Psychologist Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş, in his conference titled “Opportunities and Limitations Offered by Artificial Intelligence”, discussed the changes brought by technology and artificial intelligence into our lives with the pandemic, from education to business life.
The Phygital Future Summit 2021, organized in cooperation with the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education and Üsküdar Üniversitesi, continues at full speed. This time, the guest of the summit was Psychologist Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş, whose conferences were followed with great interest. Meeting with young people preparing for YKS, Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş drew attention to the changes experienced in many areas, from education to business life, due to the pandemic. Pointing to 21st Century competencies, Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş stated that collaboration, relationship management, and critical thinking skills must be developed. Baltaş, stating that there are three conditions for life success, said, “My model is quite simple: First, doing things where people achieve results with little effort. Second, sweating, falling, and getting up are essential for success. And third, getting along well with people.” Baltaş also advised young people that what they do today will affect their future, and that they should definitely find opportunities to work and learn a foreign language in the summer.
The “Phygital Future Summit 2021”, organized in cooperation with the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education and Üsküdar Üniversitesi, continues to bring young people together with leading figures from the academic world.
Following the opening panel by Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan and Istanbul National Education Director Levent Yazıcı, the summit, which included Üsküdar Üniversitesi Vice Rector, Director of the Institute of Addiction and Forensic Sciences Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, hosted Psychologist Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş.
The program, moderated by Üsküdar Üniversitesi Educational Institutions and Guidance Services Manager, Expert Psychological Counselor and Career Consultant Ece Tözeniş, was held online due to the pandemic.
2020 to be taken as a reference for the transformation of business life
Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş stated that with the pandemic entering our lives 15 months ago, we were dragged into an environment where unforeseeable conditions became predictable, adding that it would not be a surprise to encounter surprises in the future, but that these days would definitely pass. Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş said, “The Chinese say, ‘May you live in uncertain times’ when they are angry with someone.” With the pandemic, we have evolved into a very different period. In a way, I think that although the 21st century chronologically started on January 1, 2000, historians in the future will most likely take the year 2020 as a reference point. In terms of the transformation of business life, the work environment, and employees. Human life is getting longer. It is highly probable that a significant portion of the young people listening to us, if they live a natural normal life, will exceed their 80s and reach their 90s, and some will even surpass their 90s. In 2070, the retirement age will be 75, which means: Currently, young people will have a 50-year working life after finishing school and will change jobs many times. There are many wild guesses about the professions of the future, but they are not fully known,” he said.
Crisis will also offer new opportunities in education
Reminding Winston Churchill’s words, “Never waste a good crisis,” Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş said, “This crisis is also in our lives. A crisis is the name given to a situation where existing known solutions lose their validity. Crises strengthen existing trends and enable changes that would take many years to materialize to be rapidly implemented. That is what happened here. Even for companies and managers who would not consider remote work, if they were not in the manufacturing sector, remote work ceased to be an option and became a necessity. What will be the long-term outcome of this? It will lead to an increase in female employment and the rise of women’s representation in top management. Therefore, it will have beneficial results. The second accelerating development was in the field of education. The remote education offered by schools with certain facilities became the only option in the third week of March. Secondary schools and universities that were prepared for this tried to adapt, and of course, there were great difficulties in the transition. Because we saw that most of the things we said were indispensable for face-to-face education and human interaction could actually happen. From this crisis, a great transformation could emerge in the field of education that could solve Turkey’s existential problem. In what sense? One of the biggest problems in Turkey is the inequality of opportunity for children from the public to access quality education. Therefore, distance education has the potential to eliminate this inequality of opportunity,” he said.
Collaboration and relationship management must be developed
Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş, pointing to 21st Century competencies, stated that young people need to acquire new skills. Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş, noting that collaboration, relationship management, and critical thinking must be acquired, said, “One of the people we should listen to, Noah Harari, says that we know 60% of professions will disappear within the next 25 years, and the remaining 40% will definitely transform. We don’t know exactly why it will happen, but no matter what, they say those with these characteristics will do those jobs well. Therefore, these qualities, namely collaboration and relationship management, are qualities that must be developed. Critical thinking for young people held captive by a 5-option exam system is inconceivable. Without critical thinking, creativity is naturally out of the question,” he said.
Triple model for life success
Noting that much has been said about life success, Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş continued as follows:
“My model is quite simple. First, doing things where people achieve results with little effort. What do you love to do? What are the tasks, subjects, areas where you achieve results with little effort, and where time flies by when you are doing them? Second, sweating, falling, and getting up are essential for success. That is, without falling and getting up, like the title of Yankı Yazgan’s book “Growing Up by Falling and Getting Up.” It is not possible to succeed without failing. Unfortunately, with the 5-option exam system, we not only hold children captive but also poison them with success. Consequently, they avoid entering areas where their success is uncertain, and thus they cannot see their potential. Therefore, success, which means enduring hardship and effort, and risking failure, is important. And third, getting along well with people. What did Harari say? He listed two important qualities: relationship management and teamwork. Therefore, showing genuine interest in people, being able to connect with them, and showing that we value what they value, is one of the important levers of life success, alongside technical education and achievement…”
Noting that the two most essential qualities for life are resilience, or perseverance, and self-efficacy, Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş said, “Resilience means falling and getting up, encountering problems. It is gained by circling around a problem if you can’t solve it, asking for help if necessary, trying different approaches, and taking risks of failure, and as a result of failure. Success brings pride, failure develops. And in the end, self-efficacy is gained.” he said.
You need to take responsibility to write your own story
Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş, stating that what young people do today will determine their future, listed his recommendations as follows: “Therefore, today, definitely get certificates from open sources, work every chance you get in the summer, do internships, work for free, but work. Definitely improve your foreign language. Don’t spend time just having fun and traveling. Those who spend their time this way will fall behind those who don’t use their time similarly. Take on roles in school student clubs, non-governmental organizations, and social responsibility projects. In these projects, lead some of them. This will give you the most important skill for life, the most crucial characteristic of emotional intelligence: managing people over whom you have no authority. Therefore, what you do today will determine your future. Artificial Intelligence will offer us great opportunities, but it can also lead to a very critical outcome, such as reinforcing our biases. In conclusion, you need to take responsibility to write your own story.
Will continue until June 11
The Phygital Future Summit 2021, which has attracted significant interest especially from candidates taking the university entrance exam, will continue until Friday, June 11, 2021. At the summit, Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean Prof. Dr. Deniz Ülke Arıboğan delivered a speech titled “Phygital Education in the Hybrid Period.” Üsküdar Üniversitesi Psychology Department Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan will meet with young people on June 11 with his speech titled “Remaining Human in the Digital Future.” The summit, which will be held via Zoom, can also be followed on Üsküdar Üniversitesi’s Official Youtube channel.