Computers are increasingly used in education. In which areas do you think are computers more important and in which areas are teachers more important?

(Essay attempted by Gagan in exam 7.5 bands)

“Yesterday’s fiction is today’s reality”. Computers have revolutionized all the aspects of human life especially education. Besides teachers, computers have also become an indispensible part of education. They both are required for the holistic development of a person. Here, I am going to discuss the roles of both.

Computers have completely modified the criteria of examinations through the introduction of online examinations, online debates and online counseling. Computers are more important in those areas in which repetition is needed. For example, in elementary maths and elementary language learning. Computer can be programmed to provide answers to an endless number of simple questions.

There are certain areas in which computers supersede teachers and vice versa. For instance - computers help us simplify the topics through the audio and visual aids like working models, videos etc. Also they can teach us for 24 hours in a day. Laptops offer a unique feature of portability and act as teachers even outside the class room. Moreover teachers focus only on academic curriculum whereas computers, through internet, develop a general awareness about the various global issues such as terrorism, drug trafficking, global warming etc and thus broaden our field of knowledge. Computers also enable us to be well within the range of any teacher around the world. Furthermore, being human beings, teachers have a limited knowledge whereas computers with a huge collection of e-books, reference books and dictionaries offer us a complete and thorough understanding of the subject.

Nevertheless, the role of teachers cannot be refuted. They are the actual scholars in action. Although computers remain in our service for 24 hours a day but the 8 hours spend with a teacher is the quality time. A computer can efficiently check the answers but the corrections can only be made by a teacher. Moreover, only a teacher can lend a practical hand to a student. For example- only a doctor can teach his students on how to perform a surgery? It cannot be taught by a computer in any way. There are other convincing evidences for teachers such as teachers help a student develop good communication skills and other social skills. The basic characters of a good human being are also inculcated by a teacher. Furthermore, a teacher also acts as the true guide, friend and philosopher. These are the teachers which encourage a student when he fails in studies.

To put in the nut-shell, I pen down concluding that, both computers and teachers are specialists in their own areas of education. They should be looked on as two angels supplementing each other for the betterment of our children.