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Facilitation skills and group based learning
When is facilitation required?
Facilitation skills are essential for anyone seeking to guide
a group of people through a process of learning or change
in a way that encourages all members of the group to
participate. Each person has a unique viewpoint and
valuable knowledge to share. Without their contribution,
the group’s ability to understand or respond to a situation
is reduced.
The facilitator’s role is to draw out knowledge and ideas
from different members of a group. They can help them learn from each other and
think and act together. Facilitation is about empowering others. It involves letting go
of control over the outcome of a process and giving that responsibility to the group.
Teaching, training and facilitation
As in many things, teaching, training and facilitation mean different
things to different people. There is also often overlap between
these three areas and depending on whom one is talking to, a
different or the same definition of each can be given. However, in
general…
Teaching is often about instruction and the delivery of information. The relationship
between the teacher and learners is often hierarchical, with the teacher being the
expert and directing the learning of the students or learners. Teaching is most
commonly centred on the transfer of knowledge from the teacher to
the learner. Teaching is obviously important and has an important
part to play in training people to use online health information
resources effectively.
Training is generally more practically orientated and is often more
than just knowledge and so includes skills and competencies of
vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific
useful competencies. Training is an essential element of enabling
people to use online health information resources effectively.
Facilitation (at least in our context) is generally used in adult education. Facilitators
here are usually subject experts that draw on the knowledge of the participants and
then fill in any gaps. Training facilitators focus on the foundations of adult education:
establish existing knowledge, build on it and keep it relevant. The role is different
from the formal trainer who will take a more leading role and take the group through
an agenda designed to transmit a body of knowledge or a set of skills to be acquired.
Facilitation is particularly important in relation to group work, discussion and
collaboration.
The Basic Principles
Focus on the situation, issue, or behaviour, not on the person.
Maintain the self-confidence and self-esteem of others.
Maintain constructive relationships.
Take the initiative to make things better.
Lead by example.
The basic skills of a facilitator are about following good meeting practices:
timekeeping, following an agreed-upon agenda, and keeping a clear record. The
higher-order skills involve watching the group and its individuals in light of group
dynamics. In addition, facilitators also need a variety of listening skills including ability
to paraphrase; stack a conversation; draw people out; balance participation; and
make space for more reticent group members (Kaner, et al., 1996). It is critical to the
facilitator's role to have the knowledge and skill to be able to intervene in a way that
adds to the group's creativity rather than taking away from it.
A successful facilitator embodies respect for others and a watchful awareness of the
many layers of reality in a human group. In the event that a consensus cannot be
reached then the facilitator would assist the group in understanding the differences
that divide it.
Group based learning
Group based learning is about getting people to work
together well, in carefully set-up learning environments.
Adult learners often learn very effectively in groups,
especially if the subject can benefit from the experience
and ideas of members of the group. When working in
groups learners learn by doing, sharing ideas and
experience, discussing ideas, through feedback with others and from interacting with
learning peers. Group work and discussion is also a powerful way of empowering
learners, as in many cases, the learning and “solutions” come from the group, which
installs ownership in those conclusions and solutions.
Key issues of facilitating group based learning
Venue and climate: Checking that venues are suitable in terms of heating, lighting,
etc. Trying to establish a congenial atmosphere in which participants’ viewpoints and
experiences are valued
Setting up groups: Making sure that groups are balanced and made up to help
achieve the objectives of the exercise. Ensuring that participants know which group
they are in and why. Getting the groups started with their work.
Aims and purposes: Making sure that participants understand:
the aims of the session(s)
how these relate to other parts of their course
what they can expect to achieve from the session
Agreeing ground rules: Clarifying:
what is expected of participants by way of preparation
when it is appropriate to raise or respond to question, or to challenge points
made by others
what the role of the facilitator/group leader is
Planning tasks: Devising tasks which:
are appropriate to the aims of the session(s)
offer an appropriate variety of learning experiences
are preceded by adequate briefing and guidance where appropriate (e.g.
when participants are required to make presentations to the group)
Structuring and sequencing tasks: Ensuring that, where appropriate:
there are tasks early in the session(s) which enable all to be involved
the outcomes from one task lead into another
realistic time allocations for tasks are set and kept
Listening: Being attentive to what is said by each member of the group. Displaying a
readiness to listen, as reflected both through verbal responses and body language.
Questioning: Making use of a variety of questioning strategies (e.g. open, closed
and reflective questions). Deploying these questioning strategies sensitively
and flexibly.
Explaining and clarifying: Giving participants space to attempt tasks or problems
before giving own explanations. Being clear and succinct in own explanations.
Building participants’ ideas into own explanations when given.
Encouraging participation: Encouraging all participants in the group to contribute/to
talk to each other as well as to the facilitator. Avoiding too dominant a role.
Intervening appropriately, (e.g. to restrain the vociferous, encourage the silent,
defuse conflict, refocus on the topic).
Responding to participants as individuals: Addressing participants by their
preferred names. Showing sensitivity to participants as individuals (i.e. taking into
account their backgrounds and prior knowledge). Providing constructive feedback to
participants who have made presentations to the group.
Closing: Making provision for:
summing up what has been achieved
establishing what might be necessary to follow up the session and
consolidate what has been learnt
Monitoring and evaluation: Monitoring what is going well in the sessions and what
might be improved. Providing opportunities for the group to review its overall
effectiveness. Evaluating the quality of work produced by individuals within the group
or by the group as a whole (e.g. oral or poster presentations or written reports).
Further reading
The above content is based on information included in the following resources:
2000 Tips for Trainers and Staff Developers, Phil Race (2001)
Reviewing Your Teaching, Kate Day, Ruth Grant and Dai Hounsell (1998)
http://www.tla.ed.ac.uk/resources/ryt/rytpdf/figure4-2.pdf
Tearfund International Facilitation skills workbook (2005)
http://tilz.tearfund.org/Publications/PILLARS/Facilitation+skills+workbook/
Wikipedia “Facilitator” and “training” pages
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facilitator , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Training
