The impact of the computer on the role of the teacher

• Published in: Breaking into the Curriculum pp. 72 - 88
• Main Authors: Sanger, Jack, Schostak, John F.
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 1988
• Edition: 1
• Subjects: Peer Group Teaching; Eh; Youth Training Schemes; Kierkegaard; Microelectronics Education Programme; Vice Versa; Violates; Insight Model; Odd; Neutral Chairperson; Follow; Construction Diagram; Computer Based Information Technology; Wandering; Magic Box; Gateways; Play Back; CAL; Hocus Pocus; Impression Model; Census; Personal Life Chances; Reborn; Held; Wo
• DOI: 10.4324/9781003007906-5
• ISBN: 0367441357; 9780367441357

However, this chapter is concerned with educational issues and with identifying a range of possible roles for the teacher, not with the present frequency of use of the computer and related technology. Teacher roles may be held explicitly or they may be hidden or unconsciously held. The relationship between master and disciple/apprentice/pupil is now to be mediated by computer-defined structures. There is a curious apparent paradox which we encountered in the 'Teaching, Handling Information and Learning' project: the learner at home seemed often more adventurous, laterally minded, and inventive than can be or is allowed by the class teacher. Scheffler reduced teaching models to three basic types upon which all the others tended to be variations or mutations. Precursors of educational action are to be seen in the critical teaching of Freire and Shor, the liberatory practices of the open classrooms of Kohl and Kozol, the self-directed learning of the school of Barbiana, the libertarianism of Neill.