Young people can study future skills not only at the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM). The university's faculty recently held an exchange with teachers on this topic. Prof. Dr. Stephanie Hanrath, Vice President for Academic Affairs at THM, invited the principals of secondary schools, vocational schools, and technical colleges in Central Hesse to participate. The program was organized by the THM School &THM liaison office.
A total of 21 participants from 17 schools accepted the invitation, including those from Giessen , Marburg, Friedberg, Butzbach, Wetzlar, Weilburg, and Alsfeld. The event centered on Prof. Dr. Michael Guckert's lecture on "Future Skills and Critical Thinking in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.".
Future skills are future-relevant competencies – a mix of digital, technological, transformative and classic skills – that people need to thrive in a constantly changing world of work and life, as digitalization and structural change alter professions and tasks.
In addition to presenting teaching examples from the THMFuture Skills and Innovation program, Prof. Guckert focused particularly on a skill that should be taught in schools: critical thinking. For him, this includes researching and evaluating sources, making decisions as a basis for further action, and reflection—that is, critical thinking. Especially in times of artificial intelligence, where fake news and deepfakes are increasingly being spread, it is crucial that people are able to analyze and evaluate claims. "Critical thinking should become, or rather remain, an ideal of education," said Guckert.
The participating school principals expressed concerns that the addictive potential of social media is so high that young people might not be able to maintain a critical perspective in the long term. However, they emphasized that critical thinking is a valuable tool, opening the mind to misinformation and the critical examination of algorithms. Regarding AI, Guckert advised the attendees that it can indeed be used effectively. He stated that projects that directly address AI are beneficial, unlike projects that can be easily solved with AI.
“From the university management’s perspective, the exchange with schools is particularly important to us, as we often face the same challenges in the education system,” explained THMVice President Prof. Dr. Stephanie Hanrath. The participants then took the opportunity to discuss other current challenges. “We are very pleased that so many school principals accepted our invitation again. The slots for personal exchange offer us all excellent opportunities to discuss current developments, challenges, and each other’s plans,” concluded Jutta Müller, Head of the Central students advisory service at THM .
