In a way (so far) this course has been like a homecoming...I have the first edition of Marcy Driscoll's book Psychology of Learning for Instruction, which was the textbook used when I took a Learning Theory course for my Master's degree so very many years ago. Additionally, the supplemental readings for this current class include one from Ertmer and Newby--Peg and Greg co-taught one of the courses that I took back when in my Master's program. As I said, it's Old Home Week this week.
For this first entry, I chose to address Siemen's characterizations of instructors: I definitely see myself as the Curatorial Instructor type--according to Siemens, this personification provides general guidance for learners, and then provides them with additional directions and ideas that they can follow up (or not). Because of where I work and what I do there (Department of Defense, Senior Instructor/Instructional Designer/Human Performance Technologist) I often teach from the standpoint of the Subject Matter Expert (SME). This can be a very dangerous position, because some SMEs will simply stand before a class and innundate the students with data on PowerPoint slides that are incredibly information-intensive. The value of this activity, in my opinion, is horribly over-rated and it is a practice that I am doing my very best to stop wherever I can.
I prefer to not lecture, and to ideally not even have a formal class, but to provide the students with a general roadmap of where we will be going, and for each significant item along the way, just like the AAA trip books, suggest a scenic (read informative) sidetrip that they can take. If there are any questions or issues, I am available to provide additional guidance and information. I find learning in this manner to be more rewarding from a learner's point of view because I have identified information that is relevant to me and my interests, and have followed up on topics that are of use to me now or in the future. As an instructor, I also find it rewarding, because the students come to me with their own ideas and interpretations of the subject at hand, which challenges me to find links and relationships that I might not have ever considered.
Resources
Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.).
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
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2 comments:
Anne,
I also found myself identifying with Siemen's (2008) curator model. I especially like his idea that the "curator balances the freedom of individual learners with the thoughtful interpretation of the subject being explored" (p. 17).
I also agree that many educators or SMEs misuse PowerPoint presentations to a great degree – confusing information delivery with teaching or facilitation. For you, what is the difference between when you teach from the standpoint of an SME, and when you teach from the standpoint of a non-SME?
Brad
References
Siemens, G. (2008, January 27). Learning and knowing in networks: Changing roles for educator and designers [Paper presented to ITFORUM]. Retrieved June 3, 2009, from http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/Paper105/Siemens.pdf
Hi Anne
We just got assigned together in a new realignment of groups. So just now popping in to say hello.
I found it fascinating that of the 4 blogs that I responded to for Module 1, all of them chose the "role of educator" choice. Maybe it's because we are all educators who are trying to better ourselves or maybe it's because it's the most realistic concept for us as educators.
I like your AAA analogy. We help them get to their intended destination, but how they get there, if they get there, or if they land somewhere else is up to them!
Koh
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