Let's Discuss: Can Robots Be Teachers?

    • Sneha Bhattacharjee
    • Publish Date: Oct 26 2016 1:09PM
    • |
    • Updated Date: Oct 26 2016 4:14PM
Let's Discuss: Can Robots Be Teachers?

You are enjoying a round of talks with your friends in a class. Enter a petite figure that draws everyone's attention. It announces, "I am your new teacher." Your jaws drop! This ain't any scene right out of a movie. But could very well become a reality.

Imagine having robots teaching you the language or basics of maths and science. Scientists have developed something on those lines. Though whether robots can indeed replace the human teachers in schools is hard to judge, the fact remains that with the advancement in technology, this could very well be a reality. All that you'll be left with is to accept and move on! 

The Discovery

Spanish researchers are about to develop robotic tutors that can detect the emotional state of children while interacting with educational software which will enhance their learning experience. Luis Imbernon Cuadrado and co-workers at the Department of Artificial Intelligence at Technical University of Madrid in Spain developed an integrated computational architecture (ARTIE) that helped them build a robotic tutor platform, MONICA, which integrates the educational software Scratch to a commercially available robot. The researchers also identified three cognitive states -- concentrating, distracted and inactive -- known to influence the course of learning in children . MONICA was tested out on two primary school volunteers known to have different cognitive learning states. Whilst the children enjoyed having a robot guide their learning, and preferred it to working alone, they both felt they would have learned more with their normal teacher, despite feeling more relaxed in the presence of a robot tutor. 
 
 
Are You Willing To Accept Robots As Teachers? Youth Reporters Have A Mixed Response... 
 

A  robot is a machine built by man. That this creation is going to drive humanity towards knowledge is a little hard to accept. 
Astik Sarkar, class VI, Patha Bhavan, Kolkata

Robots teaching will signify development however, a human cannot connect with a robot as much he can connect with a human teacher. 
Hitanshi Thakkar, class IX, New Horizon Public School, Mumbai

I do not belive that it would be a great option to be taught by robots. Though, they will have lots of facts and and bring in lot of statistical data, but robots will not be able to understand their students more than teachers do. A robot wouln't be able to realise if the children are able to understand what is being taught. When a teacher sees that we are confused, he or she repeats what has just been taught, or asks us what our doubt is. We do not want programmed teachers. Teachers usually share their opinions and experiences. 
Samarth Jain, class X, BGS National Public School, Bengaluru

I would not like to be taught by a robot. Although, robots may follow a pragmatic and impartial approach to learning; yet replacing the dynamism and experience of a human teacher is a herculean task. It is not only the 'IQ' which is a major determinant in imparting education but also the 'EQ'. The human connect and sensitivity is essential and can never be replaced by a social robot or an educational machine.
Ria Jha, class XII, Carmel Convent School, Chandigarh

Yes, I would like to learn from a robot teacher. If this imagination comes true, then I would like to study surgical interventions from it. This is because robots are perfect in doing minor calculations regarding surgeries and also they can be programmed to do so.
Aditya Lote, class X, Somalwar School, Ramdaspeth, Nagpur
 
Not sure about robot teaching but the thing which I would like to learn from robot would be robotic dancing. The style of moving body parts mechanically or in a robotic way has always amused me, so why leave a chance to learn it from the inspiration itself.
Ketan Lambat, class X, CPS-WN, Nagpur
 


While yes there is a connect between a teacher and a student, I guess having robots as a teacher will not be a bad idea. In fact, they could work in coordination with the teachers. If we're unable to grasp something that the robot teaches us, we could always look to the teachers for clearing the doubts. 
Nandini Chatterjee, class IX, Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Delhi
(With Inputs from IANS and Team NIE)
 
 

 
What do you think? Can Robots become good teachers? Would you want to be taught by a robot teacher? If yes, what would you like it to teach you? Share your thoughts in the comments below...

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Comments

Sharmeen Khan PADUA HIGH SCHOOL-MANKHURD

I would not be fun being taught by a robot. The children connect more easily with their teachers than they would with robots. Altough, there would be a lot of facts and information the robots could teach but the emotional connect that a human cretes with another human would not be the same with robots. Our teachers have a past history of the same situation that we have in school. They too have been students and thus can interact with the students more relatively.

Darshil Shah ST. XAVIERS - LOYOLLA -2 LOYOLLA 2

See, let''s discuss practically. Robots can never be teachers. If they are functioned to teach you a specific topic then they will keep on teaching you that topic and would not give some outside info whereas the teachers make us learn the topic practically by showing us various examples and giving ''out of the book'' information.

