Adam's post "An end to meaningless jobs" raises some very practical issues around the future job design of educators. Adam cites Rotman (2013), who suggested there may be a future workforce with higher productivity, but lower job prospects. Having taught for 30 years in secondary schools and tertiary institutions, I guess I could say I am in the twilight of my career. And, although I intend to teach for quite a few years to come, I recognise that I won't be as affected by future developments (long-term) in the same way as younger educators. The uncertainty of the future workforce is not restricted to the education field; I know through my own children (all in the 20's), the workforce of the future is not as predictable and concrete as it has been for past generations. However, young teachers like Adam, do face a future that is vastly different to any change faced during my teaching years. By the very fact that Adam is involved in this program, demonstrates that Adam is facing this prospect head on, not only in relation to his own development as a teacher, but in the way Adam feels compelled to "to prepare students for a future economy that no one is able to predict accurately". One point that Adam makes is that fewer educators may be needed to teach larger numbers of students. Perhaps though, what will also change, is the job design of the educator. Already, the trend is to see online educators as facilitators. What else could they do? What other roles could they perform? Will education need more course designers? Online mentors? Forum Coordinators? Activity analysts? What about Brigitte's job as an educational designer? We don't have that specific job role at our institution, but since becoming aware of that role, I definitely see the value of a role such as that. I guess I'm trying to be as optimistic as I can be; there is one thing we can always depend on- and that is - Change! The role of the educator will change with the rise of networked learning, but the nature of the assistance needed to successfully facilitate learning may be more complex. This can be seen as an opportunity, rather than a threat. References An end to meaningless jobs. (2016). Adam does NGL. Retrieved from https://adamngl.wordpress.com/2016/08/24/an-end-to-meaningless-jobs/ Echo chamber for your own predication. (2016). Bee Learning Blog. Retrieved from https://beelearningblog.wordpress.com/2016/08/21/echo-chamber-for- your-own-predilections/
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