ABU DHABI, U.A.E, Apr 23 – In a rapidly changing world of technology, the role of teachers in the classroom is becoming more important even as classrooms move away from being a place where knowledge is consumed to a place where knowledge is created.
Anthony Salcito, Vice President of Worldwide Education, Microsoft Corporation says digital transformation requires digital leadership.
“Technology can communicate to the memory, but can not communicate to the heart. This is why we need teachers because they are and will remain irreplaceable,” Salcito says.
The world also needs to prepare students for the 2030 workplace where mixed reality, a combination of the digital reality and physical reality, and artificial intelligence will be the norm.
“Society needs to understand that today’s students live in a mixed reality environment unlike us who have experienced both worlds. Which is why we need to adapt as they have, to the current reality,” he said.
His remarks are similar to those of Harb Bou-Harb who recommends schools to relook how they are integrating technology into their curriculum.
According to Harb, students need to equip themselves with the technology of the future.
“We cannot imagine how technology will be by 2030, what we need to do now is to make sure we equip our students with the necessary skills which will be required by then.”
Salcito was speaking during the first day of the third edition of the Bett Middle East and Africa leadership summit which has kicked off under the theme ‘Educating for success in the 4th industrial revolution’ in Abu Dhabi, United Arabs Emirates.
The event has a speaker representation from over 20 countries alongside an exhibition with over 50 solution providers showcasing the latest products and services in education technology.
The event is being used to highlight the changing nature of education, where teachers and students must adapt to the world of changing technology.
African countries such as Kenya will use the event to look for opportunities to collaborate and highlight the innovations that are driving education forward.
