Week 10 - Net Pedagogy: The Role of the Educator

Dates: March 21 - March 28, 2011

Overview

How often do we read about the importance of teachers in education? It must be every day, it seems. We are told about "strong empirical evidence that teachers are the most important school-based determinant of student achievement" again and again. The problem with the educational system, it is argued, is that teachers need to be held accountable. The problem with focusing on the role of the teacher is that it misses the point. Though there may still be thousands of people employed today with the job title of "teacher" or "educator", it is misleading to suggests that all, or even most, aspects of providing an education should, or could, be placed into the hands of these individuals. With new technology, with new pedagogy, and especially from a connectivist perspective, the role - or roles - of the educator is changing dramatically.

Readings

Stephen Downes, Speaking in LOLCats: What Literacy Means in teh Digital Era
George Siemens Learning and Knowing in Networks
Stephen Downes, The Role of the Educator
Terry Anderson: Three Generations of Distance Education Pedagogy
George Siemens: Teaching and Learning in Social and Technological Networks

Seminars

Wednesday: Live Session: Location: Elluminate Learner-Facilitated Session
Time:8:00 p.m. Moscow; 5:00 p.m. London; 12 noon New York; 9:00 a.m. Los Angeles; midnight Thursday Beijing

Friday: Live Session: Location: Elluminate Facilitator's discussion (will be confirmed via The Daily)
Time:8:00 p.m. Moscow; 5:00 p.m. London; 12 noon New York; 9:00 a.m. Los Angeles; midnight Saturday Beijing

[Week 9] [Outline] [Week 11]