Students stand up for teachers
Posted on Friday 27 January 2006
Four students from Farnborough Sixth Form College led a debate in defence of teachers at an internat
Four students from Farnborough Sixth Form College led a debate in defence of teachers at an international conference on e-assessment, chaired by BBC education correspondent, Kim Catcheside, in London last week. The motion, that computers should replace teachers, was unanimously defeated by the packed audience in the G B Shaw Conference Centre in London.
Opposing the motion, 17 year old Nick Coxon from Fleet argued that education was inherently concerned with discussion and debate to improve understanding. ”Computers might enhance teaching but it should never replace it”, he argued. He quoted Kipling: “No printed word nor spoken plea can teach young minds what they should be; not all the books on all the shelves – but what the teachers are themselves”.
The College’s other principal speaker was 16 year old Hira Virdee from Yateley who recognised the strong significance of computers in education to support learning. He said, “Speaking before an international audience was challenging but really stimulating. It’s good to think that I was able to influence decision making at the highest level”.
Other platform speakers were 16 year old Rhiannon Traynier from Aldershot and Scott Hooker, also 16, from Farnborough. Scott told the audience of educators, publishers and researchers, “At my College, we can use the new e-assessment centre to undertake research and coursework but the teachers could never be replaced by a machine”.
In answer to questions from the audience, Rhiannon said, “If I was stuck on a problem, I would much rather be able to ask a teacher than a computer!”
The students were invited to lead the debate having made significant contributions to national discussions on the development of computer assessment, under the direction of Dr Mike Docker, the College’s Director of ICLT, who was present at the conference. He said, “The students had carefully marshalled their arguments and presented a convincing case for the retention of teachers – which is just as well, as I am hoping to get paid this month!”
Speaking after the conference, the national organiser Martyn Roads said, “The students from Farnborough Sixth Form College were outstanding – they put some of the international guest speakers to shame by their conviction, passion and articulate argument”
