Are teacher nowadays less influential than they were in the past?

It is a shared opinion that teachers play an important role in both students’ academic life and character formation. However, a widespread discussion centering modern education is that whether teachers have become less influential nowadays. While some believe that teachers’ influence on students has been bolstered, I believe that teachers nowadays have become less influential.

Firstly, teachers are becoming less influential because of the presence of modern technology. Admittedly, classroom tools such as interactive whiteboard and slide projector have helped to lighten in-class atmosphere and facilitate teaching. We also have to take online resources into consideration. Websites like TED provide inspiring speeches for free download. A lot more resources such as reference books and e-books are available on the Internet as well. With a click of mouse, students will be able to watch a live class video of a Harvard University professor, which is, with no doubt, far more enlightening than the knowledge his school teachers can deliver to him. All these educational resources are quickly replacing the role or at least weakening the role of teachers in conventional sense.

Secondly, teachers are less influential because they are often in charge of larger and more classes. Despite the fact that a larger base of students represents a larger circle of possible influence, the harsh reality is that teacher are forced to become less focused on each individual. If a student encounter confusion in his studies, it is most likely that he will resort to his teacher for help and guidance. In the past, a teacher was responsible for 40 students at most. However, due to surge in student number, they nowadays teach hundreds of students. When teachers have to handle too many students at one time, they are more likely to fail to attend to each individual’s need. The transition from one-to-forty teaching mode to one-to-hundred ratio of teachers to students has dramatically undermined teachers’ influence.
…….(托福考试要求字数300字以上，这里两段已论证充分。有余力且字数未满的同学可接着写：分论点3)

Considering the two factors mentioned above, I firmly believe that teachers in modern society are generally less influential.