For this week, one of the suggestions for the Write 6×6 blog was a reflection on how we have changed through the last five years. I have a slightly different approach to this reflection, quite by accident. I have taken the Kolb Educator Role Profile Survey every few years over this time period. I thought it would be interesting to reflect on the changes with you.
When I first started at GCC, I took the Kolb survey, and the results stated that I was 18% coach, 21% facilitator, 31% expert, and 30% evaluator. I was not surprised by my results because my work experiences before GCC were in a university setting with more research and publication expectations and a general expectation of lecture-style courses. I have always been a maverick, keeping a more learner-centered approach to my classes, but I can see the years of experience influencing those early scores.
The Kolb Educator Role Profile describes four role positions—Facilitator, Expert, Evaluator, and Coach. Educators take on these roles as they help learners maximize learning by moving through the four stages of the experiential learning cycle. In general, educators take on two roles over others because of their educational philosophy, personal teaching style, and setting expectations. As explained in the report I received:
Facilitators help learners in connecting with and reflecting on their personal experiences. Facilitators prioritize building personal relationships with learners and fostering an open and welcoming environment that stimulates intrinsic motivation and self-discovery. This role often involves leading small group discussions, nurturing learners’ interests, and encouraging self-understanding.
Experts help learners organize and connect their reflections to the knowledge base of the subject matter. They adopt an authoritative, reflective style. They often teach by example, modeling and encouraging critical thinking as they systematically organize and analyze the subject, encouraging critical thinking as they systematically dissect and analyze the subject matter. This knowledge is typically shared through lectures and texts, helping learners to understand and organize their thoughts.
Evaluators help learners help learners master the application of knowledge and skill to meet performance requirements. With an objective, results-oriented style, they outline the knowledge requisites for quality performance and design activities to measure learners’ understanding and skills.
Coaches help learners apply knowledge to achieve their personal goals. They adopt a collaborative, supportive, encouraging style, often working one-on-one with individuals to help them learn from experiences in their life context. They assist in creating personal development plans while providing constructive feedback on performance.
As an educator, I have dedicated myself to improving my teaching practices. Regular professional development and reading updates in my field are an important part of being the best educator I can be. So, when the opportunity arose to participate in the Reimagine Teaching and Learning program offered by the CTLE, I jumped at it. As a part of the Reimagine experience, I took the Kolb Educator Role Profile Survey in February 2020. My time in the Reimagine program clearly made a difference. My results changed; I was at 19% coach, 34% facilitator, 19% expert, and 28% evaluator. The influence of those high-impact practices also began to expose me to new insights as an educator.
Then came the pandemic. I adopted new practices and new approaches. I started actively checking in on the students, inviting them to share their emotional state. I started inviting the students to complete a weekly reflective journal that allowed me to provide a back-channel of support. I started using Peardeck, a slide deck skin that allows students to interact with the slides and provides formative assessment and feedback opportunities. I got rid of group and pair work to prevent the risk of germs. I adopted a microphone because amplified speech is easier to hear, especially when wearing a mask. I recorded and live-streamed all my lectures for the students who got COVID-19 but wanted to participate. Some of those practices I have kept. Others, including the microphone and the recordings, I have ditched. I have brought back group and pair work in my in-person classes. My classes have changed drastically in the last five years. So has my Kolb profile.
In April of 2022, I took the Kolb survey again. My results stated I was 28% coach, 19% facilitator, 19% expert, and 34% evaluator. I took the 2022 survey while re-taking the Reimagine experience and once again refreshed myself on high-impact teaching practices. When I took the survey one more time in 2024 for a research study, my results changed again. This time, I was 31% coach, 15% facilitator, 25% expert, and 28% evaluator.
The changes in the dominant education roles are a fascinating shift over time. I don’t know how much of the change has been connected to the Reimagine program, influenced by the supportive professional learning community I have been a part of, or related to the changes brought about by the pandemic and the alterations I had to make to my teaching. I do know that I am not done changing yet.