How technology changes the instructors' role in Saudi Arabia By Uthman T. Alturki Teachers' college King Saud University 2007 Abstract: Nowadays the educational system faces an enormous amount of information and deals with many kinds of new technologies. In fact, the complexity of the real world leads to the increased complexity of knowledge. Therefore, learning by using traditional methods is sometimes difficult or unsuccessful. Since older learning methods are incapable either of providing students with the ability to construct meaningful learning or to improve student achievement and their transfer skills, some researchers suggest the need of shifting to new paradigms. As we move from behaviorism throughout cogntevism to constructivism, the role of instructor and learners has been changed dramatically and technology facilitates the shift so easily. In this paper, the researcher focused on the new instructors' roles, as a facilitator rather than lecturer, in Saudi Arabia. Introduction Over the past eighty years or so, some theorists have rejected the notion of giving educators the absolute authority in the classroom, transmitting knowledge to students "who do not know. Meanwhile, they support the idea of more democratic, student-centered approach, in which the teacher facilitates communicative educational activities with students. In recent years, there has been a major shift in the teachers roles in Saudi classrooms. With better understanding of their learners' interests, skills and learning aims, Saudi teachers have begun to change from being transmitting knowledge mainly in teacher-centered classrooms, to facilitators of learning in more student-centered and participatory classes. By using Technology this shift in the teacher's role would be accelerated. The researcher goal in this paper is to stress the CHANGE, of teaching in Saudi Arabia, from the teacher lecturer model into the teacher facilitator model. These changes lead to a shift of the instructors' role of the teacher and from a disseminator of information to a facilitator of learning especially in e learning classrooms. The new roles of instructors in Saudi Arabia There is no question that the role of the teacher is changing (T.H.E. Journal, 2000) the teacher is no longer the dispenser of information, with the increase access to resources on the Web. The underlying reasons for this pedagogic experience are to develop teaching materials making use of students s multiples intelligences and to give learners opportunities to work on creative writing through the production of stories.
This role was dynamic and changed throughout the course. At times the instructor was expected to be an expert, demonstrating mastery and experience with the material. At other times, the instructor was a facilitator, prompting discussion with well-timed and well-tuned comments. In online instruction, the students have technical, content, affective, and cognitive concerns and are at different levels to which they expect the instructor to respond. When integrating student experiences with technology, the role of the teacher changes. The teacher no longer has to be in charge, but can give some of the control over to the students and the technology. The task for the teacher is to arrange the learning environment in such a way as to provide situations in which students use their own knowledge to construct meaning of a particular problem. These principles suggest that learning environments should build on prior experience, promote active participation, use collaborative learning, and provide transferable, real applications (Lawler & King, 2000). They also underscore the need for the instructor to adopt flexible roles in response to the needs of adult learners. Discussion of the instructor s role in adult learning is guided by a constructivist perspective where adult learners create their own knowledge and which is learner-centered rather than instructor-centered (Palloff & Pratt, 2001). The online instructor s tasks translate to setting the scene, monitoring participation, facilitating critical thinking, and encouraging student collaboration. In online learning, the instructor becomes a member of a team; subsequently, the instructor no longer has total control of the learning environment. Students evaluate the online instructor as facilitator, model, planner, coach, and communicator. They describe how these roles are uniquely tuned in the online environment. Many authors offer metaphors to encompass the role of the instructor online. For example: Cantor (2001) labels the instructor as a helper, guide, change agent, coordinator, and facilitator. Rogers (2000) refers to a moderator or a mentor. Some studies expand this list to describe the online instructor as process facilitator, advisor-counselor, assessor, researcher, content facilitator, technologist, and designer. Finally other researchers rename instructors, e-moderators, and describe them as weavers, who pull together the participants contributions, by, for example, collecting up statements and relating them to concepts and theories from the course. They enable development of ideas through discussion and collaboration. This paper, will elaborate on the essential steps that instructors should follow in the classrooms: Plan The planner role speaks to organizational and technical skills of the instructor online. While organizing the course and making expectations clear at the beginning of the course are crucial, timely help throughout the duration of the course are equally important to the online learner. Helping students through technical glitches is part of the planner s role. The instructor must respond and accommodate these various levels of experience and comfort with the technology.
