Goodbye Professor? Hello Computer?

As students at UC Davis, a large portion of our ability to access school materials depends on the internet. To communicate with students, professors can make announcements in lecture, but for the most part, information is disseminated online, then reiterated in class. Syllabuses are posted on Smartsite, midterm room assignments are sent via email, assignments are submitted online, and grades are recorded electronically. This has increased the efficiency of teaching as information is easily accessible to students and class time is focused on instruction (class policy and other information can be posted online outside of class).

However, despite these leaps in technology in the classroom, a New York Times article posted recently raises the question of online courses. Currently, instructors have been utilizing technology in their classrooms, but what about online courses without an instructor at all? Would it be possible to teach a class without the oversight of a teacher? Are virtual classrooms possible?

This topic is a hot issue among top universities, but as this article notes, a school "would have a hard time being the first one to make a change as drastic as offering an entirely automated course."Nonetheless, in addition to the interest generated among other universities, this is an issue popular even in our own school system. Last year, the UC Regents "approved a proposal to test the viability of offering a bachelor's degree that could be earned entirely online." Clearly, this desire to create online learning environments is shared by many. However, the current, major obstacle in the formation of an extensive online learning network is funding. Still, this idea has garnered much support, with some universities beginning to explore and invest in creating such a learning system.

With the possibility of automated courses on the horizon, we ought to reconsider our definition of education. As we explore this issue of constantly connected, we must begin to question the value we place on technology. Is it a force encroaching on our lives, or is it a powerful force uniting the world's greatest minds?

iSchool

Thinking back to my childhood, my experience was very different from that of my young cousins. My parents limited the amount of time spent watching television or on the computer to thirty minutes per day, and the only games we played were board games. It's quite obvious that my cousins and the majority of other children are growing up in a world that not only revolves around media but is completely dependent on it. Video games such as Wii and Xbox continue to provide entertainment and distraction for kids. The shocking expansion of media in our education system is a bit worrisome to me. It's as if we are developing the iSchool.

As technology continues growing and supposedly improving our lives, it has found its way into education. The New York Times recently reported on school districts in New York that have elected to change teaching methods in order to parallel technology. In Roslyn Heights, school administrators decided that the iPad and its applications offered great potential for learning, thus they allocated money toward buying iPads for students. English teacher Larry Reiff stated, "It allows us to extend the classroom beyond these four walls." Teachers believe that the iPad provides an efficient form of communication and accessibility to assignments for students and teachers. While I'm sure the iPad is a much more convenient and fun method of interacting and completing homework what happened to the plain old textbook or workbook?

While the latest and greatest technology is obviously a more exciting way for children to learn, it honestly seems a bit irresponsible for school administrators to be spending lavish amounts of money on technology, while teachers are being laid off and everyone is under the pressure of budget cuts. Truthfully, there is no way of knowing quite yet if being constantly connected is the best way for our children to learn, or if it is better to do things the old fashioned way. While we gain improvements in technology, we are losing the interpersonal connection between teacher and student. With that, are teachers and administrators losing track of their accountability because technology is simply "easier" than teaching face-to-face?

As technology continues improving it allows us to live easier lifestyles, because we have computers that can do things for us. In another New York Times article from December, the concept of computers taking over the jobs of administrators is brought up. Caveon Test Security is a company that uses computers to detect cheating, by comparing how similar right and wrong answers are between students sitting in close proximity. While the program has seen a 70% reduction in cheating, it allows teachers the flexibility to be less responsible in proctoring tests. So while computer programs can improve our lifestyles, we need to draw a line to avoid the temptation of being less accountable and abusing the opportunities technology provides.

Technology has obviously helped us make huge strides in education. However, there is also the risk of taking the easy road and being less responsible. As the iPad and computer programs begin to influence schools across the nation, I am worried that eventually all we will know is technology, and that education will become the iSchool. It is a common saying that our children are our future. We need to take caution in not sacrificing or losing the interpersonal relationships we have with each other to relationships with computers.