Teacher, Facilitator, Moderator

I have researched these three roles in education and decided to collate a list of tasks for each role.

A Teacher:

• Imparts knowledge or a skill though instruction
• Educates others
• Teaches to a curriculum or lesson plan
• Work under a code of ethics
• Tells, feeds, lectures, disseminates
• Gives lessons in a subject
• A teacher is focused on themselves and their ability to impart knowledge
• The traditional teacher approach leaves little room for inquiry based learning

A Facilitator:

• Guides the process of learning new information
• Leadership - Manages the process of information exchange
• Supports HOW the discussion or knowledge exchange is proceeding
• Addresses the journey rather than the destination
• Uses time and space intentionally
• Encourages participation and creativity
• Is objective at all times
• reads underlying group dynamics
• adapts to a changing situation
• maintains personal integrity

Characteristics of a facilitator:

• ask rather than tell
• initiates conversation rather than waiting for someone else to
• Listens without interruption
• Task orientated
• Asks for others opinions rather than giving own
• negotiates - doe not dictate decision making
• shows self confidence
• Enthusiastic
• More outgoing than serious
• A coach not a scientist
• Curious about people, things and life in general
• Can keep the big picture in mind while working on the details

A Moderator: (this role confuses me a little)

• Keep respondents on target - make sure things are the way they should be
• move through the discussion outline effectively
• seek the answers to specific questions
• Believes the group has valuable wisdom, experience or background
• Use various techniques to get the richest data possible e.g. story telling, collage building, visualisation.
• Has a good understanding about the groups objectives
• explains ground rules, introduces speakers
• screens questions as they arise and selects questions to which speakers will respond
• improves flow of chat
• A guide on the side
  

I look at the above lists and realise that in my current tutor role, I have to be all of these at some time through a learning session. They are linked. You need to understand what role you are in at that time to be sure to get the outcome you want. When I was training to be a teacher, I was taught that I facilitated learning. I work with unit standards and as a moderator in New Zealand, you check assessment validity and fairness. This is different the above moderator role. I see a facilitator supporting a group to understand their common objectives and assisting them to plan to achieve them without taking a particular position in the discussion. I liked the definition of, ''supporting everyone to do their best thinking' (wikipedia) I see a facilitator as a catalyst to leaning.