Robot aides in Dubai schools, but are they welcome?

Here's a question for all you parents: Would you feel comfortable if a robot taught your child? Or students, would you feel comfortable being assisted by a robot in the classroom?
Maybe you're not so well placed to answer this question just yet, but by the end of the year, you might well be. That's because teaching assistant robots are coming to Dubai.
During the Global Education Supplies and Solutions (GESS) exhibition in Dubai last month, the TeachAssist robot was officially launched on the sidelines of the event.
Currently being tested in two schools here, Khaleej Times spoke to Senthil Kugan, Director of Atlab - the company behind the robot - to find out why robots in the classroom are the next big thing in education.
With an aim to transition the robots into 15 Dubai schools by the end of 2017, Kugan said service robots will soon be the "leader in many sectors".
"What we are launching is an assistant, not a teacher. What they do is lighten the load of the teacher. And if a student needs help it can attend to it. If a student is doing a formula, it can take the formula and explain it from the Internet. It can find content too."
Acting as a personal assistant to the teacher, the TeachAssist can track the performance of a student using video face recognition - technological features that a teacher just doesn't have.
"Teachers cannot remember 3,000 names, nor can they instantly process a student's past performance, but robots can. We cannot replace the teacher, they are priceless, but robots can be great assistants," Kugan said.
Using a school's WiFi network, the robot will simply utilise the information already stored in the school's cloud data storage (with the ability to store new information too), which means most schools already have the means to adapt the technology.
"There is little effort needed in regards to implementing these robots and each unit will cost below Dh50,000," Kugan said.
But what's the consensus among educators and industry experts here?
For Farid Gasim, founder of Edarabia - the number one Education Guide in the Middle East - robots as a norm in the classroom is inevitable. It's not a matter of if, but when.
"Like in most other industries, the impact of technology has hit educators sooner than initially anticipated. The pace of development is just remarkable. Artificial Intelligence (AI) robots can not only carry out tasks, but learn how to do it better and faster with each iteration," he told Khaleej Times.
And although virtual teaching assistants are presently being developed as an aid in classrooms, he said there should be little doubt that with advancements in AI, they could step in as a substitute to professors too. "It is only a matter of time before it becomes more mainstream and is considered a reliable alternative to teaching assistants."
But some teachers are on the fence. Though they are welcoming the additional help during lesson time, many are questioning how it will impact jobs in the future. And with student-teacher relationships a core part of developmental learning, is it something robots can ever really replace?
Grade 5 English Teacher (US curriculum) T.S., doesn't think so.
Although she has never had an assistant in her class, she said assistants are often required to pacify, or work one-on-one, with struggling pupils. Something a robot will struggle to do. "I think that children would need someone who can be kind, fun and caring."
But aside from that, it's the market impact that has her worried. "I'd feel bad for those who lose their jobs. From a work point of view, if the robot can do the work, then why not. But how long before the teacher is replaced too?"
100 robots in this Abu Dhabi school!
On a whole though, many are welcoming the new teaching concept. And some even have first-hand experience in it.
More than four years ago, Merryland International School in Abu Dhabi became the first school in the UAE to pioneer robotics in the classroom. After implementing the first school-based robotics laboratory - at a cost of more than Dh1 million - the school now has about 100 robots on campus.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, a Merryland International spokesperson said since introducing robotics as a core part of the school curriculum, "student outlooks have changed and the teachers load has lightened". Something she described as "priceless in a digital era".
"We have found these robots to be very effective in learning and I would encourage others to invest, in a bid to benefit student learning."
With a multiuse purpose, the robots double up as classroom tools as well as teaching assistants.
"For example, we have robots that we use for special education, they stimulate a student to learn. And in physics lessons we use the robots as sensors for sound, temperature etc. It's an aid for the teacher."
Students at Merryland International now engage in two hours of Robotics lessons each week, with many robots now diluted into other core subject areas too.
At a cost of about Dh50,000 each, the spokesperson said it is an "investment that has fruitful long-term benefits for the teacher, student and school".
kelly@khaleejtimes.com
To have or not to have
With the racing pace of technology and the demands of almost every educational institution going above and beyond to cater to the needs of parents and students, I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised to actually see teaching assistant robots in the classroom.
Although the machine will definitely have its rating scale upped due to its efficiency, speed, and accuracy, I don't think it can replace a teaching assistant who is passionate about his/her job. For me, teaching is a vocation, not just a profession. And for a teacher like myself I wouldn't want to have a robot at my beck and call. I'd miss the whole basis of my job.
I need a connection; a connection of unspoken words and mutual understanding between child, teacher and teaching assistant. It's a collaborative effort with a common goal. This is priceless and I wouldn't want to change this for anything in the world. So nope, robots are not for me.
Teaching with the best technology cannot be called teaching if the teacher doesn't exist, you need a teacher's heart.
Cheryl Menzies, teacher at Gems Modern Academy, Dubai
What do students say
As a student I would cherish having a robot assisting my teacher. They could give one on one attention and can also better focus on the completion of tasks. I believe this would be a great opportunity for us to learn and robots can become our buddies too. They would have sufficient knowledge about a subject, and the understanding of a subject will become clear for us. It will also help the teachers supervise our growth in the various fields. We have not had hands on experience yet but I would love to because in this fast moving world today it is vital to bloom in all spheres of technology.
Hurairah Faatimah Muzammil, Student, Dubai
Include it in curriculum
I strongly believe that subjects like robotics and aero-modelling should be introduced in schools. It not only interests students but also allows them to explore and recognise their passion and talents. Besides, it is similar to practising science in real life with a wow factor. It improves our level of concentration and boosts our grasping power.
Meghna Manoj Nair, Student, Dubai