Monday, March 16, 2009

Teaching Robot Scolds Unruly Students

http://technewsworld.com/story/future-tech/66458.html



Imagine sending your children to school where instead of a human teacher providing them with their education, a robot does. In the future, as a result of a researcher in Japan, this may happen. The researcher has developed a robot that can carry out tasks such as calling roll, scolding students, and praises students. In addition, unlike other robots, the robot's face can portray six emotions, allowing the robot to be more human like. Students have responded to the robot through laughter and crying, which may be a result of the more human like appearance. A benefit of this robot would help alleviate the stress of labor shortage problems in certain countries, but experts and professors are still skeptical about having robots teach children. They argue that robots can replace human intelligence, and humans as role models. If technology allows us to use robots as an additional resource to help children learn and the elderly have better care, I think we should utilize the technology, but I do not think that robots should completely take over these roles. Without actual human contact with a teacher, students will lose subconscious social lessons and most certainly will lose information a human teacher possesses that a programmed robot does not.

1 comment:

  1. I find this very unsettling for our future. How are we supposed to grow as a human race if we cannot learn from fellow humans? I have always been taught that you develop who you are as a person through the experiences and trials you have with others--this includes professors. I agree with you when you said we could use this technology for better things; it is a waste of time.

    ReplyDelete