Online learning is the best thing since the Graphite Shaft Driver. A much better adaptation than correspondence courses, online learning enables the learners to take the information and construct their learning. The collaborative efforts resulting from discussion forums, wiki’s, and blogs help the students to create a learning network. The benefits are enormous. Why then, do I have a twinge of insecurity about the process?
As I was paging through multiple blogs in search of the perfect discussion topic I came upon a treasure. Jeff Cobb writes a blog called Mission To Learn . Listed on his sidebar is a free e-book that he has written called “Learning 2.0“.
Learning 2.0 is a 100 page quick-read document that clearly describes the paradigm shift that is taking place within the Web 2.0 friendly classroom. The traditional classroom setting was teacher centric. The teacher was the expert with all of the knowledge and the student was the passive recipient. There was always some sort of institution behind the teacher providing additional authority. In the new paradigm, the expert model completely breaks down. The geographical constraints are removed and culture becomes learner-centric. Collaboration is used to make connections. Jeff Cobb writes “One of the key characteristics of the Learning 2.0 environment is the ease and speed with which these connections can be formed. And, as they form, one of the effects is that the teacher’s role as authoritative, dominant conduit of knowledge weakens. Learners themselves begin to drive many—and, in some cases, all—aspects of the learning experience, including the creation, co-creation, and sharing of key knowledge. Everyone is a learner, but everyone also has the potential to be a teacher.”.
How will teachers choose to deal with the paradigm shift? Will the insecurities caused by the loss of authority become fuel for a shift in roles?
The ultimate job of a teacher is to raise the students up to a level that they could not get alone.
