Videducation

I have heard that one of the future predictions for Education is that teachers will be replaced with technology. As a student of Elementary Education, I did not initially favour that prediction. See... that would mean that what I want to be will be an extinct profession, right?

Then I thought about it some more. I do want "teachers" to become extinct. I am not a fan of direct instruction, the classic way of educating students. I believe that instead, teachers should be guides, supports, encouragement, role models. So I guess that I would like a shift in the profession, not a total overhaul.

However, when I think about technology and the future, it can be a little overwhelming. We are expected to know more, do more, and teach more, with so much technology (and therefore information) readily available. If we can't keep up, why shouldn't we be replaced by robots or computers?

Again, I don't agree with either extreme. There should not be a lack of technology in the future classroom, but there should also not be an overwhelming presence of it. I am totally in favour of future "guiders" (currently known as teachers) who use technology to their advantage.

The link attached to this post is to a TED talk presented by Salman Khan. If you haven't already heard about the Khan Academy, this is his creation. He was tutoring his cousins via YouTube a few years ago, and was posting video tutorials. He noticed a growing viewership, and decided to expand even further. The result is thousands of video tutorials on various subjects that build upon each other. His suggestion is that teachers assign the videos for homework, and then provide in-class assistance with the practice period (essentially the reverse of practice today). The ultimate goal would be student's learning at their own speed, with just the right amount of "teacher" support.

I feel that this is a genius idea! He points out that students are able to pause, replay, skip forward, and change the volume as they please. I agree with this aspect of his theory because I am a supporter of more individualized education. I could honestly gush for hours about how much I enjoy his presentation and his program, but I think it is important for you to watch the video yourselves.

I really look forward to changing the role of a teacher in a classroom, especially when it comes to technoloy. I hope that others are also interested in doing so, because I feel that the future of public education depends on it.