Maine High School Hires Computer Program To Teach Students Because They Couldn’t Find A Real Teacher

So how well can a computer teach? Students from a high school in Maine are about to find out this year after administrators couldn't find a real teacher for a position. 

Are there a shortage of quality teachers available in Maine? You wouldn't find much argument from Madison Area Memorial High School where the school will officially turn to a computer as their new foreign language teacher. According to Yahoo, the Principal of the school, Jessica Ward, received only one application for the open foreign language teacher position and that person ended up being hired by another school. The school was left in a bind, scrap the foreign language program, transfer kids to another school or come up with outside-the-box solution. And that's what they did.

On the suggestion of the school guidance counselor, the school reached out to Rosetta Stone, the famous makers of the world's most popular online language software. The school implemented the programs and according to Principal Ward, "students seem to be enjoying it".

Ultimately the school still hopes to hire a foreign language teacher to take over for Rosetta Stone. While the students can understand the basics of the languages they're learning, there's a human element that is missing. Currently, there are hundreds of schools across the country who do not have foreign language teachers available to them.