Facilitating, Moderating or teaching?

When I first started the Graduate Certificate in Applied eLearning programme I did so out of a desire to better understand the rapidly developing ‘online learning’ phenomenon, and also to gain a basic grounding in the skills necessary to produce elearning resources and solutions, so that I could integrate this technology into current and future teaching roles and projects.

Aside from the multitude of foreign terminology I was being exposed to for the first time, I was also being asked to explore the changing role of the teacher in this online environment, and began to hear about and research some new terms commonly used in eLearning, to describe this role, (for me anyway!) such as moderation/moderator and facilitating/facilitator. It made me think about my previously learned ideas, expectations and attitudes held in regard to teaching or being a ‘teacher’. I started to wonder: Were my current teaching skills inadequate or too set in the traditional face-to-face mould for me to be an effective educator in this online environment? To measure up, to success, would I need to reinvent my professional self, become and now and forever more go by the more modern title of Facilitator or Moderator? Confusing times!!

In my previous two Grad Cert Applied eLearning courses I have been fortunate enough to have had two great paper coordinators, both of whom modeled consistent, clear styles of ‘teaching online’ (I’ll call it this) ! The courses were accessed through a LMS (Blackboard) and between the two incorporated technologies such as discussion forums, online conferencing (Elluminate), blogging and a course Wiki. I feel that the skills of moderating in both courses were highlighted and modeled exceptionally well. Examples that easily come to mind are:

• Effective teacher-learner communication and prompt constructive feedback provided.
• The group and individual learners are provided with ongoing motivation to reflect further, and extend scope of readings and research.
• Use of strategies to maintain cohesion in the learner group – weekly summary of learner discussion posted. Links to latest posts or posts of particular individual relevance provided.
• Keeping ‘tabs’ on individual learner progress and participate.

These are skills I admired and couldn’t wait to add to the skills I already felt I possessed from my face-to face teaching experience (actually technically speaking I am a tutor in a post secondary setting!), some of these teaching skills are:

• Authority on my area of expertise ( Subject matter expert)
• Effective speaker and communicator
• Well organised and prepared
• Effective in assessing and evaluating learning.

In this course FOC09 our attention is on the role of the Facilitator, and facilitating online communities, unfortunately I have not been as active in this course as I would have liked!, and have encountered a different approach to ‘teaching online’ again, if this is indeed the modeling of facilitating in action, then I think it assumes and requires the highest level of motivation, time management, organisation and self-direction from learners, of all the three roles. From reading through the resources for this discussion task I have complied a short list of attributes I think are needed to be an effective Facilitator:
• Effective in communicating, listening and providing feedback.
• Encourage and actively promote opportunities for problem-based and inquiry-based learning, group discussion: a student- centred approach to learning (Constructivism).
• Good grasp of Information and communication technology.
• Good at organising and managing learning experiences and groups of learners.
• Encourage learner autonomy.

This course FOC09 has slowly led me to the conclusion that I am an Educator, first and foremost, as the three roles overlap in regard to some skills, namely communication, listening and thorough knowledge of topic and resources, which I think are generic, and necessary for an effective educator. So to be effective, especially in an online environment, I need to learn and ‘hone’ the skills of all three roles: teacher, moderator, and facilitator, and adopt or utilise the skills of that role which is most appropriate to the given learning environment or learner/group of learners. (This is my opinion, and I am more than happy to defend it, or modify it should anyone wish to challenge it, or enlighten me!!)
It is challenging and somewhat scary when you have been used to having a certain level of authority and control in a traditional learning environment, being the subject matter expert and sticking to the ‘tried and true’ didactic formula of, teacher- led lectures and discussions, which in turn promote learners who are often passive receptors of information. Opening up to and adopting new roles in this online environment is a bit scary, but definitely necessary, however the traditional role of ‘teacher’ may be hard to shake!

Teaching in the traditional sense of the term may undermine both moderating and facilitating roles in an online environment because online teaching tends to adopt a constructivist approach to learning, which is essentially the opposite of traditional (f2f) teaching and learning. To a lesser or greater degree the learner, especially those new to eLearning may have preconceived expectations based on traditional face-to-face learning:

• Expecting all the necessary learning materials and resources to be provided and worked through at a pace set by the teacher. (to be taught as opposed to learning). Learners may be surprised to be actively encouraged to locate alternate sources of information or experts.
• Expectations of being chased up for assignments etcetera.
• Expecting a strong teacher presence throughout the course.
• Fear to contribute opinions and learning to discussions because of embarrassment or negative feedback, disapproval from the teacher.

• Because ‘online teaching’ is learner-centred, with a focus on problem and inquiry based learning and collaborative learning events rather than a traditional lecture style lesson, some learners may struggle to construct their own meaning from course content, and may struggle with the concept of viewing their fellow learners as their teacher also because of the open sharing of resources, knowledge, reflections on experiences and through receiving constructive feedback from fellow learners.

The role of moderator may undermine that of facilitator in that the level of interaction by the course coordinator may encroach upon or impede the ability of the learner group to form an online community in the broadest sense of the term, one that may operate beyond the confines of a course etcetera.
These are my reflections on my learning to date…… and may well cause me to cringe at my lack of understanding at a later date! Who knows:) Regardless your feedback will always be appreciated.