What is The Role of A Teacher in the Digital Age?
With the coming of the digital age and fast-growing technologies in all spheres of life, the role of a teacher has been questioned and debated upon many-a-time. People often wonder if having a teacher is relevant anymore. Can advances in
technology, the wide prevalence of the internet, and smart learning apps replace human teachers altogether?
The answer to these questions is a clear, resounding no. The importance of a teacher in a student’s life has actually grown in today’s digital era, albeit with a few changes in the style of teaching.
It is now even more crucial to have teachers guiding students in the right direction when there is so much extraneous influence available at their fingertips. Teachers need to present to children, teenagers, and young adults a correct representation of facts and enable them to distinguish between right and wrong.
Internet, no doubt, is the storehouse of tomes of knowledge. However, it is also the source of evil influences and corrupt practices. The role of the internet in educating students always needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. Internet can always be used as a helpful complement to our existing education system but never take on the role of a teacher.
That said, we should not rule out the usefulness of technology in education today. Technology helps teachers become more effective knowledge dissipaters. This motivates them to become teachers of the future.
With technology, teachers can make learning more fun and absorbing. Various scenarios can be created to accurately represent what is being taught in class. Students can easily get a holistic picture of how their lessons are used in daily life through the use of technology. This improves engagement and knowledge retention in classrooms.
Teachers can reach far-off places and educate students that are unable to travel by using advances in technology. Online tools can be used to finish assignments and generate group discussions. This fosters collaboration and cooperation among students and teachers in a virtual learning environment.
Further, technology empowers teachers with a plethora of online apps, tools, and techniques. Recent advances in all subjects are readily available on the internet. Simulated online classroom sessions help teachers hone their micro-teaching skills thus, enabling them to perform better in regular classes.
The style of teaching has definitely changed. However, what has remained constant is the need for a good teacher, someone who can give students a strong foundation and infallible character. The internet can only give us bits and pieces of information. A teacher can take this information, make a coherent piece out of it, and present it in a way that the child will understand.
And that is why the importance of a teacher in a student’s life will never diminish. It can only become better with the aid of technology. Technology can never replace the role of a meaningful teacher in class, according to a recent study by IATED Digital Library. After all, it is a teacher that teaches you how to use technology in the first place!
More Information:
Future of E-learning in India
What is the Online Learning System?
New to Learning Technology? Beginner’s Guide to E-learning
Tips That Can Help You Make the Best of E-Learning Platforms
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