Dear Colleagues,
Edryce Reynolds raises an interesting issue when she writes that the
primary responsibility of the professor is teaching. This is so in
some cases, but it is worth stating that there are different models
of professorship. These differ by type of institution, by culture,
within cultures and societies.
There are also different kinds of teaching. There are lecturing,
dialogue teaching, coaching, mentoring, modelling, working through
and with a team of colleagues and teaching assistants.
The twin responsibility of research AND teaching is what
distinguishes the university professor from other kinds of teachers.
One of the responsibilities of the professorate is to generate new
knowledge and to promulgate it. This is also what the "profess" in
professor means. The peculiar demands of research -- including time
demands -- set limits on teaching as a primary responsibility. In
some societies and models, professors have defined roles of academic
leadership and knowledge management within the university that
constitute forms of knowledge creation and teaching for audiences
other than a specific group of students. To some degree, the German
model, like the British model, traditionally involves such roles.
This creates challenges and opportunities, as well as leading to
problems and weaknesses.
Cybercollegially,
--
Ken Friedman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Leadership and Strategic Design
Department of Technology and Knowledge Management
Norwegian School of Management
Visiting Professor
Advanced Research Institute
School of Art and Design
Staffordshire University