Can Technology Replace Teachers | iPad in Schools

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Can TechnologyReplace Teachers?The following article has been submitted by Lindsey Wright.Lindsey is a writer and can be reached at lindseywright39 @gmail dot com. I’ve posted my comments in the commentssection below.

Posted on November 15, 2011 by mkaufman ← Previous Next →

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Can Technology Replace Teachers | iPad in Schools

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Can Technology Replace Teachers?

What is the role of teachers in today’s technologically drivensociety? That is really the main question to ponder whendiscussing whether technology can take the place of educatorsin the near future. Within the past decade people have startedto take online courses and master foreign languages throughcomputer programs such as Rosetta Stone, so imagining robotstaking over the education realm isn’t that far-fetched. Eventhough technology can do many of the same responsibilities aseducators, there is one thing that guarantees that technologycan never take their place. Human relationships. A teacherdoes not just transmit knowledge; he or she guides his or herstudents. Teachers are mentors who encourage students todevelop critical thinking skills and apply them to life. Teachersalso pass on social skills and develop a moral compass to theirstudents so transmitting knowledge is just a small part of whata great educator does.

Sugata Mitra is a revolutionary when it comes to educationaltechnology. One of the most recent inventions that Mitra madeis virtual classrooms where unsupervised children learn fromone another. Despite the exciting work by professor SugataMitra however, teachers are still needed because machineshave no supervision skills. According to an article from FastCompany, professor Mitra found that “children achieve only halfof what their peers in face-to-face instruction can. Children, itseems, still need the encouragement (or coercion) of an adultto keep them from drifting off.” So even though technology may

Can Technology Replace Teachers | iPad in Schools

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help children learn, it doesn’t help them stay on task duringtheir studies.

Not only is it important to keep children on task, but it is alsoimportant that children are able to learn important life skillsbesides academics. A study from the College of Education atMichigan State University explains, “computers do not teachchildren to question, to discriminate among sources ofinformation, to weigh perspectives, to think aboutconsequences, to bring contextual meaning to a situation, to becreative, or to make careful judgments.” These are just some ofthe few crucial skills that teachers are able to pass on to theirstudents. Technology doesn’t have emotions or the ability tothink creatively so it would be impossible for students to attainimportant life skills from inside the classroom.

In Mitra’s study, adults set tasks for children to accomplish.Children need an adult in all educational situations so they canprovide input and guidance. Without this input, it would bedifficult for a group of children to find a positive directionbecause they would not have a superior to look up to or to askfor help once a problem arises. Technology will not be able toanswer every question that a child may have or will not be agreat communicator for the child when they get frustrated orconfused during their study. Even though children can learnquickly from one another, they need a responsible person toguide them in their explorations in order to achieve a positiveoutcome.

Out of any role, one of the most important a teacher can haveis that of a mentor. Motivating children to pursue their owngoals and dreams is the responsibility of a great teacher. Whenchildren are learning in school they shouldn’t be surrounded bymachines that can’t talk, cope or relate to them. Teachers areexcellent adult role models that children can become inspiredby in addition to their family members. Technology isn’tsomething that will encourage a student and it definitely won’tbe a role model for the child to inspire them.

Many new teachers excited about incorporating computers

Can Technology Replace Teachers | iPad in Schools

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believe that they should let their students explore on their ownwith the machines. In fact, Kim Bochicchio claims “computersare one tool that supplements the careful planning andpersonal interaction from a good teacher.” Bochicchio, who hasbeen teaching high school English for the past six years,further explains that “technology is not always dependable.The Internet goes down, and only an English teacher canproperly grade an essay and conference with a studentafterward. Thus, in the past six years I have learned thattechnology can not replace the teacher and that students wantto learn from humans, not machines.”

All in all, with the increasing social isolation of the modernworld, educators must keep in mind that it takes a person toteach wisdom, socialization and morals to others. Educatorsare the responsible adults needed to teach these critical lifeskills inside a classroom as well as the basic academics. It isapparent that machines cannot take the place of people andhence, technology will never replace teachers.

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Can Technology Replace Teachers | iPad in Schools

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4 THOUGHTS ON “CAN TECHNOLOGY REPLACE TEACHERS?”

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mkaufman on November 16, 2011 at 12:06 am said:

I think you are making an interesting argument for thechanging role of the teacher – not for the replacementof teachers. I would suggest, as you do in the article,that someone is necessary to create an environment toquestion, to discriminate among sources of information,to weigh perspectives, to think about consequences, tobring contextual meaning to a situation, to be creative,or to make careful judgments.

I would argue that these are not the ‘typical’ roles thatteachers have taken on but that are necessary in orderto be successful in the current and future global world.

You also mention mentorship – which again I don’t thinkhas been a ‘typical’ role for teachers but a mentor andmentorship is very important as well in this newenvironment.

I imagine, as some people are doing, that many youngpeople will experience traditional lectures at home or

Can Technology Replace Teachers | iPad in Schools

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some other environment and the ‘school environment’will evolve to be much more collaborative andinteractive and relationship oriented.

Reply ↓

Burkhard on January 19, 2012 at 1:17 pm said:

I totally agree with Lindsay and Micheal. Thinkingfurther, we have to question the way we educateteachers. Furture teachers have to be more enablers,moderators and inspiration than sources of knowledgeand wisdom.

I came across this blog in search for scientific researchon the impact of new technology (specifically tabletPCs) in classrooms. There seem to be a lot of schoolsinvesting in latest technology but I haven´t come acrossany scientific efforts to evaluate the impact. Hints andLinks appreciated!

With kind regards.

Reply ↓

Kim Bochicchio on February 19, 2012 at 10:51 pm said:

Thanks for reading and mentioning my article. Lovedreading this article.

Reply ↓

Kellie on February 29, 2012 at 7:07 am said:

Any teacher that can be replaced by a computer,deserves to be. – David Thornburg

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