Could Computers and the Internet REALLY Replace TESOL English Teachers?
a controversial question
At ELT English TESOL seminars, workshops, and conferences, a question I am frequently asked is whether I believe computers will eventually replace English teachers. I go back to the movie “Matrix”. In one of the first scenes, our neophyte hero “Neo” is learning Kung Fu while being connected to a computer. A few hours later, he opens his eye, sits up, and announces, “I know Kung Fu!” The scenes that follow show how an older and more experienced mentor (also known as a teacher) continues to evaluate the “abilities” of the young Neo. “Show me,” the teacher typically asks. Now, if you’ve been following me so far, you already have a clue to my answer to these teachers’ question.
Do computers replace a human English teacher?
Are you kidding?
“No way, Jose.”
But English teachers, don’t totally relax just yet. What I think we DO have to do is “reinvent” a part of the concept of “school”. This is what I mean.
Reinvent the concept of school
Schools, at virtually any level, will need to be linked virtually and interactively to a wide range of external resources. This means that the “traditional” whiteboard, markers, and overhead projection will have to give way to additional built-in resources that extend the classroom environment to an almost limitless degree. I mean works; audio, video, Internet, webcams, instant messaging, text messages, chat, email, RSS, even real-time multimedia feeds. The classroom and its students would be linked to additional resources such as:
• Corporations
• Libraries
• Museums
• Government facilities
• Science, technology and medical centers
• Industry
• Laboratories
• Other learning institutions
In this way, students would normally use learning activities such as web searches, hands-on activities, and virtual tours to expand and deepen their knowledge of principles and concepts. Students would no longer be limited to the knowledge, resources and facilities available at the institution where they attend classes. Instead, the world is literally your classroom.
Impact on learning
How would this directly affect learning? Well, if you’re learning about computers, wouldn’t direct access to Microsoft Corp. materials and training really help? Technology students would certainly benefit greatly from direct links to MIT (http://web.mit.edu/), Cal Tech (http://www.caltech.edu/), or Lucent Corp. (http:/ /www.lucent.com/) Engineering students would thrive with access to NASA found online at: (http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html), Boeing (http:// www.boeing.com/), Westinghouse (http://www.westinghouse.com/home.html), Dupont (http://www2.dupont.com/DuPont_Home/en_US/index.html) or a large number of other tech corporations.
Law, Government, Human Rights, and Political Science students would be at the top of their game by connecting to federal, state, and local government databases, or the FBI (http://www.fbi.gov/), the London Metropolitan Police (http://www.met.police.uk/), the CIA (http://www.cia.gov/) and ATF ([http://www.atf.treas.gov/] ) databases with their corresponding local, regional and national resources. Health careers could be up to date with real-time events in pathology, epidemic investigation, natural disaster response resource information, and population health threats through the CDC (http://www.cdc. gov/), the health and medical networks or the UN. (http://www.un.org/). The possibilities are almost endless.
Therefore, I agree that “traditional” approaches to teaching and learning, not just English and other foreign languages, but many other fields as well, will continue to evolve to meet the needs of students, businesses, and organizations. educational institutions. With CBL (Content Based Learning), well-prepared TEFL English teachers, armed with continually developing knowledge, skills and technology, have nothing to fear from computers. Technology is another powerful tool to promote the acquisition of new knowledge and skills, now and in the future.
What do you think?