phaedrus » Blog Archive » Role of Teacher
Is it the teacher’s role to create knowledge or to organize knowledge?
I know that Dr. Lowell will state that I am riding the fence on this question but in my honest opinion, I feel a teacher’s duty is to do both! As educators, we have a limited amount of time to impart knowledge (based on a particular subject area) and it is imperative that we organize that knowledge to ensure we successfully cover the main ideas of that particular subject. But as educators, it is also important that we create knowledge in those same areas that we have organized. There is no way that a student can know all the information that they need to know about a subject in a semester/school year but if we can create a knowledge base and inspire the students about the subject, not to meniton show them tools they can use to conduct future reseach regarding the subject, then the student becomes a life long learner about that subject and can enhance their own knowledge based on the way in which the teacher organized and created knowledge!
This is a wonderful concept, but once again, it is much easier said then done! On many occassions, lack of time does not allow for both (organization and creation of knowledge) within the classroom environment. I find in my classroom, that I usually create knowledge but it is not always organized! 
October 3, 2007 at 4:37 pm
Don’t feel too bad, I rode the fence too. I agree that students do not know everything they are expected to know and it must be created for them. In those creations, we must organize the informatin in a way that is the most beneficial and effective for students. Big tasks for one individual to accomplish. Factors like a lack of time become obstacles to overcome.