Title: The Ultimate Educator: Achieving Maximum Adult Learning Through
Training and Instruction, Chapter 1. The Many Roles and Responsibilities of the
Ultimate Educator 
Series: National Victim Assistance Academy Advanced Topic Series
Authors/Editors: Christine Edmunds, Kip Lowe, Morna Murray, Anne
Seymour for the National Victim Assistance Academy. Sponsored by the U.S.
Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime, National Victim Assistance
Academy; in conjunction with Victims' Assistance Legal Organization
(VALOR), California State University-Fresno, National Crime Victims'
Research and Treatment Center at the Medical University of South Carolina,
University of New Haven, and Washburn University
Published: June 2002
Subject: Victim assistance training and leadership
5 pages
12,288 bytes
 
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Table of Contents

Chapter 1. The Many Roles and Responsibilities of the Ultimate Educator

o Introduction
o The Ultimate Educator
o Roles and Responsibilities
o It's Magic Time!

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This project was supported by Grant Number 95-MU-GX-K002(S-5)
awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S.
Department of Justice. The Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice
Programs coordinates the activities of the following program offices and
bureaus: Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National
Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and
the Office for Victims of Crime. Points of view in this document are those of
the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the
U.S. Department of Justice.

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Chapter 1. The Many Roles and Responsibilities of the Ultimate Educator

Introduction

Many of you have had the pleasure of learning new information or a new skill
under the guidance of a skilled teacher, changing your behavior assisted by a
skilled therapist, or acquiring new knowledge aided by a skilled trainer. You
remember with fondness and admiration that sixth grade teacher, for example,
and wonder how he or she worked magic. You have written on evaluations,
"outstanding instructor, best training session I have ever attended, I learned a
lot!" What was it about these "magicians" that made those situations such rich
and rewarding learning experiences?

Behind every learning opportunity there was an ultimate educator: an individual
who helped you explore ideas and feelings, assess and analyze, and develop
and implement new ways of thinking and behaving. Certainly there was
something "special" about these gifted individuals, and yet underneath all that
magic, there was keen understanding and some readily identifiable skills that
made it all work.

What makes this course different from other "how to train" courses? The
difference is subtle but powerful; a difference that gains clarity and importance
as you progress through the course. Most "how to train" courses focus on the
content of training, the "basics," such as adult learning principles, lesson plan
development, training design, training tools, and evaluation--all important and
essential elements of a trainer development course. Participants in these courses
limit their attention to the "tangible" components (the what) of training. They
learn how to develop, organize, deliver, and evaluate training with a few
presentation tips and strategies. When participants apply their new knowledge
and skills back in the "real world," they feel somewhat more competent and
may improve their overall rating, but they may still look back to that magical
instructor and ask themselves why, when they seemingly applied the same
principles and techniques, it just was not as effective (or as enjoyable!).

An effective trainer development course must also explore the process--the
how to of training. What does the instructor do to ensure that session
participants successfully meet learning objectives? How does the instructor
perform the magic of training?

This manual and the accompanying training program define the multifaceted role
of the "magician" and look behind the smoke and mirrors to uncover the
magician's secrets. You will explore and manipulate principles that underlie all
quality "magic shows." You will learn and practice skills to add to your trick
bag and use the magic of this manual to transform yourself into the ultimate
educator.


The Ultimate Educator

Whether the environment is an academic classroom or training venue, the goal
is the same: maximum adult learning. With the focus of this course being the
identification of principles and skills that contribute to maximum adult learning,
the individual who performs the "magic" is the ultimate educator. 

The ultimate educator is a cross between a teacher and trainer. Employing a
combination of academic approaches and training skill-building strategies, the
ultimate educator creates a rich learning environment. The skills are universal
and cross all learning boundaries and content areas. 

Throughout the manual certain terms are interchangeable--training, trainer,
education, educator, instruction, instructor. This is a reflection of the vision of
the ultimate educator and the "magic" of learning. Teachers and trainers, new or
seasoned, can benefit from the principles and skills identified in this manual.

Roles and Responsibilities

The traditional perception of the instructor as a presenter of information is far
too simple. Within individual segments and across an entire course, the ultimate
educator wears many hats. The ultimate educator is a coordinator, facilitator,
presenter, and designer/developer.

The roles and responsibilities change with the type of training conducted by the
ultimate educator. The training program may be a one-hour stand-alone session
or a week-long academy; each dictates different and often unique
responsibilities for the instructor. You may be called upon to develop training,
coordinate a multiday workshop, deliver a single segment, participate in a panel
discussion with people you have never met before, or facilitate a group process.
While not all responsibilities will be required in all situations, these are some of
the critical responsibilities of the educator.

THE COORDINATOR

Man stand for long time with mouth open before roast duck fly in. --Chinese
Proverb

Just as much of the design work of training takes place before the trainer takes
the stage, much coordination takes place behind the scenes. The ultimate
educator must be skilled in the coordination of training.

Often you find that in addition to delivering courses, you are required to
perform management tasks related to coordination or training. While there is
usually not much glory in these responsibilities, they are critical; without
successful coordination, the session cannot take place.
          
Chapter 2, Ultimate Coordination, addresses coordination topics such as
logistics, scheduling, publicity, room setup, budget, special needs, trouble
shooting, and climate control.

THE FACILITATOR

They are able because they think they are able. --Virgil, Aeneid

Learning objectives tell you where you need to go. Training design is the map;
presentation, the vehicle; facilitation, the fuel. Effective facilitation skills help
guarantee that learning takes place. The ultimate educator is a master facilitator.

Chapter 5, Ultimate Facilitation, covers facilitation topics such as responsive
behaviors, motivation, commitment, body language, cooperation, group
dynamics, activities monitoring, knowledge solicitation, and handling problem
participants.

THE PRESENTER

The secret of teaching is to appear to have known all your life what you learned
this afternoon. --Unknown

The traditional role of instructor as presenter has received the bulk of attention
in training-for-trainer courses and is the most visible role in the training session.
One may adequately fill other instructor roles, but an outstanding instructor is
always an outstanding presenter. Therefore, the ultimate educator is a skilled
presenter. 

Chapter 6, Ultimate Presentation, de-mystifies the art of presentation. You will
learn about organization, hooks, aids, challenges, styles, roles, and how to
handle questions and answers.

THE DESIGNER/DEVELOPER

"Can you tell me please which way I ought to go from here?" said Alice.
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.
"I don't much care where," said Alice
"Then it doesn't matter which way you walk," said the Cat. -- Lewis Carroll
(1886) 

Much of the work of training takes place before the trainer takes the stage. The
ultimate educator must be knowledgeable about and skilled in the design and
development of training programs. 

Once you have established a need for training, it's time to determine what you
intend to teach and what the participant must do to demonstrate that he or she
has mastered or learned the objectives of the course. After writing specific
performance objectives, the ultimate educator then selects the methods,
techniques, and materials that will ensure successful training. Chapter 7,
Ultimate Lesson Development and Design, explores these components of
training programs.

It's Magic Time!

The manual and the accompanying training program cover additional topics
essential for the development of ultimate educators. Chapter 3, Ultimate Adult
Learning, provides the foundation for ultimate training and creating the ultimate
learning environment. Chapter 4, Ultimate Style and Skill, explores the
characteristics of successful instructors and provides an opportunity to assess
your own personal style. And last, Chapter 8, Ultimate Closing and Evaluation,
discusses the importance of effective training closure and evaluation.

Are you ready? It's magic time!