There's something peculiarly fascinating when professionals, who have devoted their lives to mold young minds, take a step out of their comfort zone and try something new. Just the other day on 9 & 10 October, I attended a two-day workshop at Vasa Hotel and helped as one of the mentors. Twenty lecturers of the English Department from Petra Christian University came together to try and understand the possibilities of artificial intelligence in education. Though the workshop's objective was to bridge education with the industry, I saw another thing: the bridging of generations.

What really impressed me was not the younger participants, the ones more 'born into' technology and their adjustment was generally easy. Rather, it was two senior lecturers who were highly dedicated to their calling. Their openness and eagerness concerning this new technology inspired me greatly. It wasn't about their age, but about their unwavering commitment to learning and improving their skills despite their limitations.

One of these lecturers, Ma’am Julia Ekarini, teaches translation studies. She traversed StoryJourney with silent confidence, as one would expect from an artist when handed a new tool for the first time, fidgety at the start, then immediately adapting. "It's quite user-friendly," she said, smiling, as she tried finding her way through the interface.

The words here to show how willing she was to evolve and find other ways to make students more engaged. This is not about moving with the times for her; this is to make the classroom experience better. And to see her being passionate during the workshop—when she figured out how StoryJourney works, how she attentively asked questions, and excitedly exploring its features—amazed me. Ma’am Julia has deep curiosity in learning how it works, and there’s nothing pleasing than to watch senior lectures eagerly catching up in this fast-paced AI era.

Then there was Professor Samuel Gunawan: quiet, carrying years of teaching, yet upon sitting to use StoryJourney, he did not waste a single moment. He could spot the potential in a trice: "StoryJourney is good," he started saying in his reflective tone of voice.

This was something I could only feel a deep respect for such persistence. They did not adapt, but they went all the way into embracing this new concept of teaching. The fact that they were more familiar with other, older methods did not weigh them down. Instead, they stepped up to the challenge, driven by the very same passion that must have brought them to teaching to begin with: a passion to inspire and connect with their students.

It made me reflect on the younger generation. Those of us who've grown up with technology at our fingertips. If these senior educators, with years of teaching under their belts, can dive headfirst into AI with such enthusiasm, what's stopping the younger generation? With all the tools we have at our disposal, shouldn't we as younger educators be taking the lead in embracing this new wave of learning technology? The lesson here isn’t just about using AI. It’s about recognizing its potential and fully embracing it as a tool for progress. If senior lecturers like Ma’am Julia and Professor Samuel, who once taught with just textbooks and whiteboards, can see the value in AI, what’s stopping young educators? The future of education is already here. It’s up to us to embrace it, to move forward, and to ensure we’re not left behind.

So, I ask you: will you take the chance to try and learn like they did?