The regular reader will recall my recent post on how
technology will change gender relations and the nature of "work" and economics in the near future. One of the points I made was in regards to the changes that will come to"traditionally female" jobs such as nursing and teaching.
"We are moving closer to where a computer is like a person and we can have normal conversations with it," Wozniak said. "We will be able to have one teacher per student and let students go on in their own direction."
He added that the growing trend of mobile devices becoming more human-like over the next few decades will pose new opportunities for innovation.
"A computer is an awful cheap teacher, it has to get more human in its characteristics — anything another human being can understand is what I want my phones to understand," he said.
Steve Wozniak, for those who do not know is the co-founder of Apple Inc. back when it was known as Apple Computer. He has seen a lot of change in the technology landscape that persons born in say 2010 will not even appreciate. I want the reader to look at what he said in terms of the economics:
A computer is an awful cheap teacher
The economics of it all is what will drive the adoption of human replacing technology in civilian life. In the military, policing and firefighting it will be economics coupled with safety concerns.
Of course there will be another byproduct of the use of non-humans to teach children, the absence of adult authority, what I'll call the master-student relationship (already eroded by the internet) and the alienation of humans from each other as they become more and more accustomed to interfacing with machines that have instant answers and no need or desire for reciprocity.
In case you think not, Please do see the
"robot student"
Now here's the kicker: Once the robot (or the internet) is able to replace the "standing in front of you teacher" then there is no reason to have a school building. Which means none of the administration. None of the teachers. None of the support staff. And a whole lot of ancillary businesses will be gone as well. All you need to have is a Khan Academy "teacher" ready to teach your child at home (or schools will simply be one big daycare center since all those single mothers will be out in the workforce).
So all these calls for more male teachers? Temporary. Teaching as a profession is on the way out and only a few people know it.
