioned on your website, AI-learning is a big one. Specifically, AI-driven voice assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa are becoming commonplace companions that quietly extend our cognitive abilities. They don’t just answer questions, they organize our schedules, send messages, navigate routes, and can control smart home devices with voice commands. What makes these tools particularly important in the context of transhumanism is that they provide instant access to information outside of our own minds. They can also translate languages on the spot, and help us remember things we might otherwise forget, like appointments or reminders. Over time, this constant interaction with AI makes the technology feel like an extension of our minds. To me, this seems like a transitory step between humans of the past and humans with Neuralink-type brain implants that connect us seamlessly to the computer world.
Thanks so much for the feedback Nik! From the outset, Dave and I wanted to make sure this wasn’t just a practice in reading, but something that would challenge you to get your hands into it, so to speak.
You made a great point about AI agents and assistants giving us access to knowledge “outside of our own minds.” I hadn’t really thought of them that way before, but I would argue the entire internet and connected web fit that categorization as well. Weird thing, to think that we may already be in the transitory step towards transhumanism. Who knows how long the remainder of the evolution will take.
Hey all! Jake here, the other half of this Transhumanism OER.
Thanks for taking the time to check the comments! We hope you gain some practical insight into our relatively philosophical topic of transhumanism in education. I personally think it’s an interesting way to approach the end of our technology-based course, as it implies asking ourselves what the future evolution of technologies in the classroom has in store.
As Dave mentioned above, we would appreciate everyone interacting primarily within the OER for any discussion related to the suggested topics, but if you have any other questions or comments outside of the OER scope, feel free to place them here.
We’re really open to feedback! I would love to use this OER as a portfolio resource so the more audience feedback the better.
Appreciate you all.
Jake and Dave