Critique Siemens’s “metaphors of educators.” Which of these metaphors best describes the role you believe an instructor should take in a digital classroom or workplace? Is there a better metaphor to reflect your view of the role of instructors?
Siemens (2005) defines the metaphors of educators as a master artist, network administrator, concierge, curator, and instructivist/constructivist. Educators as a master artist in the classroom are like an art studio with open space. In this open classroom environment, students are encouraged to permit their creative side to flow freely and unrestricted. In the open classroom environment, students interact through innovative methods such as blogs and twitter. A teacher as network administrators’ role is to help students make connections between concepts, ideas, and thoughts. As concierge educators provide that extra soft push needed to encourage students to identify and utilize those hidden talent, skills, and abilities for learning and creating. The role as curator is creating opportunities and space for creating, exploring, researching, and connecting knowledge nuggets and resources. Finally, as instructivist/constructivist providing the learner with the ability to blend and connect learning opportunities and activities.
In a digital classroom, I believe the role of curator is most important. In this role, educators are responsible for encouraging the learner to create, explore, and connect information in a matter that is engaging, inspiring, and motivating. Educators no longer need to serve only as the dispenser of knowledge, but as a facilitator.
References:
Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
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
