Rise of the Robots
Why technology and teaching go hand in hand
We are often told that we are living in a fast-changing world, but this was brought to the fore for me when I visited the BETT show in London in January last year.The Bett Show is an annual trade show in London showcasing the latest technology in education. I go to BETT every year. I feel I must! Technology doesn’t come naturally to me, as my son would tell you.
I go to BETT, so that I can TRY to keep up with the age of technology. Normally, I look around stalls that are trying to sell me computer apps or lego technic or the such like, and I am usually tempted to purchase something either for Creative in Learning. But this year, I felt totally out of my depth. I was surrounded by drones, robots and VR (Virtual Reality) headsets! This was not technology as I knew it. I realised, yet again, technology had overtaken me!
There has been lots of debate as to whether technology and Artificial Intelligence will ever transform our classroom completely. Will there ever be a time when there is a class full of pupils without a teacher present? When teaching will all be completed remotely? Will technology completely change the way people learn?
When you see the evolving technologies that are already hitting the market place, it may seem so and yet, I know that it is only when in the capable hands of savvy teachers and tutors that learning will truly be enhanced.
We often talk about ‘flipped learning’ where pupils are able to either begin their learning, or extend their learning, away from the classroom, due to the effective us of technology. This happens in Creative in Learning, but it’s bolstered by tutor input.
In one instance, a pupil who had been sick in the morning, had logged onto her account in the afternoon, when she had felt a bit better, she had picked up what had been taught in school in the morning, completed the work at home, emailed it to her teacher in the afternoon, had it marked and sent back to her later that day. She had still managed to do her work, even though she hadn’t been in school that day, however, the work had been set and marked by the teacher. For learning to have taken place, a human was involved!
We regularly put work on our online learning programme that can be accessed from home or during tuition. A pupil had logged on to their account and read about what they were going to do the following day. She obviously like what she saw, as she had written ‘What an exciting day! I can’t wait for tomorrow!’ Again, technology was used to engage the pupil, however, a human had been involved in that process.
Everyone in Creative in Learning would tell you that I encourage the use of technology to aid and enhance learning, however, I am passionate about developing tutors to be the best that they can be.
As far as I can see, the best technology can aid, but cannot take the place of a tutor, but perhaps we need to wait and see. What will BETT bring this year? I’m a little apprehensive to say the least!