“AI: Not Here to Take Over Teaching, But to Enhance and Spice It Up”
“AI Can’t Replace Teaching, but It Can Make It Better”
“As the demand for remote learning continues to surge from the pandemic, many are wondering: Should educators brace for more technology? Or should they resist this shift and try to find a way to make remote education more human?” These are the questions posed by the insightful writers over at WIRED in their recent article about the roles of humans and technology in teaching.
Isn’t it just a hoot how we always find ourselves grappling with the old human versus machine debate? Especially in education, where the stakes are as high as the IQs we’re honing. But surely, there must be a middle ground that safeguards teacher-student relationships while simultaneously incorporating the benefits of smart technology?
The folks over at WIRED, bless their hearts, have got their heads churning about this too. They point out that nothing quite replaces mutual respect, patience, and empathy in teaching, something our dear friend – Artificial Intelligence – still lacks. A computer can crunch numbers, replicate tasks, and even stimulate conversations to an extent. But last time we checked, empathy wasn’t part of a typical software update.
Educators know this. They understand the irreplaceable worth of individualized teaching that fosters emotional intelligence – the currency of effective communication in the future. Yet, under the weight of administrative tasks and large student populations, educators are handcuffed. Enter technology, the white-knight-rescuer armed with efficiency and scale.
Educational technology can automate administrative chores, freeing up educators to focus on what they do best – teaching. Across the globe, educators are blending the best of both worlds, using technology as a tool and not as a substitute. By doing so, they’re creating hybrid classrooms where students have the best of both worlds – personal interaction and advanced learning tools.
WIRED, in its article, makes an important point about this very thing. It states, “In the context of remote learning, where all physical cues and personal interactions are mediated by a screen, these rich, ambiguous, and intuitive human cues matter even more. Teachers need to be there, not just to teach, but to gauge learning in a more holistic manner, to see and respond to students where they are.”
The fun part? There isn’t a hard and fast rule when it comes to incorporating technology in education. It’s a trial and error — or perhaps trial and success — kind of deal. The key takeaway is that whether it’s an app, software or cutting-edge gadget, technology should remain a sidekick – a robust, useful sidekick, but a sidekick nonetheless. Because, let’s face it, a computer algorithm can’t console a struggling student like a compassionate teacher can.
So, as we skip, sprint or stumble into the future of learning, let’s remember that behind every machine, there needs to be a human touch. Maybe then, education can have its tech-filled cake and eat it too.