I, Teacher

Issac Asimov on computerized education… Watching the interview made me remember one of his books, Prelude to Foundation in which mathematician Hari Seldon travels across a planet. At one point, he meets a poor little kid Raych (I looked this up -I have all Asimov books electronically-), and gives him a educational computer in return for some item. “Wanna learn math? Here it is”. Hah! In another conversation, someone asks Seldon,

D: You can program computers, I suppose.”

HS: “Of course.”

D: “I’m talking about teaching computers, you understand, and I’m asking if you can devise programs to teach various phases of contemporary mathematics.”

HS: “Yes, that’s part of my profession. I’m assistant professor of mathematics at the University of Helicon.”

Hear that? It’s part of his profession.