The Future of Education

The subject of the ideal teacher has been important to researchers, educators and philosophers for many generations. The definition of the ideal teacher has implications for teacher training and for teachers' work.

The teacher in every society and culture desires to approach the model of the ideal teacher, which is accepted in his society. Of course, this model has changed during the history of education, and the ideal teacher today is not the ideal teacher of other periods in history.

Nowadays all life's areas, including education and the environment in which teachers and students function - are connected inextricably with technological development. Web based learning is used all over the Western world, among varied learner populations. The technological changes have influenced the development of e-  learning environments. Moreover, these changes have psychological effects on many teachers, especially older generation style teachers. Research studies have found frustration and fears  as well as enthusiasm and interest in teachers who are faced with having to integrate new technologies into their teaching . Teachers who succeeded working using traditional methods and avoid the computer and the internet, often claim that they still can be excellent teachers without a need to integrate the computer and the internet in their teaching.

The image of the ideal teacher is based largely on the culture and social values of a society. Therefore, it is expected that issues of importance to the culture and the society will be reflected in the image of the teacher. The approach to innovation and technology, as well as academic achievements and teacher-student relationships, will be manifested in the concept of the ideal teacher.

At the conference, I would like to present the findings of a study conducted among men and women aged 20-30 in Israel examining the image of the ideal teacher as those questioned perceive it, with the implementation of technology in teaching included as an additional variable. At the conference, I would like to present characteristics of the ideal teacher as reflected in the eyes of people living in western countries in relation to their culture.