Facilitation skills follow up

The training today went well. I tried to be aware of the three facilitation skills mentioned in the book. I consciously tried to wait five seconds for a response but I didn't really have to wait long except when I asked for volunteers. I had a great group today that were very responsive. I also tried to be aware of how I reacted to each response and "affirm all voices". I believe I've always done this. It seems like to natural thing to acknowledge the particpant by eye contact and body langugage. I also tried to use weaving by referring to the information we had covered earlier. I'm happy to report I had all "5"s on the evaluations by the participants. The evaluations ask six questions which are rated on a scale of one to five: I learned a lot in this session; the things I learned in this session will help me do my job better; the material in this session was presented in an interesting way; the exercises in this session helped me to better understand important concepts; the trainer was well prepared; and the trainer seemed knowledgeable about this topic.

Facilitation skills

Norris suggests that there are three facilitation skills necessary to keep the dialogue in a learner centered dialogue approach going. These are described as: waiting five seconds for a response; affirming all voices; and “weaving.
The author believes that after asking open questions it is necessary to wait an appropriate amount of time which she has determined to be five seconds. She suggests making eye contact with the room and even describes scanning the room with an “M” shape. Norris also advises to let the room know you are going to wait.
The second facilitation skill is further defined as being verbal as you listen. Respond with acknowledgements such as “I see” and “yes”. Thank your participant and tell them why you think what they’ve said is important.
Finally, “weaving” is a necessary skill in order to add cohesion. This can be done by verbally reviewing what has been said and what is to come. Weaving can also be used to tie things together.
Tomorrow I’m doing my part in our new hire training program. I will keep these ideas in mind and report back on how I have or haven’t used these skills. Does anyone have an example or comments on these or other facilitation skills?

Revisiting Learner centered concept

Wednesday I took my residents to a program at the National Gallery of Art that is held once a month. The program is designed for the visually-impaired and is called a descriptive art tour. I've been several times but as I left the other day the light bulb went off and I thought - now, that is what I call learner centered. In From Telling to Teaching, Norris states a learner centered approach is, "a balance of meeting your learners' needs while also providing important information to learners in a format that is focused on them, energized by them and made personal by them." How do you meet the needs of the blind when teaching them about specific paintings in a gallery that they can't see or can't see very well? The paintings are carefully selected. One of the works was one of the large cut outs by Matisse with large, colorful shapes (done when he was struggling with his own disabilities). Others have been large with large images and a great deal of contrast. The real beauty of the program is that way words are used to describe the visual in an interesting way. A dialogue approach (another important focus of the book) is also used so that the facilitator is describing what the image looks like but asking open questions. For example, the position of the arms or hands is described and then the learners are asked what that position may signify. The learner's needs are met by providing them the information they cannot see and their own interpretations are incorporated into the discussion. This program inspires me to think of other creative ways that individual's with special needs can be engaged and energized in a learning environment.

Multiple Intelligence Bingo

This is a little activity listed in the book in connection with chapter three which talks about activating prior learning. The author believes that new information needs to be connected to prior knowledge. She suggests that some of the icebreakers trainers use in their sessions are more beneficial when linked to something related to the topic. One of the topics she teaches is called multiple intelligences which is related to the different ways individuals can be considered "smart". Multiple intelligence bingo is conducted using a board like a bingo board except each square lists qualities or unique skills different people may have. For example: can easily sing the harmony or melody, knows how to get back to locations without a map, easily remembers song lyrics. The game is played by finding people who match the descriptions in the bingo squares in order to achieve bingo. The objective is to have the participants engage in learning how the other participants are smart and this then sets the stage for learning about the topic.
When I went through training at the National Institutes of Health, a similar activity was used as an icebreaker (I don't remember it being tied to the topic). It has always stuck with me as a fun way to get members of a group to know each other. The added component of connecting the questions within the squares to the topic makes the activity more beneficial. I can envision being able to make up questions that could relate to any topic in a class or a training session. Can anyone come up with some questions or ideas related to this activity that would connect the activity to the topic they cover?

Learning Needs Resource Assessment

The author discusses what is meant by "learner-centered". In the beginning stages of instruction design she starts from the point of decidiing how to meet learners' needs while also providing valuable information. This differs from a teacher-centered concept which begins by asking the question, "what do I need to teach". She suggests using a learning needs resource assessment.
The author suggests sending questions prior to the course via email or conducing an interview by telephone. She provides some sample questions she used for a group she was teaching for a training design process:
1. What is your official role in this project?
2. What previous experience have you had designing and/or facilitating training programs?
3. What strenghts will you be bringing to this program?
4. What do you believe will be the most helpful to you as you try to improve your designing skills?
These types of questions are helpful to me as I plan my final project for EDAE692. Because I am designing educational programs for seniors specifically living in residential communities the questions would be geared more toward their personal desire to learn and what they hope to gain by learning.
Do you use similar strategies when in the planning stages of teaching/training. Please use examples that illustrate "learner-centered" design.

Key Discussion Point

"The word 'dialogue' means 'words between us.' The word 'facilitate' means 'to make easy'. Your role as facilitator is to make those words between easy (43).
Do you agree with the author that this your role as a facilitator? How can a facilitator create an atmosphere that encourages a dialogue rather than a monologue? Provide an example of how you have encouraged dialogue in a learning environment either through the course design, environment of the room or communication between you and your learners or provide an example of training you have received which does the same.

Analysis

Norris’s book From Telling to Teaching is directed toward facilitators who provide internal corporate training, workshops and seminars. As an employee of a corporation that requires a substantial amount of mandatory training, I found this to be an interesting read that offers a variety of insights into this area of adult education. The suggestions offered within the book can lead to a few simple improvements in the content delivery of training sessions.

The underlying theme, the learner has as much to offer as the instructor, is a significant point to consider in the world of adult education. Adult learners can potentially bring a wealth of information to the learning environment. It is the role of the facilitator to create an atmosphere which will allow information to be exchanged.

Creating this environment begins at the door. Norris states that this begins with an inviting, engaging and safe atmosphere. The author provides the specifics for establishing this type of environment. This is done through both the aesthetics of the room and communication. Facilitators need to consider various learning modalities: visual; auditory and kinesthetic and reach learners in a variety of ways understanding that each learner has his or her own learning preference.

A substantial part of the concepts behind the book deals with dialogue. This is established at the moment the learner walks though the door and the game rules are expressed to the learner which conveys a sense of safety. The learning environment is designed to facilitate partnerships between facilitator and between learners. Exercises are designed to allow participants a chance to communicate with one other person before asking them to speak in front of a large group.

The author concludes the book with step-by-step instructions for designing the course. She suggests that three or four open questions be formulated at this stage. A who, why, where and when format is suggested as an aid to developing the details of the course. Who is your audience? Why do they need the information? When will the class meet and how much time will be needed? Where will the class meet? These questions are necessary in order to incorporate the suggestions for an engaging learning environment. Additionally, the book recommends a storyboard to layout the content of the course.

I was inspired to rethink the methods I use when I conduct trainings. The informal and upbeat style reflects the philosophy she is espousing in the book. She draws the reader into the setting of the class and asks us to consider what we already know and connect it with what she has learned through her own experience.