Transcript Document
DEVELOPING FACILITATION SKILLS Dr. David Kaufman Professor, Faculty of Education Simon Fraser University Workshop presented at Universitas Terbuka Jakarta, Indonesia March, 2011 Canada map Universitas Terbuka March 2011 2 Vancouver, CANADA Universitas Terbuka March 2011 3 SFU SFU Vancouver, CANADA Universitas Terbuka March 2011 4 Simon Fraser University, Burnaby Universitas Terbuka March 2011 5 Surrey Universitas TerbukaSFU March 2011 6 Brain Teasers EXAMPLE: bur back rub fries in Paris sight love sight sight theparisspring sitting world mce mce mce o ne world world world…… value value value value value value value value value value value house ----------stove Goal of the Workshop To increase participants’ basic skills, and develop options for addressing more difficult situations. Objectives By the completion of this workshop, participants should be able to: discuss basic principles of group discussion explain the key principles which help guide the facilitator’s actions describe various types of situations which may be encountered in group interactions suggest several options for managing these situations Task 1. What are the benefits that we expect learners to gain from learning through group discussion? 2. How do these expected benefits guide the actions of the facilitator? Rationale for an Effective Small-Group Learning Process • Two components of discussions are content and process • Content refers to the subject matter or task being worked on • Process refers to how members of a group are working together on the content (i.e., group dynamics) • Process is often given little attention, as group members tend to focus on content • However, a better functioning group process allows members to better contribute, and promotes more learning • Also, group process skills are important for future professionals, who will often need to function as a member of a team Examples of Basic Skills in Group Discussions Control your voice Think of yourself Respect others’ opinions Carry your weight Help each other stay on task Explore different points of view Include all members Characteristics of a Healthy Group • • • • • • • • The atmosphere is informal, comfortable, relaxed. There is a lot of discussion in which everyone participates. The task of the group is well understood and accepted. People listen to each other. Every idea is given a hearing. People are not afraid to put forth ideas. There may disagreement. This is not suppressed. Issues are examined and the group seeks to resolve them together. Most decisions are reached by a kind of consensus in which there is general agreement and willingness to go along. No one dominates. In fact, leadership shifts depending on circumstances. There is little evidence of power struggles. The main issue is how to get the job done. The group is conscious about how it operates. Facilitating Skills • Learning Climate Establish a stimulating tone or atmosphere in which learners can comfortably identify and address their limitations • Control of Sessions Pace and focus the teaching interaction appropriately through your flexible leadership style. • Promoting Self-Directed Learning Encourage the individual learner’s initiative to identify and act on his/her needs (with or without assistance). Teacher-Directed vs. Student-Centred Teaching Teacher-Directed Teacher-Directed vs. Student-Centred Teaching Student-Centred Interacting Consciously in a Group (1 of 4) “Part of the Eighth Insight is learning to interact consciously when in a group. But don’t get self-conscious. Just understand the process. As the members of a group talk, only one will have the most powerful idea at any one point in time. If they are alert, the others in the group can feel who is about to speak, and then they can consciously focus their energy on this person, helping to bring out his idea with the greatest clarity.” “Then, as the conversation proceeds, someone will have the most powerful idea, then someone else and so forth. If you concentrate on what is being said, you can feel when it is your turn. The idea will come up in your mind.” “The key to this process”, Sanchez said, “is to speak up when it is your moment and to project energy when it is someone else’s time.” Interacting Consciously in a Group (2 of 4) “Many things can go wrong”, Julia interjected. “Some people get inflated when in a group. They feel the power of an idea and express it, then because that burst of energy feels so good, they keep on talking, long after the energy should have shifted to someone else. They try to monopolize the group.” “Others are pulled back and even when they feel the power of an idea, they won’t risk saying it. When this happens, the group fragments and the members don’t get the benefit of all the messages. The same thing happens when some members of the group are not accepted by some of the others. The rejected individuals are prevented from receiving the energy and so the group misses the benefit of their ideas.” Interacting Consciously in a Group (3 of 4) Julia paused and we both looked at Sanchez who was taking a breath to speak. “How people are excluded is important,” he said. “When we dislike someone, the natural tendency is to focus on something we dislike about the person, something that irritates us. Unfortunately, when we do this – instead of seeing the deeper beauty of the person and giving them energy – we take energy away and actually do them harm. All they know is that they suddenly feel less beautiful and less confident, and it is because we sapped their energy.” “That is why”, Julia said, “this process is so important. Humans are aging each other at a tremendous rate out there with their violent competitions.” Interacting Consciously in a Group (4 of 4) “But remember,” Sanchez added, “in a truly functional group, the idea it to do the opposite of this, the idea is for every member’s energy and vibration to increase because of the energy sent by all of the others. When this occurs, everyone’s individual energy field merges with everyone else’s and makes one pool of energy. It is as if the group is just one body, but one with many heads. Sometimes one head speaks for the body. Sometimes another talks. But in a group functioning this way, each individual knows when to speak and what to say because he truly sees life more clearly.” From: James Redfield, The Celestine Prophecy. New York, NY, Warner Books, pp. 214-215. CHALLENGING SMALL-GROUP SITUATIONS Video Scenarios - Worksheet Scene 1 What is the challenge in this situation? What are your various options for action? Scene 2 What is the challenge in this situation? What are your various options for action? How would you manage these types of group members? • Dominator or Excessive Talker • Withdrawn or Shy Person What would you SAY if someone in your group says…? 