Ritvik Baweja Bal Bharati Public School

Even though robots and automated objects in today''s era have that ability to teach students to a high extent but still I think Robos can''t be nice interactive and kind teachers. The emotional bond that creates between a child and teacher can''t be in between a machine and human. Also robots will only focus on theoretical and serious teaching which is alway not good

Himanshi Dhawan Saffron Public School

Well, I don''t think that robots can be better than human teachers. When one is studying from a human, he can feel the emotions and expressions and understands the topic well whereas robots on the the other hand stand golem. How boring it will be to extract theory from a expressionless teacher. So, I''m not in favor of this.

Hafsa Malwat F D SCHOOL

No , I don''t like to be taught by Robot Teacher. Because Teacher can understand feelings but Robot can''t.

Vihan R. Yalamanchili DDMS P.OBUL REDDY PUBLIC SCHOOL

I would always prefer a real human teacher than a robot. Teachers have feelings and human emotions for students, help them when they are troubled, and explain doubts well and in an interesting way. Robots would never have such extraordinary qualities that teachers have. Robots would teach emotionless non-stop and wouldn''t be able to connect with students. Robot teachers will be ineffective and a failure

Trimanpreet Singh Chawla GOODLEY PUBLIC SCHOOL(SHALIMAR BAGH

Robots can take place of teachers and they cannot also. They can teach students in a better way than the teachers and in different way so that all the students can understand a concept. The robots cannot replace the teachers as we cannot connect to the robots more personally than we can do with our school teachers. So they can replace and cannot.

Pragya RUKMINI DEVI PUB. SCHOOL(PITAMPURA)

Robots can never replace teachers. Teachers are very interactive and caring and the way they teach cannot be matched by robots as they hardly have any feelings. Teachers often give live and practical examples which would not be possible if robots taught students. Robots would teach in a boring manner and students would not be interested to study like that.

Harini MS NAGARJUNA VIDYANIKETAN

Robots cannot replace teachers, mainly because no power on earth can replace a teacher. I would never want a robot to be teaching me,also because I wouldn''t be able to feel the joy and connection I do with a human teacher

kaviya.s Bethel Mat Hr Sec School

We will be benefitted if robots become good teachers . Of course they can teach well and they are always updated. But although they are informative only teachers can understand the students mentality and teach according to their convenience

Thakur Aastha REUBS

I think it''s not a good thought. The students are humans not robot and human get connected to a human easily not to a robot. And the human interaction is best.

Vandana Subash City International School Wanowrie

No, I would not want a robot teacher. It is a different kind of fun to have a human teacher than just a machine because a teacher has the responsibility to understand children..But how could a robot possibly do that because it has no feelings!

Hiya Kilam global indian internatonal school

I do not want to be taught by a robot. Robots can never become teachers. A robot can never teach the way a real person can teach. If a student has a doubt, only a good teacher can clear it, not a robot. Children can never develop a bond with robots nor can they share their problems.

Ishika Jain BHARTI PUBLIC SCHOOL (SWASTHYA VHR)

In my opinion, having robots as our teachers would lead to a great transition. Robot is a machine built by man and advancement can lead to greater progress. On the other hand, it will take us to the path of more pragmatic studying and learning which is the need of the hour.

Maisha Islam SACHDEVA GLOBAL SCH SEC18, DWARKA

Teachers play very crucial lives not only in teaching but forming our overall personality. A teacher should have feelings and attachment with the students for a better experience. Emotions help us connect with others like us. A robot can never replace a teacher, it has no emotions and will never be able to completely build up an ideal student.

Ilesh Tripathi HBK - CHHATRAL BRANCH

Robots have the ability to teach students but I think that robot cannot teach the student moral values of their life nor they can teach them them to identify good or bad .

Adnan Hasan APEEJAY SCHOOL

Why not?? It would be so much fun to learn from a robot teacher. But I am sure that robots are not equal to teachers.. So, according to me the teaching of robot must be voted.. But in my opinion, learning from a teacher is better than that from a robot, as we can express ourselves as much as we can wid the teachers, but how come we can be so sure about the robots?

Shivansh Uppal RYAN INTERNATION SCHOOL NOIDA

I think robots can be a perfect idea for a teacher in school or in other teaching industry as they are machines and each and every word is recognised by the robot given by robot maker making it more interesting and new way to study

Harini Shree Subburaj PRESIDENCY SCHOOLHMT LAYOUT

With AI taking quantum leaps, robot - teachers are superb but these should not takeover the teachers'' post. A teacher is a special person who makes other''s future. People might feel much more comfortable asking humans for help then synthetic pre-recorded voices. After all, the human brain is sometimes better than computers. Imagine a computer programming class where the robot teacher sites itself as an example for a certain command. Weird or what?

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