The role of the human teacher in learning environments of the future
Carolyn Dowling · Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) · 2003
Aside from its actual efficacy in promoting learning, one of the most useful contributions of educational technology is the extent to which it provokes us to reexamine some of our long-held assumptions in relation to pedagogical principles and practices. Those of us who teach are sometimes a little complacent about the ‘value’ we add to the learning experiences that take place within formally constituted educational environments. We are apt to forget that a great deal of our students’ learning takes place without our intervention, or sometimes even despite it! What special contribution does the human teacher make to learning, and to what extent might it be replicated or even surpassed by current or future examples of agent technology within learning environments that are wholly or partly electronically based?