Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) Chief Economist Paul Conway recently delivered a speech entitled “Inflation: the road back to 2%”. The speech ostensibly charted a path forward. Read more
Dr Michael Johnston discusses his new report Welcome to the Machine: Opportunities and risks of generative AI for education with Prof Barbara Oakley. Dr Oliver Hartwich moderates this discussion. Read more
“How can anyone govern a nation that has two hundred and forty-six different kinds of cheese?”, asked Charles de Gaulle in 1962. Well, after its forthcoming elections, a plethora of cheese varieties may be the least of France’s problems. Risks abound for both France and Europe. Read more
Dr Michael Johnston talks to Michael Laws on The Platform about issues in teacher education in New Zealand. He discusses his role on the Ministerial Advisory Group for curriculum reform and argues that university-based teacher training programs are not effectively preparing teachers, with an overemphasis on sociology and insufficient focus on educational psychology and practical teaching skills. Read more
This podcast episode is from our recent AI in education webinar where Michael presents his report on generative AI in education, emphasising its potential as a supportive tool while cautioning against replacing traditional learning methods. Prof Barbara Oakley joins as a special guest to provide expert commentary on the cognitive science aspects. Read more
When it comes to international diplomacy, few nations can match New Zealand’s knack for unintentional hilarity. This week, we have once again found ourselves in the global spotlight, thanks to a series of aviation mishaps. Read more
Last week the government announced a comprehensive review of the country's Workplace Health and Safety regulation. There are good reasons for it to do so. Read more
New technology typically inspires both utopian dreams and dystopian fears. AI is a salient example of this optimism-pessimism dichotomy. Read more
In the 2024 budget, substantial funding was announced to move teacher education towards an in-school, apprenticeship-style model. The injection of funding is intended to address the shortage of teachers currently facing our schools. Read more
The New Zealand Initiative's Executive Director Oliver Hartwich interviews Senior Fellow Michael Johnston about his report Welcome to the Machine: The opportunities and risks of generative Artificial Intelligence for Education. Special guest Professor Barbara Oakley also joins their discussion. Read more
How New Zealand funds and finances infrastructure is a billion-dollar question. In Budget 2024, the Government forecasts that more than $68 billion will be spent on infrastructure over the next five years – a significant capital investment in roads, rail and other projects. Read more
It is about 18 months since the release of Chat-GPT, the first widely available ‘large-language’ artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot. Even in that time, the capabilities of AI have massively improved. Read more
The other day, I popped into a café in Wellington for my usual flat white. As I waited for my coffee, I noticed a selection of nut packages on display. Read more
Alcohol policy is always contentious – but let’s start with something that should be uncontroversial: If the government wants to reduce alcohol-related harm, it should aim for measures that do more good than harm overall. If a harm-reducing policy stacks up, it does so whether the overall social cost of alcohol is $10 billion, $1 billion, or $100 million. Read more
This report calls for a science-based approach to using artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms. This will help schools get the most out of AI while reducing risks to teaching and learning. Welcome to the Machine: Opportunities and Risks of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Education, written by Senior Fellow Dr Michael Johnston, will help educators and policymakers navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of AI in education. Read more