The Role of an Instructor
The Role of an Instructor
The role of an instructor is the same mode of a facilitator. The instructor oversees student’s involvement as well as communicates the intended course material through live lectures as well as through chat sessions. Charolette Brown
Donald,
Why must education be part of the definition. I do see myself as a facilitator as I do want to "guide" students through their learning process but they have ownership and responsibility of the learning or "work"
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Basically, from the module, an instructor and a facilitator are one and the same. However, they are two different words.
The word "instructor" comes from Middle English and Latin, and has a medieval definition where the individual holding the title of "instructor" stands in relationship to university professors. (dictionary.com)
In contrast, a "facilitator" is a "person responsible for leading or coordinating the work of a group". There is no mention of the context in which the leading occurs. In other words, there no mention of education. (dictionary.com)
So, given these two definitions, is the course downplaying the academic setting by equating them to each other? What do you think?
Lauren,
Isn't that the grandest thing! I actually think that is what makes online learning so powerful. I just like to be a stalker.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I love when my students take over and allow me to facilitate classes. It is amazing how much they can teach each other, and it is truly encouraging.
Lauren Dotson
Craig,
True, what do you think is the most important role of an instructor?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Yes, there are some technical skills in some of the computer courses that I teach that require me to take on the instructor role. Some basic skills seem to work best from that role with a higher level learning coming from discussions and other methods as described in this section.
Fred,
I think that you should not discount publisher content. Many times they provide robust content that most instructors don't have the time or the resources to produce. The secret is for the instructor to CHOOSE what they want to use.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Charolette
I believe that course content is also important. Instructors should develop their own course content instead of copying the course content from instructors resources provided by the publisher.
Catherine,
True, you have to use the tools and reach out to students. Great post.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Of course! I teach accounting and even when we use MyAccountingLab, where the students complete assignments and can receive immediate feedback, I am responsible for reaching out to students, answering questions, and providing guidance. The course announcement and discussions are even more important!
Catherine McBride
Charolette,
Do you think that sometimes you have to take an instructor role at all? Just wondering. . .
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
