With the present wide use of computers, in the course of teaching, more and more teachers are in favour of using computers as an aid in teaching their students or in appropriating the latest information from the Internet. However, I am not a believer in the argument that computers may in the future take the place of teachers in teaching students.
Firstly, the creators of any education program and software need to be teachers or workers in the education system, or programmers who had previously worked in education. Therefore, although students may learn knowledge by computer, the skills and ideas ultimately emanate from the teaching staff.
Secondly, while the computer may offer a correct answer or explanation to students, the comprehension capability of every student varies from student to student, making it is impossible for the computer to offer an explanation catered to a student’s particular level of understanding. However, the teacher is able to undertake this task, as he or she possesses expertise in teaching. For example, when a teacher discovers that many students cannot understand professional knowledge, he or she may offer explanatory examples. The computer, however, may only analyze a question in terms of a simple right or wrong response.
Finally, the teachers are invariably responsible for carrying a dual role. Most teachers act as not only an educator, but also a kind of father or mother-figure in taking care of students in school. The teacher is able to assist parents in solving a child’s mental problems other than imparting daily knowledge. The computer, which is purely an algorithmic electronic device, cannot hope to assist in this regard. In summary, the computer may not play a major role in education in comparison to the benefits of a teacher bestows. However, it is critical that teachers improve their old teaching modes by using computers at some level of educational teaching.
