Teaching Styles and the WWW

Teaching Styles Cluster 3

Summary

The blend of Facilitator, Personal Model, and Expert in this cluster provides a good match to students who have more Collaborative, Participant, and Independent styles as learners. In addition to possessing or being willing to acquire appropriate content, students also need to be willing to take initiative and to accept responsibility for meeting the demands of various learning tasks. Teachers must exercise some control over the processes used in order to facilitate learning. But they should be less interested in controlling the specific details of the content student acquire. Some of what students will learn about the material in this mode of teaching cannot be programmed in advance. Similarly, there should be more interest in developing and practicing other skills (e.g., ability to work with others) and a broader range of content related skills (e.g., critical and creative thinking). Developing and maintaining a professionally friendly and warm relationship with students is helpful.

A Summary of the Model's Requirement

General Classroom Methods

Collaborative learning and other student-centered learning processes consistently emphasized in a course.

Degree of Sensitivity to Learning Styles that Teacher Needs

(Moderate-High) Teacher often consults with students, processes the outcomes of group work, and suggests alternative approaches to handling issues. Collaborative, Participant, and Independent styles work best and teacher must be able to encourage their expression.

Capability of Students to Handle Course Demands

(Moderate) Need adequate levels of knowledge, initiative, and a willingness to accept responsibility for learning. Students must have enough emotional maturity and motivation to work with others on tasks.

Control of Classroom Tasks

(Low-Moderate) Teacher to get tasks going and then turns the processes of running them over to students. Even when the teacher is more center stage (e.g., when processing a group task or case study), emphasis is on listening to student ideas, facilitating a discussion, and clarifying ideas.

Willingness of Teacher to Build/Maintain Relationships

(Moderate-High) Good relationships facilitate the teacher's role as a consultant and make students more willing to share their ideas.

This text is quoted from Anthony Grasha, Teaching with Style (Pittsburgh, PA: Alliance Publishers, 1996), pp.149-205.
Used with author's permission

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