Red For Ed! Pay Us More! Teaching can be an awarding, yet demanding profession. We’ve all had at least one teacher who has had a profound impact on our learning. But, despite working hard everyday to teach America’s future, teachers are one of the most underpaid in our nation. In fact, during the pandemic, they were one of the leading groups to quit their jobs. According to CNBC in 2022, at least 300,000 teachers and staff left the field from February 2020 to May 2022, with brookings.edu expanding that about 34% aged 55 and older considered leaving and retiring during this time. To find a solution in the status quo, 560 school districts across 25 states have one or more schools that have implemented a 4-day week to attract and retain existing teachers with the same funds available.

As we continue to try to find a solution to the problem of attracting and retaining human teachers, some have pointed to recent technological developments to present a unique solution that seems like it comes out of a Sci-Fi movie: Robots.

Should children be taught by machines, or should they have human interaction and guidance? And what happens when there is a problem with the technology, such as a glitch or malfunction? These are important questions that need to be addressed as the use of robots in education continues to grow.

The Status Quo

We’re already seeing AI like ChatGPT beginning to revolutionize the field of education through its access to basically unlimited information. And, while it’s not perfect, it’s certainly a step in a different direction. If we do not find a solution soon, in every school, robots might be used as full-fledged teachers, delivering lessons and interacting with students in the same way that a human teacher would. In fact, this is already happening.

In Japan, robots have been used in classrooms for more than a decade. Specifically, the humanoid robot Pepper is being used in several schools to teach English. Pepper can speak multiple languages and has a wide range of facial expressions, which makes it easier for students to engage with. To the west of Japan, China has been investing heavily in AI and robotics, and many schools are now using robots to teach math and science. The example here is the robot XiaoYu, which has been used in over 600 schools in China. XiaoYu is able to deliver lectures, answer questions, and provide feedback on assignments.

Image Credit: Vistan NextGen

Why The Demand?

What’s driving this trend of using robots as teachers? Well, one factor is the growing demand for education in developing countries. With populations of nations like India, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nigeria increasing and education becoming more important for economic success, there is a necessity for more teachers. At the same time, there is a shortage of qualified teachers in rural and remote areas.

But it’s not just developing countries that may find robot teachers helpful. As mentioned at the beginning, even developed nations like America will rely on AI and robots in the future in the face of teachers being underpaid and quitting.

Consequences

The Critics:

Critics argue that one of the biggest potential consequences of using robots as teachers is the impact it could have on jobs. As robots become more advanced and easy to use, they will be able to perform more and more of the tasks that are currently done by humans, including teachers. As such, some argue this will devastate the education sector. Zippia quantifies that by 2030, 45 million Americans could lose their jobs to AI automation, representing about a quarter of the workforce.

Critics also point to the effect robot teachers could have on the quality of education. While robots may be able to deliver information in a clear and concise manner, they lack the emotional intelligence and empathy that human teachers are capable of. As such, students may find it harder to connect with a robot teacher, and may be less likely to seek help or guidance when they need it, thus leading to a potential decrease in scores.

The Yeas

Without a doubt, there are numerous benefits to using robots as teachers as well. For one, robots can provide personalized learning experiences that are tailored to each individual student’s needs. Every student has a certain set of skills or problem they struggle with, and with a robot teacher, filling in these gaps can become easier and more efficient. This can take the form of creating personalized worksheets for each student, and then providing instant feedback on assignments, allowing students to quickly identify areas where they need to improve.

Of course, robot teachers may be a cheaper and practical solution to the growing teacher shortage problem. For a regular human teacher, the school district must pay them a yearly salary, but for robots, the only costs are building costs and maintenance costs.

Closing Thoughts

Teaching is not a profession to be taken lightly. Everyday, our teachers are nurturing and raising the world’s next generation of leaders, engineers, doctors, and many others. Now, the use of robots as teachers is a trend that is likely to continue in the coming years. While there are potential benefits to this approach, such as personalized learning experiences and 24/7 availability, there are also concerns about the impact it could have on the job market and the quality of education, along with ethical concerns. It is important for legislators, educators, and the public to carefully consider the potential consequences and impacts, and to work towards ensuring that technology is used in a way that’s beneficial for all. But wait a second! If we’re going to have robot teachers, can we at least program them to not assign homework on the weekends?