[kictanet] Technology and Teachers

[robert yawe]

Japheth,

I disagree with you about technology replacing teachers, I strongly believe that we are doing ourselves a disservice by over emphasising the need for a physical teacher in a class room.  Those who are old enough to remember the defunct radio lessons will appreciate that it solved the issue of shortage of teachers.

Even in the developed world they run radio lessons and I remember recently listening to such a lesson on BBC world service recently.  It is our love for corruption that we keep this issues of physical teachers in class because it enables politicians to easily mobilise teachers through the unions.

Read about KhanAcademy and what is happening in some schools in America as a result, I personally have improved by knowledge on issues of financial models using the tutorials on the site and my son who is in form 2 swears by it in ease of understanding principles that might not have been clear in class.  He is now using the site and exercises to study ahead on forthcoming topics.  Also look at what CBT (computer based training) has done for education and productivity.

You and I must stop deceiving our teachers that their jobs as they current exist are not at risk from technology because that will be unethical of us.  

We are working to implement leading technology solutions irrespective of the short term effect on jobs.  Technology eradicated the back office in banks that resulted in the loss of over 40% if jobs in the existing banks at that time but as a result we saw a flourishing of new banks and financial institutions that not only recreated the jobs that had been lost but increased the jobs in the sector.

Technology will always have a short term effect on employment levels and this has been the case since man came down from the trees and left their techno phobic cousins still swinging from vine to vine.  It is a misplaced discussion on this forum that tries to reduce the impact of technology on society.

With technology we can have a physical teacher to student ratio of 1 - 100 or even higher and still increase our level of education, children already learn mostly from the TV screen which means that it is not a threatening medium therefore we can easily leverage on this to bridge the education gap.  

A single news commentator can disseminate an issue to billions of people, that's the power of mass media also note that a text book is actually a teacher who can work with a large ratio (1 - infinity) yet I do not hear any complaints about the effectiveness of the author.  

All we are doing is taking the text book to the next level by merging it with the teacher to create a reusable resource, with e-learning students will be able to rewind the teacher, pause them and even skip forward without the fear of being reprimanded.  Imagine having the option to change the accent of the teacher you one you find more appealing.

KNUT and KUPPET members walk up and embrace the change, the light you see at the end of the tunnel is actually an oncoming train, get off the trucks or else. . . 

Regards
 
Robert Yawe
KAY System Technologies Ltd
Phoenix House, 6th Floor
P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
Kenya


Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696


________________________________
From: Japheth kemboi <kipkirui2002tz at yahoo.com>
To: robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: Sunday, 25 September 2011, 15:05
Subject: [kictanet] Technology and Teachers

Dear Jane,
As Warigia mentioned, technology will not replace or substitute teachers. No cause for alarm re: KNUT. What teachers need to do is to work on technological competencies in the areas of ICT use. Technology has become a vital TOOL that enhances classroom teaching and learning. Tech savvy Teachers would then be able to choose what, when and how to employ technology in respect to course content. 
Technology alone cannot teach. What teachers will see in class is an extended learning process for learners unlike teacher led sessions.  Teachers become facilitators offering guidance to learners as they explore concepts and ideas on their own. 
NB. Teachers must be there to introduce learners to new concepts and learning objectives, device activities, assess knowledge, etc. 

Technology brings big leaps in education but teaching remains a teachers role. 

Thanks,

Japheth Kemboi.
ICT Consultant
Digital Links Tanzania
+255 788 408700


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