Model The most important role of the online instructor is to model effective teaching and accept "the responsibility of keeping discussions track, contributing special knowledge and insights. Some research called for the instructor to be a leader in modeling online behavior. Several called for the instructor to model reflection, and model being on top of things and organized. Another summed up the online instructor s role as an inspiring leader, [providing] day to day leadership, clear directions, and organizational structure. A key aspect of modeling is timeliness. Coach This third category of descriptors calls for the instructor to be a coach, encouraging individuals and creating a team of learners. This role recognized the affective repercussions of computermediated communication. As a coach, the instructor should, according to one student, challenge students, encourages critical thinking an try out new methodologies. S/he should motivate students to take initiative and responsibility for their learning. The instructor must foster an environment that keeps discussion going and weaves discussion threads, at the same time s/he provides support and catch up time to those who are struggling, which includes checking on quiet students. S/he must be aware of differences, and bring out diversity, not only of community, but of individuals. Facilitation As facilitator, the instructor should be both a guide and a learner. Instructors must be trained to facilitate student success and learning. It is important that student learn from each other, not just from the teacher. As an equal partner in learning, the instructor who becomes a learner and experiences the difficulties of learning online will be in a better position to help potential students in designing appropriate learning programs. The instructor must also operate democratically, and give everyone an opportunity to express opinion, respect opinion and ideas, and maintain open communication. The instructor needs to be collaborative because so much learning is done by sharing with students. There is no better way to make students a part of the learning experience than to share in their interests. Many researchers acknowledged the changing process or evolving nature of the instructors' role. It takes a lot of time for the teacher to create a climate of cooperation and understanding. The instructor is involved as a guide, steering the evolving group in a suitable direction. The teacher's job becomes one of facilitator in a constructivist model. Instead of telling students the answer, the teacher asks questions to help them discover the answer themselves. Communication The instructor should communicate before the class begins, foster communication and collaboration among classmates, and respond timely with critical feedback. The amount, timing,
content, and format of communication between instructor and students are of critical importance in teachers' new role. This sizable commitment of time implies the need for flexible and frequent skillful communication from the instructor. They must be ready to listen and respond to individual student needs and to create a suitable environment of comfortable communication in the classroom. Interaction Electronic technologies have increasingly changed the interaction between instructor and student. For most of the 20th century, distance education involved pen and paper, the typewriter, and the postal service, which provided the sole link between the individual instructor and the individual student. With the development of the radio and then television, it became possible to transmit educational courses, programs and content widely using these mass media distribution channels (Moore and Anderson, 2003). The development of the world-wide-web and satellite enables even broader access to university courses. Interaction is also a very important aspect of the role of the instructor in distance education, and one that changes in the online environment. Learning involves two types of interaction: interaction with content and interaction with other people. Technology available today allows interaction with and about the content. In the past, while this interpersonal interaction has occurred almost solely between instructor and student in distance education, it is increasingly possible for students to interact with one another, even when geographically separated. Members depend on each other to achieve the learning outcomes for the course. Without the support and participation of a learning community, there is no online course (Smith, 2005). When working in groups with technology resources: Set rules e.g. all group members should be asked their opinions before making changes on the computer. Encourage students to record what they have discussed as well as the decisions they make. Make clear what the plenary session at the end of the lesson will demand. A sample from a Saudi Arabian school The following procedures present a model lesson in Saudi Arabian classrooms Introducing a lesson: The teachers begin with a discussion using an element of a CD-Rom or website via a digital projector or an interactive whiteboard. Alternatively, a PowerPoint presentation with animations, graphics and sounds as well as word is a stimulating opening. During the lesson:
The teachers consider whether students cab be asked to prepare a presentation to deliver to classmates in a subsequent lesson. If students use part of a published program, this helps model the way they will work on the same piece of software on their own. Involving student in choosing answers from the front of the class adds interest ad motivation. Ending a lesson: The teachers end the lesson with a plenary, or view work carried out by members of the class. Talking through a worksheet displayed at the front might be a way of reinforcing the lesson content. General tips to succeed in your classroom as a facilitator: In order to make the teachers' job as a facilitator easier in the classroom s/he has to consider the following tips: - Make sure that the students know what they have to do sequential instruction will help. - If students are sharing the computer make sure the rules about taking turns and working together are well understood. - Make sure students know where to save their work. If working in pairs, save it where they can both find it.
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