Are the days of teachers and teacher unions numbered? I think maybe they are, but maybe not for the reasons you think. Let me explain. You see, I know that legacy costs and teacher unions are problematic for government budgets already in question, that’s just a known fact, but I’d like to point you to a much bigger challenge: the future of online learning and amazing capabilities with multimedia now available in each and every subject of human activity.
Not long ago, I read an interesting research paper titled; “Quality in blended learning: exploring the relationships between online and face-to-face teaching and learning”, by Paul Ginns and Robert Ellis. Its abstract states;
“Recent research has shown that these findings also hold true for non-standard modes of delivery, such as distance education that uses online strategies. However, there is currently little research on how students’ predominantly on-campus experiences of the part of their are associated with their experience of the course as a whole.The present study extends previous research in the domain of blended learning, by exploring the relationships between students’ perceptions of the e-Learning environment, approaches to study and student grades.
May I ask why we need a human teacher? For the cost of your services, the classrooms, the administration and everything else, we could equip every living room in every home with a school-age child with the latest in holographic technology and deliver information to them for their personalized curriculum using an algorithm of artificial intelligence and some tests of the student to adapt to the ability of their minds to better grasp that information. We are talking about a total immersion using augmented and virtual reality, while these systems become more intelligent as time goes by, along with the hyper-learning capacity of the student.
It’s not that I’m against school, human interaction, or even teachers, clearly I’m not. What I’m saying is that in the very near future our advanced systems will be far superior in EVERY way, to the point where it’s not even a contest, and kids can still interact and have more free time for social activities, sports, whatever. to be. due to its greater speed of knowledge. It will save billions per year and catapult US students to stand out from any other student in any other nation as they compete in the knowledge-based economy.
Some would say this is good news, as teachers’ unions are excluding themselves from the market, and some believe that no one can replace nurturing a teacher, confidant, coach or mentor. Well maybe yes, but with the increase in classroom sizes, 1:30 is not that high of a ratio and these kids only get 1/30th of a human teacher, so let’s be honest.
The future of full immersion online education will become commonplace, it makes too much sense not to. That’s what I see, and it’s coming fast. The sooner the better I say. Please consider all this and think about it.
Additional reference:
1.) “The Ebb and Flow of Online Learning,” by Jon Pearce, Mary Ainley, and Steve Howard.