ABSTRACT
Teaching has been an important profession since ancient times. However, along with the evolution of social structures, surrounding environments, and the needs of the particular curricula, the perception of the role of Higher Education (HE) teachers has changed. This chapter critically examines three models of teachers found in higher education settings: Guru-Shishya model, Lecturer-in-a-College model, and Managers-of-Learning model. Regardless of the model employed, in teaching and learning, a teacher is expected to act as a facilitator for learners’ academic and personal growth. They need to help learners develop skills and subject knowledge, and to direct them towards achieving their goals. With this background, the chapter discusses the evolution of the teaching-learning profession through the present day and relates the changing exigencies of the present situation of Higher Education to the basic role teachers need to play within a given matrix.
