Technology has become an omnipresent part of our life in the past decades. It advances at an incredibly rapid way; one generation differs so much from the previous in its understanding and stance towards technology, that this aspect is often the reason for lack of comprehension.
Technology can hardly be evaded anymore and digitalisation advances to more fields of work and life by the day.
This also applies for the educational sector. Whiteboards and laptops are already regularly used in many schools. Could the next level be the replacement of educators with technological tools?
According to an article on the official website of ETUCE, short for European Trade Union Committee for Education, the European Commission is interested in involving private companies and ICT businesses as investors in the vesting of digital education. The idea is to use robots and other tools for experimenting in schools.
„Teachers will never be replaced by educational robots.“
Although they can have some positive influence on the learning and teaching experience, if used as supportive tools, they cannot be utilized as educators.
They are artificial intelligence, which is why the human dimension is missing. They lack „motivational, inspirational and pedagogical potential“, students wouldn’t acquire skills they are only able to get through human interaction. Robots could possibly distort the learning process and create additional burdens. Who knows which consequences this could have on the students’ psyche, their character development.
The author concludes that „teachers are essential agents of inclusion, social justice and educators of future generations of democratic citizens for a better world“.
According to ETUCE, schools shouldn’t be used as laboratories for experimentation of the newest technological inventions. Schools should be „inclusive and dynamic learning environments“, allowing for students to socially interact with each other and their teachers.
Source: https://csee-etuce.org/