Technology vs Teacher

                      " Can Technology replace Teacher? "

# Task Given By Dr. Dilip Barad. 

# Essential Questions:

 Can Technology replace a teacher?

 Is this technology sophisticated enough to teach children, even when they are sitting at home?

Is the need of human teachers being eliminated?

What Teachers do all day and where does technology fall short?

Why Technology?
 

 # Technology can Replace Teacher:

 

Anxiety about losing your job to technology is both rational and growing fear. It seems that technology has encroached the place of human being. Now, machines can do almost all the things where humans were required. Slowly and steadily technology replaced the Humans. ‘Teaching and Learning’ is soul process in classroom. According to Hindu Mythology Teacher is equivalent to God. But technology challenged the traditional role of Teacher. So technology is on the path of replacing the teacher if he is not ready to adapt new change.  

Many teachers are unqualified to teach, and often times teach straight from a book. So in such situation Computer can be the best option for acquiring knowledge. With the help of technology students can watch videos, give their critical views and also apply for test. Technology will examine them immediately so that they can improve their mistake.

Technology can easily replace a teacher who only uses Chalk and talk. If Teacher is not ready to come out from traditional role then he can be certainly replaced by computers. Technology can easily replace a teacher who follows a rote, conventional system of fill in the blank, drill  and take a test. Students will find it very boring. Technology can easily replace a teacher whose students just read the book and memorize.

Andy Haldane, the chief economist at the bank of England recently estimated that 15m jobs in the UK were threatened by automations. Technology is reaching such level of sophistication that it is capable not only of manual tasks but cognitive too, putting wide range of jobs at risk.

Students can enroll the online courses and watch videos from prestigious university from all over the world. Students can do self-learning at their own place. Various platforms such as Coursera, Byju’s, Lynda, MOOC-Massive online open course are providing knowledge and information. Learner can learn according to his speed, he can revise videos and materials, can do self-evaluation, can improve his mistakes and errors. Which is almost impossible in traditional classroom. Because some students are fast learner while some are slow and it’s difficult for teacher to maintain speed according their need.

Computers lead towards the Divergent thinking in which most Teachers are failed. It enhances student’s creativity. And constructivism of knowledge is made possible through technology. Students react in unique way to technology. Technology is important tool as connecting the people. Learner can have classmates from all over the world. So it’s like a cross-cultural communication.

Technology is the best source of learning in inadequacy of teachers. Most of the Schools and colleges are  facing this issue. In such condition technology is the best guide for students from remote places. Educational ‘Sugata Mitra’ is the winner of the 2013 TED Prize. He offers the idea of “School in the cloud” where children can explore and learn from one another. “ Khan Academy” is another such cloud school where Salman Khan has posted several videos related to study for the students.

# Technology cannot replace Teacher:

“ Every coin has two Sides”. This is the ongoing debate. first side of coin is presented above but another side also has the strong arguments. we remember a teacher is more than just a facilitator of knowledge; a teacher also acts as a guide, a mentor and an inspiration for students, a role that cannot be replaced by technology of any kind.

Even in online courses, we see that teachers are necessary to give lectures, whether in the form of videos. Children still need to learn computers, which of course are taught by teachers. Computer is incapable of teaching Human skills such as decision making, sympathy, empathy, morals, manners, time management etc. which are most essential human requirements.

Technology can never replace a teacher who helps students to find their strengths. Technology can never replace a teacher who helps students do new, novel things to create and invent. Good teachers can have deep impact on student’s mind. His behavior becomes the role model for students which machine certainly cannot do. Teachers inspire student and also help to set and achieve their goals in life. They encourage students when they struggle.   

we remember a teacher is more than just a facilitator of knowledge; a teacher also acts as a guide, a mentor and an inspiration for students, a role that cannot be replaced by technology of any kind. Teacher teaches students through his real life experience. Computers can only be used as reference for syllabus.

Knowledge and information are cheap and readily available in the form of Internet. What requires is how to implement that knowledge in real world. How to connect Dots and try to create new knowledge. This is impossible without effective teacher.

 A Study from the College of Education at Michigan State University explains, “computers do not teach children to question, to discriminate among sources of information, to weigh perspectives, to think about consequences, to bring contextual meaning to a situation, to be creative, or to make careful judgments. These are just some of the few crucial skills that teachers are able to pass on to their students. Technology doesn’t have emotions or the ability to think creatively so it would be impossible for students to attain important life skills from inside the classroom.”

Technology can never replace a teacher who looks kids in the eye, understands their heartache. So yes, technology is going to play a critical role in the future of education. But not as big a role as that of a teacher.

#Balanced View:

“Technology will never replace great teachers, But technology in the hands of a great teacher can be transformational.” George Corous.

As the sentence suggests that if good teacher integrates technology in the classroom then it will bring revolution. Teacher should be ready to adapt new change which is in the form of Computers. One teacher can become great if he connects his students with learners from all over the world. If he is open-minded enough to try new things. Integration of technology will establish teacher as effective Mentor in the classroom.

I would like to mention my experience of studying Humanities subjects with the help of technology. My Mentor "Dr. Dilip Barad" is  technology-friendly person. He has integrated technology in the classroom. Thus, students are capable of constructing the knowledge in various forms.   

Works Cited

Gunn, Jenny. Can advanced technology replace teachers in our classrooms? 22 December 2017 <http://homeschoolingteen.com/article/can-advanced-technology-replace-teachers-in-our-classrooms/>.

Mkaufman. Can Technology Replace Teachers? 15 November 2011. 22 December 2017 <http://www.ipadinschools.com/310/can-technology-replace-teachers/>.

Purewal, Harpreet. Can technology replace teachers? You asked Google – here’s the answer. 7 December 2016. 22 December 2017 <https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/dec/07/can-technology-replace-teachers-google>.