TV based education instead of Human teachers?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential of using television and pre-recorded lectures as a replacement for human teachers in educational settings. Participants explore the implications of this approach on learning effectiveness, student engagement, and the overall quality of education, considering both theoretical and practical aspects.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that pre-recorded lectures could reduce educational costs while providing high-quality content to a larger audience.
  • Others argue that a lack of interaction in such a setup could hinder learning, as students benefit from the ability to ask questions and engage with a live instructor.
  • Concerns are raised about student attention spans and the effectiveness of learning from videos compared to live lectures.
  • Some participants note that online classes often do not result in cost savings and may even be more expensive than traditional in-person classes.
  • There is a suggestion that the push for online education may be driven by financial motives rather than educational effectiveness.
  • A few participants mention the importance of student engagement and problem-solving skills as critical components of effective learning, regardless of the delivery method.
  • Some express skepticism about the effectiveness of automated systems in education, comparing them to poor online support systems.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views, with no consensus on whether replacing human teachers with technology is beneficial or detrimental. Disagreements exist regarding the effectiveness of pre-recorded lectures, the importance of live interaction, and the financial implications of online education.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight various limitations, such as the challenges of maintaining student engagement in online formats, the need for immediate feedback in learning, and the potential financial motivations behind the shift to online education. The discussion reflects a variety of perspectives on the role of technology in education without resolving these complexities.

Who May Find This Useful

Educators, administrators, students, and policymakers interested in the evolving landscape of education and the impact of technology on learning outcomes may find this discussion relevant.

  • #31
ZapperZ, I just do not understand if you are making the point in favor or in opposition to the "TV recording" method of lesson delivery. I can ALMOST undrstand your discussion, and then it becomes uncertain. Try again! Were you saying what I was trying to say (like post #29), or were you saying something else?
 
Science news on Phys.org
  • #32
symbolipoint said:
ZapperZ, I just do not understand if you are making the point in favor or in opposition to the "TV recording" method of lesson delivery. I can ALMOST undrstand your discussion, and then it becomes uncertain. Try again! Were you saying what I was trying to say (like post #29), or were you saying something else?

I think he is saying that "He agrees that proposed method is cheaper but not better than interactive human teaching."

To which I say that the pre-recorded video will keep on improving through iterative process over the years, incorporating suggestions from world renowned experts and students themselves. Every doubt a student can have will be incorporated in the video through subsequent versions. (Version 10.0, for example will be a lot better than 1.0)

Now why such a video should not be able to answer students common doubts ? I think currently people are apprehensive about one-way teaching is because the course-material (video) does not go through such exhaustive iterations of improvements incorporating suggestions from world renowned experts. All the currently available videos are version 1.0.
 
  • #33
ZapperZ said:
[snip] because many research on education has shown that this one-way, non-interactive means of communication is the BEST way to educate anyone.
[snip]

Really hoping this is a typo...
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: ISamson
  • #34
Andy Resnick said:
Really hoping this is a typo...

It is.

Zz.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: ISamson
  • #35
symbolipoint said:
ZapperZ, I just do not understand if you are making the point in favor or in opposition to the "TV recording" method of lesson delivery. I can ALMOST undrstand your discussion, and then it becomes uncertain. Try again! Were you saying what I was trying to say (like post #29), or were you saying something else?

I thought I made it clear when I broke down the original post into two separate issues.

1. I am NOT in favor of video/one-way communication education.

2. If one-way communication is the ONLY means of education, then sure, a video lecture would save money.

Frenemy90210 said:
I think he is saying that "He agrees that proposed method is cheaper but not better than interactive human teaching."

To which I say that the pre-recorded video will keep on improving through iterative process over the years, incorporating suggestions from world renowned experts and students themselves. Every doubt a student can have will be incorporated in the video through subsequent versions. (Version 10.0, for example will be a lot better than 1.0)

Now why such a video should not be able to answer students common doubts ? I think currently people are apprehensive about one-way teaching is because the course-material (video) does not go through such exhaustive iterations of improvements incorporating suggestions from world renowned experts. All the currently available videos are version 1.0.

Have you ever taught a class?

Just because something is said or written down, and even explained, doesn't mean the student WILL get it. I lost count how many times I've given students something, tell them explicitly what to do, and BAM, they make a mistake with it again! No matter how well you try to present the material, there will always, ALWAYS be questions. I see this all the time when the students have to learn from "pre-lectures" online videos. You get a whole spectrum of students with a whole spectrum of varying questions about the SAME video that they viewed.

So I will claim that it is a fallacy to think that one-way communication education is effective. In fact, research in education methodology have shown numerous evidence that it isn't!

Zz.
 
Last edited:
  • #36
The amazing thing about this thread is the idea that this is a new thing, and the weakness of one-way instruction is also a brand new discovery. This goes back to the early 50's. Zz's question "Have you ever taught a class?" is particularly relevant - it's the first question that gets asked whenever this idea comes back from the dead.
 
  • #37
Never been in a class where students weren't regularly participating. Even in an english class I had that was 7:00 am. If I had to pay tuition to watch instructional videos I would stop going to school and just read the books on my own.
 
  • #38
The video below shows one educator's experience why one way education techniques often fail.

 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Frenemy90210
  • #39
Vanadium 50 said:
The amazing thing about this thread is the idea that this is a new thing, and the weakness of one-way instruction is also a brand new discovery. This goes back to the early 50's. Zz's question "Have you ever taught a class?" is particularly relevant - it's the first question that gets asked whenever this idea comes back from the dead.

Yes, but it's also worth stating that distance learning has a long history. For example. the US Navy needed ways to provide content to sailors stationed on ships that were at sea for extended periods of time, and in that context it has largely been successful.

http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-articles/history-of-distance-learning.html
https://www.seniornet.org/edu/art/history.html
 
Last edited:
  • #40
I always gave my lectures as a question and answer session, leading my students slowly towards discovery. The impact was very strong and the ideas, concepts, research methods, were very effectively communicated. Science, after all, starts by asking questions about nature.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: ISamson

Similar threads

Replies
3
Views
5K
  • · Replies 43 ·
2
Replies
43
Views
8K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
3K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
6K
  • · Replies 24 ·
Replies
24
Views
16K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
4K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
7K
Replies
13
Views
11K
  • · Replies 58 ·
2
Replies
58
Views
10K