As computers are being
used more and more in education, there will be soon no role for teachers in the
classroom.
There is no doubt that
education and the learning process has changed since the introduction of
computers: The search for information has become easier and amusing, and
connectivity has expedited the data availability. Though experts systems have made computers more
intelligent, they have not yet become a substitute of the human interaction in
the learning process. In my opinion what can be expected is a change of the
teachers’ role, but not their disappearance from the classroom.
Nobody can argue that the acquisition
of knowledge is more fun and easier with computers. The mere activity of
touching and exploring this device constitutes an enjoyable task for a child.
This, accompanied by the relaxing attitude and software interactivity, usually
contributes to a better grasping of new knowledge. At a higher educational
level the availability of digital books, simulators and other academic
materials provide the student with an ever accessible source of information,
that otherwise would not be at hand.
But, besides the increasing
complexity and behavior of intelligent software, which is usually embedded in
the academic digital material, the need for human interaction in the learning
process will always be present, at least in the foreseeable future. There is
the necessity for a human being to be able to determine what thespecifics needs of each individual are. The
expertise of a teacher in how to explain and adapt complex concepts to
different individuals can hardly be mimicked by a computer, no matter how
sophisticated its software is.
As computers are becoming a
common tool for teaching, teachers should be more aware of their role as guides
in the acquisition of knowledge rather than transmitters of facts. They have to
be open minded to the changes that are taking places,
keep updated and serve as problem solvers in the learning process, thus
allowing students to discover the fact for themselves.
To summarize, in my personal
view, teachers play and will continue to play an important role in the
classroom, especially at the primary level. No matter how complex computers
become, there will be no replacement for the human interaction, but in the way haw thisinteraction takes place.
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