Program staff who are used to the traditional role of “teacher”, instructor” or “tutor” are often uncomfortable withholding information as they watch students struggle with goal-setting, problem-solving and reflection. In these learner-driven formats the instructor acts more as a facilitator than information provider. Therefore, facilitators and tutors need to focus their attention on questioning student logic and beliefs, providing hints to correct erroneous student reasoning, providing resources for student research, and keeping students on task. Because this role will be foreign to some teachers, they may have trouble breaking out of their past habits.

We have provided some training content suggestions and tools in the Toolkit section of this report.

Once teachers relinquish the lecturer's role, they are forced to develop and enhance their repertoire of teaching responses: listening to students; answering questions; helping students frame good questions; formulate problems, and make effective decisions; directing students to appropriate resource materials/faculty; and being fellow learners.

(Farnsworth, 1994)