Technology will never replace teachers and blackboards.
I see, I remember, is how students of a prominent school
said after they had been introduced to a session in digital teaching system recently.
Some city schools have begun to look at technology to aid teaching and digital teaching
systems, multimedia CDs, e-learning and animation are making classrooms more interactive.
However, a vast majority which believes in the traditional method of teaching continues
with the refrain that technology will never replace teachers and blackboards. Arpita
Karkare, co-ordinator, Millennium National School, said, “We have been using the
audio-visual medium for teaching for over a year now and it is working well. It
helps children involve themselves actively in teaching. Not just technology, but
planning helps our teachers”. Tresa David, principal of Apte Prashala, said, we
make use of both, technology and the old means of teaching.
Teachers do find blackboard
more convenient, but at the same time students are attracted towards computer based
knowledge. For languages, the teacher-student interaction works best but for science,
pictures and diagrams through a digital system is easy for teachers. Use of computers
helps students with better project ideas as they surf the internet and research
before they start it. This results in a lot of reading happening even if it is on
the virtual world, she said. The debate, however, rages on. Educationist Ram Panse
said “technology can never replace a teacher. Technology is after all a short-term
memory but textbook teaching will last for long and students can recollect it at
any given point of time”. Civic schools where teaching is regimented, many students
struggle with basics like reading and writing. With dedication missing and teachers
often sent on election and census duties, children’s primary and secondary education
is often neglected.
Courtesy: Times of India
