From: Eugene Matusov
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Date: 29 Oct 1996
Time: 21:44:47
Hi Jess--
You wrote, "The classroom was still controled by the teacher. The teacher had the first and last word on when and what we talked about. the students were encouraged to help, disscuss, and think for themselves, but the Teacher was clearly in control, thus the class was not owned equally by the students."
It sounds like that you consider collaboration as symmetry in the teacher-students role. Is it right? If so, I may disagree with you. I think that that collaboration is not based on equality or symmetry in roles but on sharing of responsibility and mutual engagement in guidance and activity. I believe that the teacher has special role that is different from students' one that produces assymetry and unequality in responsibility and control. What do you think?
Eugene