In this video, Gilly Salmon describes the role of the discussion e-moderator as a “sherpa” assisting learners in climbing a mountain. The Carpe Diem Mooc process includes small groups in discussion working on a collaborative online course activity.
My group, the Seahorses, chose “gamification” as a topic. I’m not sure where the e-moderator came from, but she is not “hands off”. She assists with questions that help the learners decide how best to collaborate.
PSA sees the Social Learning Construct (SLC) as a core concept for effective learning, learners helping each other learn. We have a long list of words to describe the role of a “facilitator” in learning. Sherpa is a new word for our list.
Like what she said about Sherpa:
“Someone to walk alongside them, to help them with understanding the environment, to make sure they are successful in their learning achievements.”
And there’s many additional “functions” for Sherpa-ish roles, as she goes on to describe….but there are many others including just having someone caring/ observing like a parent does, and thereby giving emotional support. I think Sherpas were cheerful, and positive in attitude no matter how tough the climb was going at the moment… so that’s a plus too.
The big take away here for me is that one can gather up, or curate, a whole zoo of role models that can explain or show at least a good part of what “goes on” in a SLC, and what the former “teacher role” might, in a much more holistic approach, look like for DLE online.