Questions to Questions
clipped from wikieducator.org
Many people either don’t understand the differences, or too easily confuse the different roles of a facilitator, moderator and teacher. Some teachers believe that teaching is an act of facilitation. Some facilitators see their main role as moderating discussion and keeping order. Over these two weeks we will consider the differences in these three roles and attempt to describe situations where they might be mutually exclusive from one another.
Before reading, even before thinking.
When does the act of teaching compromise the role of a facilitator of an online community?
If a facilitator just explains, shows, demonstrates.
When does the act of moderating online discussion compromise the role of a facilitator of an online community?
If a facilitator interferes in a participant’s contribution without providing a meaning for this interference.
When does the act of facilitation compromise the role of a teacher or moderator in an online community?
A feature I think both teachers and moderators have in common is the power to set limits. Does a facilitator limit participants in any way?
When are these three roles appropriate in an online community?
Is it apropriate/desirable/useful/essential for the same person to assume these three roles? Or is it just the opposite?
Technorati Tags: FOC08 facilitation online_communities
