Teacher in digital era

A Teacher to the learner is an embodiment of wisdom. Teacher is said to be divine and Teaching has been considered revered profession through the ages of Indian history. The famous sages, seers, sadhus, sants, rishis, munis, pundits, panths gurus, and acharyas of India are known for their sagacity and abundant knowledge and their preaching and teaching are eternal. Their inquisitiveness, passion in interpretation of knowledge treasure, philosophical discourses stand no comparisons. Acharyas carried the highest regard, attitude of reverence and an example of esteem in the society in general and among the learned community in particular. The knowledge seekers ie.,shishyas or abhyasaks are known for their unflinching loyalty, trust worthiness, high degree of dedication , absolute obedience and voluntary acceptance.

Dithering values

In the era of modernisation, liberalisation and globalization the Teachers' prominence and his pivotal position in teaching is considerably corroding. In modern times, the solo and unilateral teaching of a teacher is invariably associated with electronic gadgets and other audio-visual teaching aids. The teacher dominated classroom has been replaced with child centred education and each child is identified with unique potential. In the contemporary times we observe a significant transformation in the teacher- student interrelationship.

The teacher hitherto is expected to be friendly and had to walk an extra mile to win over the hearts of the learner. The proactive teacher has to become a co-learner, guide and mentor. The integrated curriculum and dynamic pedagogy has made the teaching robust, comprehensive and experimental. The interconnection between the teacher-taught has become overly informal and intimate.

The bond and affinity between guru-shysya affected with the Students' access to acquisition of abundant knowledge becoming more open and accessible at their door step or click of mouse. The Knowledge seekers are enjoying more free will in learning and less dependence on the teacher. The autonomy of the learner has mitigated the elevated status of the teacher. The self-reliance of the learner considerably affected the esteem, stature and monopoly of the teacher in the teaching -learning process.

Hybrid teacher

Approaches to education in the 21st century took a turn around with the addition of virtual learning taking the prime stage of the Edu spectrum. Learn, unlearn and relearn have become the essential skills of the 21st century generation. The knowledge providing portals for the learners are available through multiple platforms. The Covid pandemic made the teacher to reach out the learner in blended mode.

The teaching became a dynamic process with the onset of the technology enabled delivery system. In the age of Technological revolution, the programmed learning is operational even without human indulgence. A radical shift in the role of a teacher is in the place due to smartech innovations and with the embracing of Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. The learner has the autonomy to choose from among the types of information, delivery channels, human resources expertise and technology.

The online and open and distance learning has emerged as a powerful and convenient spectrum to pursue education and the career. The teacher apart from content delivery and counseling is expected to acquire, explore and communicate through technology. The required pace and the speed of the teacher in updating their knowledge are like never before and often the gifted teacher has to compete with google guru.

The techno savvy student's dependence on formal learning from the teacher is fast shrinking. The Independent teacher is becoming interdependent in a triangular contest with the learner and technology at two diagonal sides. Teacher as an encyclopedia and technology as a Wikipedia of knowledge houses are competing with each other.

The teachers who are considered to be gifted in teaching are hardly making much headway in adapting to the technology buzz. The Edu Teach teaching profession has become an industry and less attractive or non preferential to the present ambitious generation. The noble profession is demanding competencies, character and credentials and considered less remunerative, yet comprehensive, with holistic dimension compared to positions in the hardware and software fields and in other emerging technologically driven careers and even among entrepreneurs classes.

The teaching values are counted in tangible terms of monetary benefits or gains. Going with the current trend AI based machines/robots already are replicating the roles of a teacher in the classrooms where the role of the teacher is reduced to only aid, assist and supplement potential presentation of the robots.

However, the scenario is not abysmal. Though the pride position of the teacher appears to be at stake, there are plenty of alternate models to sail along aggressively with the vibrant technology. The teachers' emotions, attachments, passions, influence and impact of personality on the learner cannot be replaced with a machine or technology as they themselves emerged from the thought process of human brain only.

Thus, the teacher continues to be the centre of axis in educational learning to be in bygone or forthcoming years. Setting aside the critical talk and controversies, among all the professions the teaching profession continues to give maximum satisfaction, contentment, derives respect and reverence despite the technological interventions and changing aspirations of the learners and expectations of the stakeholders.

A teacher while retaining the core competencies to his flavor of teaching, adding innovation and experimentation in his classroom presentations and adapting to the emerging technology would regain and restore the glory and sanctity of teaching profession. The emerging India is now poised to reclaim the status of vishwaguru. Hence Teachers are required to carry forward the legacy of being Character builders, by defining the personality of a child and destiny makers of the nation.

(The author is the Regional Director, Indira Gandhi National Open University )