Can a student be expected to be responsible for his own learning?

In the last post, I discussed my experience with the executive approach to teaching.  It is an easy style to define and traditionally the style used in most classrooms. Is there a different approach to teaching?  What would a classroom be like if there was not an authority figure standing in front of the chalkboard and teaching from a textbook?  Would the students still learn? Would they be able to develop to their full potential and function in society?  I think that some teachers are starting to explore the possibility of a different, not necessarily better, approach to teaching called the facilitator approach. 

A facilitator teacher focuses less on the methods of teaching a topic or on the actual factual knowledge absorbed by the student.  Instead the facilitator approach proposes to engage the mind of the individual – to make each student aware of his own potential. I can think of many times during my high school career where this type of “teaching” would have opened my mind and allowed me to explore beyond the text book. It would have put the responsibility for learning on my shoulders and required me to be inquisitive and thoughtful.  The facilitator approach also has some drawbacks.  It is difficult to determine if the student is actually gaining knowledge. It downplays the importance of grasping key concepts and core subjects are often taught selectively.  This can be a disservice to students that want to continue further in their education and are seeking the acknowledgement from the academic world that they are capable of higher learning. Without the test scores to prove they are ready and able to tackle the more difficult curriculums after high school, they will find it hard to be accepted into the university.

There are parts of the facilitator approach that have great appeal. I value the opportunity for students to be autonomous in their learning. However, I think that this style is not practical for an entire curriculum of study.  It should be a compliment to other teaching styles and careful thought put into the correct and appropriate forum.  Students should have some accountability for the information they are supposed to be learning. Many core subject areas need more structure in order for the students to be prepared to compete in a global world. But teaching students the value of thinking for themselves and self-discovery is just as important.