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Can computers replace teachers?

Computers can definitely help students in a big way to learn. Similarly they can help teachers in teaching more effectively. But computers can never replace teachers completely. To begin with teachers are needed to decide and tell computer software developers what the computers will teach and how they will teach it.

People have figured out how many of the routine lecturing and checking activities can be done more economically using computers. For example, lecture by teacher recorded once can be made available to students all over the world on their computer through the Internet. There are many ways of making these lectures interactive also. Still there are many other useful features of face to face interaction between a real teacher and students that can not be replicated on computers. For example, teacher can sense when students are loosing interest in the the lecture and introduce some changes in the patter of lecture to revive their interest. This cannot be done by computer.

I would like to address this in one more venue.  While I am not certain that computers can replace teachers, I do think that the online discussion and participatory format can be revealing in one's education.  One of the challenges of in class discussion is that not every voice is heard.  Sometimes, there can be two or three in class voices that dominate the discussions, while other times, there is simply a lack of comfort in speaking aloud.   Using the computer and information technology can enhance classroom discussion to include more voices that are not merely in the classroom.  While computers replacing teachers might be in one domain, I think that computers can transform how we look at sharing ideas and classroom discussions in broadening its reach and appeal.

I agree with both posts about the benefits of computer-assisted learning.  However, I think there is a real danger to introducing too much of this too early on.  Students need to be engaging in the social aspect of learning as well.  Most children growing up together are becoming "fluent" at communicating via technology - email, text messages, twitter, etc..  However, we need to instill oral language and behavior skills at a young age, when the brain is still developing language skills and before it "hardens", if you will.  Sticking to the basics with young children, and slowly integrating the computer-based instruction is a better approach.  So, to answer the question - no, they can't.  They can only help.  Below are links to a couple of articles on the topic:

http://www.enotes.com/computers-education-article/computer-assisted-education-does-benefit-young

http://www.enotes.com/computers-education-article/computers-cannot-replace-teachers