Chief Scientist Alan Finkel: 'Why nothing could replace a dedicated teacher"

Dr Alan Finkel A0

By Dr Alan Finkel A0
Community contribution / June 27, 2016

Worried robots will replace teachers one day? Australia's Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel AO isn't. In this month's Hard Word, he lays out why an "inspiring human being" will always help children achieve more.

Dr Alan Finkel

Since the demise of The Bulletin in 2008, The Economist is my news source of choice. When they publish their annual ...

This story appeared in the July 2016 edition of Australian Teacher Magazine.

Seconday Cover Supervisor

Teaching - Secondary / Dec 06, 2025

Autism Support Practitioner

Veritas Harrogate

Teaching Aides & Special Needs / Dec 06, 2025

Learning Support Officer - St Philomena's Catholic Primary School, South Bathurst

Catholic Education Diocese of Bathurst South Bathurst New South Wales

St Philomena's Catholic Primary School, Bathurst is seeking an experienced Learning Support Officer to join the team in Term 1, 2026.

Teaching Aides & Special Needs / Dec 06, 2025

School news / Nation’s lowest paid: Vic educators rally demanding better pay and conditions

Victorian public school teachers, principals and education support staff representatives have rallied today on the steps of the state’s Parliament House.

School news / ‘Crude rankings’: open letter slams News Corp over stigma-inducing school league tables

News Corp have been accused of engaging in ‘lazy, click-bait journalism’, as some 41 education heavyweights sign an open letter imploring the media organisation to immediately stop the publication of ‘crude’ and harmful school league tables based ...

School news / ATT: Ben Carroll, the principal stabbing speaks to our broken school system

Dear Victorian Education Minister Ben Carroll, a teacher stabbed a principal on Tuesday, and I can only see that his actions are a very clear symptom of a system that is broken.

School news / New bid to protect kids from being accidentally exposed to harmful online content

Search engines will be required to blur pornography and high-impact violence as tech giants prepare to comply with Australia's social media ban.

School news / Social media ban warning: teens remain confused about implications and impact

Experts are urging parents, carers and teachers to stay vigilant in the face of the new age restrictions for under 16s, with a continued need to strengthen safeguards, clean up harmful content and build digital literacy skills.

School news / Overlooked crisis: call for inquiry into sliding boys’ education

A parliamentary inquiry into boys’ education has been called for by the Federal Opposition, as a growing body of experts warn boys’ worsening underperformance and over-representation among the most academically at-risk students amounts to one of t...

School news / Court told teacher accused of stabbing school principal ‘mentally snapped’

A teacher accused of snapping when told his contract would not be renewed and stabbing his principal has links to a famous cold case disappearance.

School news / Independent schools union reaches landmark majority in historic bargaining push

The Independent Education Union Victoria Tasmania says it has reached a decisive milestone in its campaign for a Single Interest Authorisation (SIA) covering Victorian Catholic schools.

Opinion / Bucking the trend: how a small regional school is achieving results with nature, play and purpose

While national conversations around NAPLAN often centre on stress, standardisation and slipping scores, our small regional school in Western Australia is quietly proving that a different way is not only possible, it’s powerful.

School news / National AI Plan marks critical step forward for child safety, advocate says

Yesterday’s announcement by the Federal Government outlining the new National AI Plan, marks a significant step forward in protecting children in a rapidly evolving digital environment, according to a leading child advocate organisation.

Comments