The truth is, in the era of artificial intelligence, the most valued and secure jobs will be those that require complex social skills—such as teaching. Good teachers do more than just convey information. They coach and mentor their students to make learning relevant and meaningful, and they foster students’ interests in tackling complex, real-world problems. And while technology can replicate teachers’ expertise in dispensing information and assessing students’ knowledge of rote facts and skills, it is far from replacing the teacher’s role in providing expert feedback on critical thinking, communication, and leadership.
It’s important to remember, however, that substituting technologies for certain teaching tasks is a critical innovation for advancing the education system’s ability to serve all students. In the current factory-based educational model, teachers simply can’t give all their students the individualized feedback and coaching they need. But the more we utilize the best recorded lectures, documentary films, and instructional technologies to replace live lectures, the more we can free up teachers to spend their time working closely with their students to foster deeper learning. When students are able to get foundational knowledge and skills through technology-based instruction, teachers can evolve their purpose in the classroom and focus their time on providing expert feedback on higher-order skills and tackling complex, real-world problems with their students.