2020 Teachers Workshop: Technology & Humanity

On July 31-August 1, 2020 Asia Society Northern California in partnership with 1990 Institute held a two-day, virtual Teachers Workshop on the theme Technology & Humanity.  Important session topics included the Chinese American experience, COVID-19 and its impact on digital learning, xenophobia, UN Sustainable Development Goals, and artificial intelligence.

The 2020 Teachers Workshop program can be viewed here. 

Day 1

Technology & Humanity

The first session of Teachers Workshop featured Francis Lee, former president & CEO of Synaptics, who kicked off the Workshop with a presentation about technology and humanity. As society becomes increasingly dependent on virtual platforms, we are confronted with shifting power relations and unforeseen ethical considerations. Francis offered valuable insights into these issues through an analysis of the global technology race.

Introduction and Workshop Objectives

Moderator Clay Dube, director of the U.S.-China Institute at University of Southern California, provided an overview of Teachers Workshop in the context of U.S.-China relations. He noted that in an ever-changing world, it is imperative for teachers to integrate avenues for cultural exchange into their classrooms.

COVID-19 and Xenophobia Towards Asians

Author and activist Helen Zia drew on her own research and experiences to discuss how to combat systemic oppression against Asian Americans in the classroom.

Center for Global Education

Tony Jackson, director of the Center for Global Education, spoke on the topic "Education for a 22nd century" and discussed the anthropological principles that must guide education for future generations. Neelam Chowdhary, director of Global Learning Programs at the Center for Global Education, spoke about the educational initiatives that Asia Society has developed for students to explore and expand on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Day 2

The Chinese American Experience

Jonas Edman, curriculum writer at the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) addressed the challenges and achievements of Chinese immigrants to — and integration within — American society by employing several resources curated by SPICE.

Artificial Intelligence and Implicit Bias

L. Song Richardson, dean and chancellor’s professor of law at the University of California, Irvine School of Law discussed ways in which artificial intelligence systems perpetuate societal biases and how teachers can overcome implicit biases inside the classroom.

Clay Dube on Technology and Humanity

Moderator Clay Dube, director of the U.S.-China Institute at University of Southern California, referenced themes from the first day of the workshop and elaborated on the topic of technology and humanity.

Technology — Conflict and Cooperation

Director of Frontier Technology Research at Asia Society Northern California Heather Evans presented on the cooperation and competition between the United States and China in the development of new internet technologies.