Creating a Classroom Culture

I find that the authority my students think I possess as an instructor is very rarely the kind of authority I want—grade-giver, task master, expert reviewer. Using alternative forms of grading like holistic scoring, encouraging students to design their own process-oriented activities, and complicating the “rightness” of my perspective deploys power differently, but it doesn’t feel like a sufficient attempt to create a learning community. While acknowledging that assigning a final grade is an act of power that only I can do institutionally, I try to build a complementary authority based on the ethics of community. In a wireless environment where technology often garners the most power (i.e., if it doesn’t work, no one works, and, if it does work, its working is most visible), a sense of community is vital.

• The Authority of Thoughtful Planning
• The Authority of Talking in a Shared Language
• The Authority of Knocking on the Front Door

Recommended Reading:
In her article “Postmodern Possibilities in Electronic Conversations,” Marilyn Cooper explores an instructor’s role, power, and authority; students’ roles; and ethical responsibilities. Her exploration is much like the ways I’m trying to approach these issues: Power isn’t a possession, but rather is structured by what people do to and with each other. I’m examining the actions of instructors and the range of actions that are possible—desirable—in response.