RESOURCE: Teachers or Facilitators? 10 Reasons Why Educators Should Step Out of the Way and Encourage Independent Learning
What is the first thing that comes to mind when someone uses the word, “facilitator”? Perhaps you think of words like planner, coordinator, promoter, developer, or designer. All of these definitions lead us to think of a facilitator as someone who sets up, designs, and oversees an environment that is conducive to the goal at hand but they are not at the center of the scene.
Now what is the first thing that comes to mind when someone uses the word, “teacher”? Words like coach, disciplinarian, faculty, instructor, lecturer, and trainer come to mind. All of these associations make the word “teacher” feel like a central part of the environment and the goal.
Written by Brian S McGowan, PhD
Dr. McGowan has served in leadership positions in numerous medical educational organizations and commercial supporters and is a Fellow of the Alliance (FACEhp). He founded the Outcomes Standardization Project, launched and hosted the Alliance Podcast, and most recently launched and hosts the JCEHP Emerging Best Practices in CPD podcast. In 2012 he Co-Founded ArcheMedX, Inc, a healthcare informatics and e-learning company to apply his research in practice.
