Monday, September 03, 2007

Networks, Ecologies, and Curatorial Teaching

An interesting article that addresses some issues of connectivism. I particular like his reference to role of the "individual formerly known as teacher" in education.
I'm rather sick of "sage on stage" and "guide on the side" comparisons. The clear dichotomy chafes. While power in classrooms has shifted from the teacher at the centre, it's important to note that educators play a vital role not fully addressed by some of the current conversation. ... It's the basis on which teaching and education should be founded. But I think something more is needed, something that places some level of value or interpretation on content, knowledge, and concepts being explored.

1 comment:

  1. I had to laugh at the phrase "individual formerly known as teacher”. You can never be too politically correct…I think I will use this to refer to myself on the first day of class. This reminds me a little of a comment i made in the TEI class where i asked if it was possible to be a sage on the side? (Even if it doesn't rhyme it at least has alliteration.)

    Random thoughts on reading the article:

    I really appreciated the idea of an educator as a cross between a network administrator and a museum curator, where the curator is an expert learner. I will have to think about that in terms of my teaching.

    The reference to the atelier was meaningful for me. My brother is studying painting in an atelier in Santa Fe. The atelier traces it’s lineage back for several hundred years in France. He has never been happier. After years of art schools and art classes, he has finally found something that really works for him. My only frustration was that I clicked the related links and there was so much information there, I couldn’t find more atelier discussion. It must be there somewhere, I just did not have time to find it.

    When I think of teacher centered, I think of a circle with a teacher in the middle. Even that seems more wholistic than the physical structure of most of our accounting classrooms. The teacher is usually at the head of the class. It conjures up images of political and corporate hierarchical structures.

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