Technologies · Year 6 · Impacts of Innovation · Term 3

The Changing Landscape of Work

Discussing how robotics and AI are changing jobs, creating new roles, and requiring new skills.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9TDI6K04

About This Topic

The changing landscape of work examines how robotics and AI automate routine tasks, reshape existing jobs, and generate new opportunities in fields like data ethics and machine maintenance. Year 6 students align with AC9TDI6K04 by exploring these impacts through Australian Curriculum Technologies, identifying human skills such as creativity, empathy, and complex problem-solving that machines replicate poorly. They tackle key questions on irreplaceable abilities, future job hypotheses, and lifelong learning's role.

Students connect concepts to real contexts, like Australian industries adopting automation in mining or healthcare, fostering ethical awareness and adaptability. This builds foresight and resilience, vital for navigating technological disruption.

Active learning excels for this topic, as collaborative debates, role-plays, and brainstorming sessions make future scenarios vivid and personal. Students gain confidence predicting changes and committing to skill growth through peer interaction and hands-on forecasting.

Key Questions

1. Which human skills are hardest for a computer or robot to replicate?
2. Hypothesize about new jobs that might be created as a result of advancements in AI.
3. Evaluate the importance of lifelong learning in an era of rapid technological change.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze how automation and AI are transforming specific job roles in Australian industries.
• Hypothesize about at least two new job categories that may emerge due to advancements in AI and robotics.
• Evaluate the necessity of continuous skill development for career longevity in a rapidly changing technological environment.
• Compare the capabilities of current AI and robotics with uniquely human skills like creativity and empathy.

Before You Start

Digital Systems

Why: Students need a foundational understanding of how digital systems work to comprehend the capabilities and limitations of robots and AI.

Impact of Technology on Society

Why: Prior exposure to how technology influences daily life prepares students to consider the broader societal changes brought about by AI and robotics in the workplace.

Key Vocabulary

Automation	The use of technology to perform tasks with minimal human intervention. This can range from simple machines to complex robotic systems.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)	The simulation of human intelligence processes by computer systems. AI enables machines to learn, problem-solve, and make decisions.
Reskilling	The process of learning new skills to adapt to a changing job market. It is crucial when existing job roles are automated or significantly altered.
Upskilling	The process of improving existing skills or learning advanced skills within a current profession. This helps individuals remain competitive and valuable.
Job displacement	The situation where a job is eliminated due to technological advancements, economic changes, or other factors, leading to unemployment for the worker.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Robots and AI will eliminate all jobs.

What to Teach Instead

Technologies displace some roles but create others, like robot programmers. Group job-hypothesizing activities reveal this balance, as students research and debate real examples, shifting views from fear to opportunity.

Common Misconception

AI can perform any task as well as humans.

What to Teach Instead

AI excels at patterns but lacks human creativity and ethics. Role-play simulations where students act as AI versus humans highlight gaps, with peer feedback reinforcing nuanced understanding.

Common Misconception

Current skills suffice for a lifetime career.

What to Teach Instead

Rapid change demands ongoing learning. Timeline activities help students visualize skill evolution, connecting personal goals to evidence of job flux through class-shared examples.

Active Learning Ideas

Pairs Brainstorm: Irreplaceable Human Skills

Pairs watch short videos of robots at work, then list and justify three human skills hardest to replicate, such as empathy or improvisation. Pairs share one skill with the class via sticky notes on a board. Facilitate a quick vote on the top skill.

30 min·Pairs

Small Groups: Hypothesize New Jobs

Groups of four receive cards with AI advancements, like self-driving cars, and hypothesize three new jobs each would create. Groups sketch job descriptions and present to the class. Compile all ideas into a shared 'Future Jobs Wall'.

45 min·Small Groups

Whole Class Debate: Lifelong Learning

Divide class into two teams to debate 'Lifelong learning is essential due to tech change' versus a counter view. Provide evidence cards on job shifts. Conclude with student reflections on personal learning plans.

50 min·Whole Class

Individual Timeline: My Skill Journey

Students create a personal timeline from Year 6 to age 30, noting skills to learn amid AI changes. Share in small groups for feedback. Display timelines to spark class discussion on common themes.

35 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• In Australian agriculture, robotic harvesters are being developed to pick delicate fruits like strawberries, changing the nature of farm labor and creating roles for robotic technicians and data analysts.
• The healthcare sector in Australia is seeing AI used for diagnostic imaging analysis, which supports radiologists but also necessitates new skills in interpreting AI-generated reports and managing patient data ethically.
• Self-checkout machines in Australian supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths represent a form of automation that has altered the roles of traditional cashiers, shifting focus towards customer service and stock management.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are designing a new job for the year 2040. What would it be called, what would the main tasks be, and what skills would someone need to do it?' Facilitate a class discussion where students share their ideas and justify their reasoning.

Exit Ticket

Ask students to write on a slip of paper: 'One human skill that is very hard for robots to copy is ______. This is important because ______.' Collect these to gauge understanding of human-centric skills.

Quick Check

Present students with three hypothetical job descriptions: 'Robot Repair Technician', 'AI Ethics Consultant', and 'Data Entry Clerk'. Ask them to quickly rank these jobs from most likely to be impacted by AI/robotics (high impact) to least likely (low impact), and briefly explain their top choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is robotics changing jobs in Australia?

Robotics automates repetitive tasks in mining, manufacturing, and agriculture, reducing manual roles but boosting demand for technicians and programmers. Australian examples include Rio Tinto's autonomous trucks. Students explore this via case studies, preparing them to adapt in a tech-driven economy while valuing human oversight.

What human skills resist AI replacement?

Creativity, emotional intelligence, and ethical judgment challenge AI most. Students identify these through discussions of real scenarios, like counseling or art, building awareness that complements tech skills for hybrid futures.

How can active learning teach the changing work landscape?

Debates and group forecasting engage students directly with AI impacts, turning abstract ideas into relatable predictions. Role-plays simulate workplaces, while shared walls of future jobs foster collaboration. These methods build ownership, critical thinking, and enthusiasm for lifelong learning over passive lectures.

Why emphasize lifelong learning in Year 6 technologies?

Technological pace outstrips school curricula, so students must embrace continuous upskilling. Activities like personal timelines link current lessons to lifelong habits, using Australian job data to show adaptability's value in sustaining careers amid innovation.