Replacing Teachers with Technical Devices: Pros and Cons.

How does it sound to replace teachers with technical device. Well, you may not be in a position to comment on it immediately, as you will have to identify whether it's going to be productive or not. We are living in an era where there is a constant effort to cut down on manpower so why not apply the same in the context of teachers.

Teachers vs Technical Devices

May be technical device will teach us more efficiently since such devices are renowned for pin point accuracy. Let's go into details to find out whether it will be a wise move on our part to replace teachers with technical devices.

Everything has a flip side attached. Technical devices are capable of saving time, energy, resources etc. They can do lot of activities on our behalf, but does it mean that they can replace human skills . The answer could be in affirmative in some cases, but not in respect to every activities. We can reduce time by using technical devices however, teaching is a different ball game altogether.

Teaching needs expertise, knowledge, qualification and experience. Every individual cannot play the role of a teacher. Let's look into the pros & cons of replacing teachers with technical devices.

Artificial intelligence may be able to replace some of the functions of a teacher. Technical devices like computers can perhaps present topics in a more organized way enabling students to have a better grip on the concerned subject.

A teacher is a facilitator, guide and a mentor. When a student interacts with his teacher he learns not only the concept, but also from the personal experience of his teacher. A device which is mechanical in nature, may not be able to transfer personal experience.

Another factor, a technical device is usually devoid of is, empathy. If a student fails to perform well in that case, his teacher can inspire him to bounce back with a bang. Any technical device no matter how superior it is, will never be able to inspire students to perform well, especially after a failure.It has been experienced, any academic debacle or a setback brings trauma to the students. They need somebody around who can guide them to steady the ship. Who better than a teacher for this role ! Obviously it can't be any technical instrument.

Positive student interactions are an essential component of the learner experience & being able to create a meaningful relationship with students is one of the major challenges for a teacher . Once this gap is bridged then surely a teacher is a far better tool for guidance in comparison to a technical device. There are many nuances to relationship that Robots will never replicate in their human interactions. A teacher can score more in this area, no two ways about it.

A student needs attention, care & affection. This motivates the students and help in better learning. Can a Robot or any other technical instrument show such emotions and care ? It can't . A student need to feel connected which is possible with a teacher, not with a device. This is another area which reflects the need of a teacher when compared to a technical device. You can argue by saying, a computer can motivate a student which may be partially correct, but to inspire a student, presence of a teacher is a prerequisite.

A computer or a technical device can act as a source of information, but a teacher can lend a hand or an ear & this is what matters the most for students.

Conclusion

When compared with a technical device, it is evident a teacher is more powerful, capable of understanding the strengths & weakness of students. They can mould the students and provide need based guidance / counseling which a computer is unable to extend. This article goes on to reflect and establish the fact, teacher's cannot be replaced by mechanical device. As they say, experience worth its weight in gold so teachers are more equipped to handle the students, not machines.

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