4 Reasons We Need to Shatter the Teacher vs. Tech Debate

While once witnessing a passionate classroom discussion about the role of technology in the everyday life a student asked me, “Mr. Yates, do you think teachers will be replaced by machines?” I looked up at him as my students waited for my answer with abated breath and said, “Do you really think a machine could replace Me?” After the laughter receded and my students had gone home the topic stuck with me. Could I be replaced by automated videos or machines disseminating content to students with perfect precision? Could I be replaced by adaptive learning technology?

A July 2017 Bloomberg article gave me the answer I needed. The one I was looking for. According to a chart in the article, Teachers are among American professional jobs who are least likely to be replaced by automation. Whew! What a relief.

As I thought about the short journey towards the realization that my job is safe from the machine apocalypse I came to an important conclusion: We must stop the teacher vs. tech debate! Here are 4 reasons why we need to shatter this debate right now.

#1: Teachers really are Irreplaceable

Everything we know about student outcomes tells us that the most important school-level factor is the teacher! More than performance, one good teacher can change the life of a student forever. Teachers, you are irreplaceable. No piece of technology can do the complete work of a teacher. Technology won’t stay late to support a student’s football game, go home and grade for two hours only to wake up early to meet students for tutorials. Teachers, you are irreplaceable.

#2: Technology is Not an Enemy of Instruction

Computers, apps, phones, tablets, smartboards oh my! There is so much tech making its way into the modern-day classroom. I have news for you. Technology is your friend not your enemy! There is an ever-increasing set of administrative and instructional tasks that unfortunately cause many teachers to stay late and arrive early. Thankfully, technology can handle some of these tasks for us like taking attendance, grading and creating assessments, communications, and tracking student progress. Embracing these types of technologies will free up time for teachers to have more impactful human moments with students!

I'll take this a step further. Technology, can improve your instructional time. What if you could outsource your math lessons to an adaptive app so you could spend more time planning projects, applied learning experiences and getting to know your students. Think, flipped classroom on steroids!

 #3: When both Worlds Embrace each other, Students Win

The world of adaptive learning technology, AI and machine learning is catching up to humans in the classroom. I now work at a school in which there is no direct instruction or lecture. For the first two hours of our school day, adaptive math, science, reading and writing apps teach my students. For the rest of the day, I execute projects, workshops and applied learning experiences that help students apply what they have learned in the apps.

I've taught in public, private and charter school so take it from me, this educational model that fully embraces and integrates technology into the academic lives of students, is the future of education.

 #4: Students are the great Equalizer

Just like everything in the world of education, we always win when we put students first. If a parent meeting grows tough, put the student’s interest at the forefront of the conversation and it normally goes well. When designing education policy, consider the students in the scenario and it goes well. This discourse is not different. So, are teachers better than technology? The answer is students deserve a great education. Can technology replace teachers? The answer is that students deserve a fantastic education.

Strong opinion ahead. Adaptive tech works better than direct instruction. Adaptive apps are better than your humdrum powerpoints lectures. Adaptive apps never get tired, they never have bad days. They always give each kid the same energy, personal attention and output. So USE THEM! Let edtech help you maximize the time you have with each student!

The teacher vs. tech debate has got to go. Technology really can help teachers in our pursuit to change the world one student at a time. If you choose to embrace tech in the classroom great. If not, that is ok too. The bottom line is that every student deserves and amazing education. Period.