In today’s increasingly technological world, it would be remiss not to take advantage of the potential of technological developments to improve the teaching and learning environment. The incoming students are likely ‘digital natives’ with expectations of digitally proficient teachers. And why not? Today, highly interactive small and large group teaching online is possible through interactive webinars, platforms such as ZOOM, Teams and Google Classroom.
Alongside, technologies such as videos, podcasts, simulations and virtual reality environments provide opportunity to enhance the quality of education provided. Additionally, real-time mobile video tools and other applications can be used to teach and provide real-time feedback. Not to forget the Generative AI and the new vistas for teaching and learning that it opens up. All this is wonderful and must be embraced with great enthusiasm. As someone has aptly said, teachers cannot be replaced by AI and technology but teachers who do not embrace technology would be replaced.
Teaching is guided by a philosophy, no matter how implicit and unarticulated. As teachers, what do you see as the purpose of education, what are the beliefs and values that inform your teaching practice, and why is it that you are in the teaching profession are important aspects of your teaching philosophy. Teaching philosophy evolves and changes over the continuum of a teacher’s career, from early career to mid-career and onwards to the more experienced stage.
As teachers embrace the new reality of a technological and digital world, if their beliefs do not shift, incorporation of technological methods would only be a technical change in their practice and not necessarily lead to a transformation of education practice.
So, on this World Teachers’ Day, let all of us teachers take the time out from our hectic daily routines, for self-analysis, reflection and articulation or re-articulation of our teaching philosophy.
Dr Anjum Halai
Professor and Vice-Provost, AKU
