New roles for the instructor and students

Traditionally, the instructor h the only one who is responsible for teaching and learning. The instructor is the one who decide the content of the course, what should students learn, how they should learn it, and how to assess what they learned. The instructor is the one who search for the materials for the class, links, videos, texts, .... why?! why the instructor is the only one who is responsible for the above tasks. why students do not take part in that! Adult students, especially doctoral students, are capable learners. They can decide for themselves what they want to learn. They can search for learning materials (texts, resources, video, ...) for themselves. They can do that.

Teachers, by definition,  have more knowledge and experience in respect of the discipline more than the students. But students, adult students also have knowledge and experiences. they do not join the program empty mind, they have knowledge. Especially, when we talk about technology field, some times students know more knowledge and have more experience with the technology.

I am not saying that the instructor role is not important, and adult students did not need the instructor any more. I am saying why not change the role of the instructor and the student, change the role of the instructor from the only owner of knowledge and the sole decision maker to the role of a facilitator who guides students to achieve their needs, or discover their needs, and change the role of the student from receiver of the knowledge to knowledge builder. In other words, the instructor should create the learning space for students to make their own knowledge with his/her facilitation, guide, but without too much involve in that guide. It will take more time and efforts from students, but if it is about the student learning, then the students should work more than the instructor.