I was going through my Bloglines feeds and literally stumbled upon a post from Leigh Blackall that I had saved last September. It seems that Leight invited George Siemens to provide a 10-minute lecture to on online class. The topic was curatorial teaching – that is the teacher as curator, rather than sage on the stage or guide on the side.
George’s initial presentation defined all three stances and talked in detail about the curator, the focus of the role, and the need for a balanced relationship between sage and guide. Below I have attempted to visualize this dynamic. If I had kept up my Flash skills, you would see the Curator moving back and forth along the continuum to meet students’ needs.
This concept is vital to new pedagogies that better meet the needs of our students. They don’t need someone lecturing to them; they don’t need an instructor who is completely hands-off. They need someone to direct their learning, to organize and assist them in becoming vital 21st Century citizens.
So, get a cup of cocoa, something to write on and with, and sit back for a great time.
Filed under: Teaching
