Every time I finish watching those videos about inventions such as Glass technology, Teleport, Hololens…, which I have only seen in science-fiction movies, I would always be left with some kind of thoughts about the role of using robots in future teaching. Firstly, the advancement, the versatility, as well as the cost saving aspect of that would be significant. In some video demonstrations, robots can be programmed to teach foreign languages or specific subjects to young learners. The Japanese government has already bought robots to teach English instead of paying too much for hiring native English teachers.
In my opinion, however, all of these are just superficial benefits and temporary solutions because they do not satisfy all the pedagogical principles of both the input and output knowledge. Secondly, we can all see that in most video demonstrations, a robot can teach young learner speaking and listening skills effectively, yet whether or not they can organize a hall of students including different ages in specialized subjects remains questionable. Additionally, a robot are less likely able to “score” an article, the action of which requires a human being – a teacher, who can perceive and evaluate it. Last but not least, I think the most important factor is the relationship between the teachers and learners. Robots cannot express emotions such as love, empathy, understanding (well, Wall-E is the exceptional) …which is necessary for improving and developing learners' abilities. As a student myself, I would prefer to learn with a real teacher than a programmed machine.
In conclusion, the scenario of robots completely replacing humans (like the Terminator movie) or completely taking the role of teachers in teaching will not become our reality, so don’t you worry about your future career, teachers! ☺