The only formal teaching I have done was as a US Navy Flight Instructor. However, in my other roles in life, I have had a lot of opportunities to teach/tutor/coach one-on-one and in groups. I am familiar with different student needs and learning styles, and with how different text books and other learning materials can satisfy the needs of different students. Interaction with a teacher/tutor/coach is important and much more efficient than searching through many textbooks and in small groups can create a bond. Unfortunately, the large class sizes in many courses in many colleges and on-line learning do not satisfy the bonding issue. There are also many courses of study that require hands-on learning that will never be satisfied by a textbook or a lecture class style. My main point is that expert systems in specific knowledge areas may be able to do a lot more than what many textbooks can do. Two very different styles of textbooks are the traditional textbook and the step-by-step books. Traditional textbook authors try to explain their topic in an engaging (sometimes entertaining, sometimes fun) way that can at times interfere with the logical flow of the topic. In step-by-step books, the author needs to start with the logical flow and then add variety. An expert system is a computer program that almost by definition needs to have a structured, logical flow. In any case, the future needs of society will require a lot more education for some people and a lot less for others. I think it will be beneficial to society to made getting a better education easier for all, and more attractive to those who aren’t required to get become better educated.
hanks for the comments.
The only formal teaching I have done was as a US Navy Flight Instructor. However, in my other roles in life, I have had a lot of opportunities to teach/tutor/coach one-on-one and in groups. I am familiar with different student needs and learning styles, and with how different text books and other learning materials can satisfy the needs of different students. Interaction with a teacher/tutor/coach is important and much more efficient than searching through many textbooks and in small groups can create a bond. Unfortunately, the large class sizes in many courses in many colleges and on-line learning do not satisfy the bonding issue. There are also many courses of study that require hands-on learning that will never be satisfied by a textbook or a lecture class style. My main point is that expert systems in specific knowledge areas may be able to do a lot more than what many textbooks can do. Two very different styles of textbooks are the traditional textbook and the step-by-step books. Traditional textbook authors try to explain their topic in an engaging (sometimes entertaining, sometimes fun) way that can at times interfere with the logical flow of the topic. In step-by-step books, the author needs to start with the logical flow and then add variety. An expert system is a computer program that almost by definition needs to have a structured, logical flow. In any case, the future needs of society will require a lot more education for some people and a lot less for others. I think it will be beneficial to society to made getting a better education easier for all, and more attractive to those who aren’t required to get become better educated.