FACILITATION 101Skills and Strategies for Presenting Information to Adult Learners

Presenter: Sara Dinser, PD Coordinator

Co-Presenter: Tara Donahue, AT Coordinator

Agenda• Housekeeping• Norm-building activity• Why are you here?

• Goal One: TLWBAT evaluate the facilitator role in andragogy.• Goal Two: TLWBAT divide “teaching” from “facilitating” and apply appropriate

facilitation techniques.• Goal Three: TLWBAT utilize appropriate vocabulary in debriefing, redirecting, and

transitioning.• Goal Four: TLWBAT identify resources for developing his role in andragogy.

“The learner will be able to…”

• Topics to cover• Adult Learning Theory• Teaching versus Facilitating• How to Debrief and Redirect• Put This in Your Vocabulary• Quick and Dirty Tips

• Questions?

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Purposeful Graphic OrganizerGoal One: Goal Two:

Goal Three: Goal Four:

Questions?

Norm-building Activity• Write one norm per post-it note.

• Raise your hand when you’re done and we will pick them up.

• Ideas to consider for norms…• Courtesy• Decision-making process• Priorities• Norm enforcement• Others…?

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Needs, Goals, Desires

1. As a group, discuss your experience facilitating. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?

2. Isolate areas of improvement. What do you need to make this change?

3. Look to the future. What are your goals after you have improved your facilitation skills and you move to future opportunities to present?

4. No question is a silly question. If you could learn anything in a facilitation workshop, what would it be?

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Foundation of Adult Learning

Andragogy: the theory and practice of teaching adult learners

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Quiz: What do you know about me?• First job in education at 15• Roles in education

• Teacher-school dropout• Took extra special education

courses• Went into higher education –

focused on…• Adult learning theory• Group training• Interpersonal foundations

• But why am I here?

Why Do I Matter?• Your trainees matter.

• Consider…• How does knowing more affect how you facilitate information?• How can you show respect (pillar 6) and acknowledgement (pillar

1) in every interaction?• How can you build relationships with those with whom you interact

—even for two days?

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What This Looks Like…• Pillar One: Adults bring life experiences and knowledge.

• Provide opportunities.• Embrace the past but maintain focus on the present and future.

• Pillar Two: Adults are autonomous and self-directed.• Provide active involvement and opportunities for leadership.• Allow for specific interests and personal goals.

• Pillar Three: Adults are goal-oriented.• Search for internal motivation.• Emphasis need to achieve goals.

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What This Looks Like…• Pillar Four: Adults are relevancy-oriented.

• Remind of value and reason.• Applicability = value

• Pillar Five: Adults are practical.• Application is necessary.• Emphasize real-world purpose and consequences.

• Pillar Six: Adults need to be respected.• Focus on equality, right to voiced opinions, and confidence.• Allow for direction of own future.• Easy if pillars one through five are met

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Teaching v. Facilitating

Teacher

• Person in charge• Emphasis on lecture• Subject-matter expert• Center of conversation• Arbitrator• “The Maid”

Facilitator

• Emphasis on collaboration – “first among equals”

• Sustains trusting and open environment

• Ensures inclusion• Provides structure• Ensures “housekeeping”

is done

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A Good Facilitator• Sensitivity to the feelings

of individuals• Sensitivity to feeling of the

group• Ability to listen• Tact• Commitment to

collaboration• Sense of timing and

direction• Flexibility• Humor• Resourcefulness• Creativity

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Personal Checklist• Be clear about your role.• Be aware of your eyes.

• Be aware of your voice.

• Be aware of your body language.

• Be aware of your responsibility.

• Be aware of when structure is needed.

• Be aware of your power—and share it.

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The Art of Debriefing and Redirecting

• Build in summaries and revisit the agenda.

• Ask purposeful questions• Evidence• Clarification• Explanation• Linking• Hypothetical• Cause and effect• Summary and synthesis

• Socratic method is the most effective when teaching adults.

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How to Be Purposeful• Take ownership of the presentation.

• Go through every introductory/conclusive element (norms, symbols, etc.)

• Take advantage of the breaks.

• Be available.

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What to Do if…• Ah! Time Crunch!

• I don’t know the answer!

• We’re totally not jiving together!

• People are NOT following the norms!

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Remove This from Your Vocabulary

• “Hang in there, guys. We’re almost to break!”

• “How did you feel about lunch?”

• “The sooner we get through this, the sooner we’re done.”

• “I don’t have time to answer that. We need to move on.”

• “I know you’re tired/overwhelmed/irritated.”

• “Them [General Education] v. us [Student Services]”

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Put This in Your Vocabulary• “Thank you for sharing your

experience/knowledge. How can you bring the new procedures/information into your practice?”

• “That is a great question. I will make sure I provide guidance after the break.”

• “Does anyone have questions related to the one just asked?”

• “I have time for three more questions. Let’s put your questions in the parking lot, and I will address them as soon as you get back.”

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Quick and Dirty Tips• Review and build norms together.

• Get off of your phone and e-mail.

• Work together.• Build signals for one another.• Be available and present.• Practice what you preach.

• Be culturally aware—especially with humor.

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Foundation of Adult Learning

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FACILITATION 101Questions?