Facilitation skills
&
Group based learning
Learning objectives
• Explain what facilitation is and when it is required
– With particular reference to group learning activities
• Explain the difference between teaching, training
and facilitation
• Review examples of how not to facilitate group
learning
• Review key characteristics of successful
facilitation
• Identify appropriate facilitation techniques to be
applied in common circumstance
Teaching, training and facilitating
• What is the difference?
• A good trainer = a learning facilitator
– Trainees learn by doing
– Trainees can learn a great deal from each other AND the
trainer
• Particularly important depending on what it is that is
being learnt and how it is being approached
– KSA: knowledge, skills, attitudes
• Teachers tend to “deliver” information, experience
and wisdom
• Adult learning teachers should also be good trainers
• We should all aim to be good facilitators and trainers
What do we mean by facilitation?
• Successful facilitation is about enabling
learning
• A facilitator enables learning to take
place by setting up the environment,
structure and prompts for effective
learning
• They enable and facilitate the learning
process
When is facilitation required?
•
•
•
•
When learning from others is required
When sharing experiences and ideas
When there is no simple “right” answer
When working in groups
– Learning from groups, learning by doing = natural
learning process
– Learning appropriate solutions to challenges and
problems
– Ownership of solutions and answers = more likely
to be retained outside of the training activity
Video
• How to successfully facilitate group
discussions…?
• Questions to be considered as you
watch:
– What is being done well?
– What is being done badly?
Group work…
• Break into small groups as directed
• Read through the exercise hand out
• Discuss the element of the case study
allocated
• Agree your recommendations for the
appropriate facilitation characteristics
required
• Identify someone to feedback for your group
Successful facilitation
• Key characteristics of successful
facilitation
• Reference of key points
• More details included in:
– 2000 Tips for Trainers and Staff
Developers, Phil Race (2001)
Group work: preparing participants
• Help participants understand the benefits of
working in groups
• Think about the different ways of forming
groups
• Optimum group size and group dynamics
• Structure initial group work carefully
• Explain how groups can go wrong
• Ensure suitable group work space
Forming groups
• Dependent on the task, consider what
makes the best group?
• Provide clear instructions on forming
groups
– Random, skills based, geographical, like
minded, balanced, considerations outside
the task in hand
• Be prepared for “herding cats”!
Group size
• Different sizes for different tasks
– Pairs, couples, threes, fours+
• Need to consider:
– Time available
– Desired outcomes
– “Passenger” behaviour
Getting groups started
• Ensure ownership of the task
• Keep the beginning of the task short and simple
• Don’t rely on oral briefing only, use printed
briefing
• Visit the groups in turn and check “correct” start
• Clarify the task when asked
• Break tasks into manageable elements
• Try to control the amount of time groups spend
on successive stages of each task
Group learning = learning by doing
• Think of something that you know you do well
– How did you get to be good at it?
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Design learning by doing into group activities
Reading is not necessarily doing
Listening to experts is little to do with doing
Listening to each other has a lot to do with
group learning
• Allow time for sufficient practice
• Make it okay to get things wrong
Poor facilitation – interaction 1
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Ignoring non-participants
Allowing domineering people
Lack of preparation
Being too didactic or controlling
Poor interpersonal skills
Lack of cultural sensitivity
Poor facilitation – interaction 2
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Favouritism
Talking too much
Intimidating participants
Being intimidated by participants
Putting participants down
Failing to invite equal contributions
Thank you
Any questions?