1. "I think you're completely wrong" a)__________________________________________________ b)__________________________________________________ c)__________________________________________________ 2. "That's not how my last teacher taught us" a)__________________________________________________ b)__________________________________________________ c)__________________________________________________ What would you do if…? 1. One person is argumentative and aggressive and is putting pressure on other group members _______________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 2. A group member is disinterested and starts doing other things while the group tries to solve a problem _______________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 3. Two people express opposite views on an issue and then ask for your opinion _______________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 4. A subject is changed before it is fully dealt with ____________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ What would you do if…? 5. Group members are directing all the comments to you and are not really talking to each other _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 6. A quiet group member decides to participate but has long comments which disrupt the flow of the group discussion. This individual is hard to interrupt because he often still has not made his point after five minutes _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 7. Others _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Annotated Bibliography Tiberius, R.G. (1990). Small group teaching: A trouble shooting guide. Monograph series, No. 22. Toronto: The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education Press. All faculty who actively encourage student involvement and participation are, from time to time, certain to encounter a series of relatively predictable difficulties. This insightful and delightfully written text is designed to help faculty understand, prepare for, and skillfully deal with the most common of these difficulties. Chapters are organized into three parts: (1) “Group Goals”, (2) “Group Interaction”, and (3) “Group Motivation and Emotion.” In each section, the author identifies several possible causes of the problem and offers numerous ways to address the problem. Don’t be mislead by the title, however, because the suggestions offered are also helpful to faculty seeking to stimulate student involvement in large classes. Westberg, J. and Jason, H. (1996). Fostering learning in small groups. Springer Series on Medical Education. New York: Springer. Questioning Skills Asking Questions/Responding to Questions Asking Questions • The purpose of this exercise is to provide you with an opportunity to practice asking questions that require different levels of cognitive learning from the learner. • Using the chart on the reverse side, one member of your group should begin by choosing a question from the “memory” level that he or she might ask a learner. All members of the group would take turns advancing the question up each level. • Repeat the cycle so that each member has a turn beginning at the “memory” level. • Use the worksheet to record your questions in each of the levels. Worksheet Level 1 Level 2 Level 3/4 Level 5 Level 6 Develop Questions with “Cue” Words 1.Memory 2. Comprehension (Translate/Interpret) 3/4. Apply – Analyze 5. Synthesize 6. Evaluate What are Distinguish between From an hypothesis Suppose Argues all sides Tell What do you infer? Show cause and effect? Compose Defend your position Define Tell why? Under what circumstances? What do you suggest? What are the effects of? Which one? Interpret How can you use it? What is possible? Judge on the facts you know List How are these common? Illustrate What would it be like? Evaluate by this set of standards Identify Compare and contrast Tell the consequences What would happen if? Which do you like best? Adapted from ATLS Instructor Manual Responding to Questions What are your choices? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Responding to Questions What are your choices? 1. Answer the question 2. Redirect it back to the student (with or without rewording) 3. Redirect it to the group* 4. Make it an in-class learning issue 5. Make it an out-of-class learning issue 6. Say you will look it up for next class 7. Other choices? FACILITATION SKILLS David’s Top 10 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Focus on process more than content Do active listening Keep track of time and pace Keep the group on track and be flexible Record ideas, decisions, actions (on flipchart, overhead, white board) 6. Paraphrase, synthesize, summarize periodically 7. Ask for clarification and/or elaboration 8. Redirect questions you are asked 9. Use questions for different purposes 10. Comment on group process, when appropriate Questions that Affect Student Achievement Effective teachers phrase questions clearly. Many teachers tend to ask questions that contain two or three different questions, which confuses and frustrates students. Effective teachers ask a lot of questions at low cognitive levels. This is surprising, since these are the questions associated with “recitation, review and drill.” Could this also be true for students who are less wellprepared? Effective teachers ask questions at high cognitive levels. So, it’s not low-cognitive questions instead of high-cognitive, but a combination that is most effective. Questions that Affect Student Achievement (Cont) Effective teachers allow at least 3-5 seconds of wait time after asking a question before requesting a response, particularly when they are asking higher cognitive-level questions. Effective teachers encourage students to respond in some way to each question. This means it’s important to play with the question, encouraging responses before getting to the “right” answer. Effective teachers balance responses from volunteering and non-volunteering students. This practice gets at the persistent problem of only a few students participating. Questions that Affect Student Achievement (Cont) Effective teachers probe student responses for clarification or support for a point of view, or to simulate thinking. Effective teachers acknowledge correct responses from students, but are specific and discriminate in their praise. According to research, “Praise should be used genuinely, sparingly and it should be specific.” Adapted from: Wilen W, Clegg A. “Effective Questions and Questioning: A Research Review”. Theory and Research in Social Education, Spring 1986, 453-161. The One-Minute Essay 1. What is the one thing you learned today that you plan to apply in your own setting? 2. What is the one question that you have after participating in this session?