From Knowledge Building to Wisdom Building in Higher Ed

The expectations of prospective students and families, employers and society at large have shifted. Knowledge and information have become instantaneously available at speeds approximating personal recall. The next step in the process is to cultivate wisdom in recommending or taking action on available knowledge. Our primary mission has shifted over the past quarter century. This is at the core of our raison d’être in higher education. The definition of what it means to “educate” those who come to us has changed. It is important for us to reflect on what these changing expectations mean in the mid-21st century.

The advent of the internet toward the end of the last century went a long way to stimulate this shift to the emphasis on wisdom. More recently, artificial intelligence has further accelerated the move. Those of us in higher education who still have our focus on knowledge gathering in our classes are a quarter of a century behind the times. Rote memorization of facts is out of date, supplanted by highly refined search and retrieval skills coupled with an ability to apply sophisticated critical and creative thinking to those data.

It may seem to be a subtle difference between knowledge and wisdom. Traditionally, we have said that knowledge is the foundation of wisdom. Meriam-Webster lists as its first definition of knowledge: “information, understanding, or skill that you get from experience or education.” Whereas the Cambridge Dictionary begins its definition of wisdom by referencing knowledge: “the ability to use your knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgments.”

Knowledge can lead to wisdom, so, what’s the big deal? It is a big deal to differentiate the process of memorization and regurgitation of facts or information, and the sophisticated synthesizing of plans and action based upon metacognitive critical and creative thought to achieve wisdom.

The nature of knowledge has evolved over the years. In prior centuries, those seeking wisdom would begin by supplementing their brain-based memories with personal libraries which served as a sort of extended memory for the decision-making process. We developed encyclopedias, almanacs, indexes, readers’ guides to periodicals and related tools to provide shortcuts to useful, handy knowledge and information. The advent of the World Wide Web in 1993 with the first effective, universally accessible graphical browser, Mosaic, created our personal extended knowledge index to an incredibly massive, constantly expanding library of information.

With nimble fingers, a robust internet connection and advanced skills for efficient information retrieval from the best online sources, our cranium-contained memory is supplemented by the awesomely expansive virtual memory of the internet. In effect, the internet has become an extension of our brain. Vastly larger than the largest library, it offers retrieval technologies that perform at speeds and accuracy rivaling physical memory recall. In many instances, the internet provides more reliable and more complete results than knowledge that is naturally stored in our own aging brains.

Our next step in expectations that are placed on colleges and universities is cultivating a relationship between our learners and AI. This is somewhat more challenging, given the incredibly rapid continuing development of AI technologies. The pace is head-spinning to say the least. Performance benchmarks are set periodically, but these must constantly be revised because capabilities expand beyond those that can possibly be measured using older benchmarks. New versions of AI systems are released three or four times a year; while each version sets a new conceptual standard for capabilities.

It’s no wonder that college students and their prospective employers are clamoring for greater awareness and deeper understanding of AI among graduates. Alcino Donadel of University Business last month reported on the recently released Coursera study of the ten foundational AI skills sought by students and employers alike:

These changes in expectations demand that we find ways to integrate wisdom-building practices and AI utilizations into our curricula. These are both best accomplished if they are part of every class that we offer. It is not good enough to have a single AI Applications course; rather we should use AI in every class so that interacting with generative and agentic AI becomes a comfortable and effective activity for students. It should be an everyday experience.

Building wisdom should also become a natural experience. Applying the principles of creative and critical thinking should be equally natural. Some examples of exercises that employ these skills are enumerated by Australian Christian College:

To best serve our students, we should provide portfolio software in which they can display assignments and other projects that demonstrate such skills, especially as they relate to their desired careers. In doing so, we can focus our learning outcomes and position our students to best demonstrate their preparedness for launching their careers. We can also facilitate internships in relevant fields and offer experiential assignments that engage students with professionals in their field of study.

We are at the turning point in higher learning where we must now shift our focus from memorization and recitation of facts to the synthesis and analysis of a much broader virtual “library” of knowledge. From this perspective, we will build wisdom among our students. This new level of learning will provide the platform for graduates and certificate completers to exercise leadership and vision in our society.