The Hubris of New Technology

Thomas Edison was a world-famous power napper.  Even when being visited by important people, like the president of the United States, he would take short naps in front of them.  He would accumulate about 4 hours of sleep every 24 hours.

He believed that the electric light would eventually erase the need for sleep.  He claimed that people slept mainly because it got dark and that his invention obviated that excuse.

He also believed that his phonograph would become a major part of the school system.  Schools would eventually record the lectures of the best teachers and simply play back the lectures.  The phonograph and the recorded lectures would be able to replace, in part, mediocre teachers.  Sound familiar?  

There are dozens of education companies today that have recorded lectures with varying degrees of sophistication: some are simple recordings, some involve video, some are "adaptive" to the student's needs.  Many are introduced with great fanfare: "the old model" of education is ending!  A brave new world is emerging!

But a more sober look at the history of education technology will reveal that good teachers are just as important as ever.  No technology, so far, has altered the need for excellent teachers one iota.  Why will that change?

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