Sarah Crawford - Module #1 - Choice #3
Siemens (2008) presents different analogies to represent the possible roles educators could play within a learning environment. The digital classroom is presents different challenges for the instructor. This metaphor of a master artist is ultimately what an instructor in a digital setting would strive to create. “Students are not limited to learning based solely on the expertise of the instructor” (Siemens, 2008, p. 15) within this analogy. To create a higher order of thinking a student must have the ability and challenge to thinking for themselves while the instructor provides encouragement along with different perspectives in which to challenge each student. However, the network administrator (Siemens, 2008) helps to guide the networking aspect of learning. This aspect of creating a network is rarely taught, but extremely important. This network will not only help with job opportunities, but it will also bring fresh and different ideas into your idea pool. I would consider the educator as a concierge similar to that of the master artist. The concierge provides “’soft’ guidance” (Siemens, 2008, p. 16) to students to push students to explore different ideas which they might not explore without some guidance. However, out of all of these roles I believe the curator approach would benefit the student the most. I personally want an expert to guide me with their knowledge, but then give me freedom to explore the ideas and facts to further make discoveries.
As an online instructor the class would determine the mindset taken by the instructor. I would think at first the instructor would act more as a master artist to see where the students will guide themselves. Some student might need more guidance so the instructor would take on the role as a curator until the students are willing to think on their own.
I think Siemens (2008) did a fantastic job in creating analogies of educators to classroom monitoring systems. I don’t know if I personally would have thought of those analogies off the top of my head, but Siemens (2008) did a fantastic job in describing their roles as well.
Thomas Stone (2009) talks about predicting the changing of the guards in his blog and poses the question of will traditional classrooms will be replaced by digital classrooms in the near future? He also talks about the changing roles of the instructor because of budget cuts. This article makes you think. If an instructor is in charge of multiple online classes then how will they provide the knowledge and feedback that is essential to the learning environment?
Zane Burg (2006) outlines pedagogical, social, managerial, and technical recommendations for instructors in an online setting. Creating a welcoming environment in an online class where student feel willing to share their thoughts and experience to further learn from each is possibly the hardest task for any online instructor.
References:
Berg, Z. (2006). The role of the online instructor/facilitator. Retrieved March 17, 2010, from
http://www.emoderators.com/moderators/teach_online.html.
Siemens, G. (2008, January 27). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for
educators and designers. Paper presented to ITFORUM. Retrieved from
http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/Paper105/Siemens.pdf.
Stone, T. (2009, December 3). New roles for instructors, instructional designers, and subject
matter experts. Retrieved March 17, 2010, from
http://blog.elementk.com/element_k_blog/2009/12/new-roles-for-
instructors-instructional-designers-and-subject-matter-experts.html.
Sarah, as you contemplated the various roles that Siemens (2008) proposed for educators, I was glad to read in your second section that at different stages in the learning process, students might need the teacher to adopt different roles. I agree. For example, during the genesis of a learning relationship, the network administrator may need to come to the forefront to assist the student in "...forming connections and creating learning networks" (Siemens, 2008, p. 16). As the learning evolves the educator can move into the "soft" guidance of the concierge and then ultimately become the master artisan or curator; free to explore, create, and discover new connections to knowledge with minimal guidance.
ReplyDeleteGiven these metaphors, are you ever concerned that the educator is becoming nothing more than a facilitator of knowledge? Are we designing ourselves out of our careers as we know them? If so, are our institutions of post-secondary education preparing teachers for teaching, or for curriculum design? As I read Tom Stone's latest blog post from your reference list I noticed that he addresses this very concern. He suggested that educators should take on the role of blog author, forum moderator, podcast host, and social networking administrator. Perhaps instead of taking Ed Psych, we should be taking Podcast or Facebook 101. Interesting . . .
Anne,
ReplyDeleteI do wonder what is going to happen to the roles and the actual jobs for teachers. I also agree that we as educators are starting to mirror the idea of a facilitator - or babysitter depending on what age you teach. The issues with all of these social sites are that a majority of the students will not branch out from their current knowledge and challenge themselves. So is the US population becoming lazy on a cognitive level also? I don't feel I was this lazy or had to poked and prodded so much to accomplish task and learn. I am not sure what is going to happen.
Sarah
I also like that statement by Siemens, “Students are not limited to learning based solely on the expertise of the instructor” (2008, p. 15). I never tell my students that I know it all. Especially being a technology teacher, my students sometimes know more short cuts than I do. We as educators should be glad to know that our students will sometimes exceed us in our learning and expertise. I want what I share with them to be an inspiration for more learning and to help them go deeper and further in their knowledge.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of inspiration - I really like the background to your blog page!
ReplyDeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteI like the way you explained the analogies given by Siemens. Our roles as technology instructors are evolving along with the technology we teach, encounter and use. The students are often the ones to lead the way in using the innovative technologies long before we "allow" them to use them in the classroom. Yet, I believe the role of the instructor as master artist, facilitator and even student can not be diminished by the technology. We will evolve along with it or step aside.