There are many occasions when you will want to bring in an expert to share wisdom, best practices, and expertise. As planner and facilitator of the event, you are still responsible for the learning that occurs around the new knowledge shared by the guest speaker. Focus on creating a learning-centered design versus a teaching-centered one.
If you facilitate events, training or meetings, chances are you have had to navigate conflict or tough conversations. These are normal and unavoidable. And, they are not easy.
So, how do know when to shut them down and when to invite them in? How do we know how to ensure enough safety and respect for all present?
Have you ever gotten the sense that people are distracted or multi-tasking when asked to read or listen to content, no matter how fascinating that content is? Have you ever struggled to keep people on task when discussing something they’ve heard or read?
Welcome to a tool called framing questions! Framing questions are presented to learners to help focus their attention and listen with purpose.
As students, we do our best to learn and know that you as professors, do your best to teach. However, things need to change. Here are a few requests that will help students learn more easily and more deeply. Thanks for caring enough to read these nine tips!
Sometimes the best way to offer content is on-demand and asynchronous. Personally, I most enjoy designing in-person learning experience. However, sometimes it is actually best to design for an online learning experience, either synchronous or asynchronous.
Many of us feel overwhelmed by the thought of needing to learn new technology. Many of us struggle to learn these tools, especially when it is online. However, from time to time a new e-tool or system will increase efficiency and effectiveness and is needed.
How much is enough? How do we teach a new e-system or tool when staff is busy and technology-averse? How do we maximize learning of new technology?
Most of us have a book or two full of energizers. I have many! They are full of page after page of short activities that are meant to be fun and funny. Sadly, in my experience they often make me feel silly and uncomfortable. Worse yet, they sometimes seem disrespectful. I’m left feeling, “Why are we doing this? When will the learning start.”
‘Take 15 minutes to walk with a partner outside to discuss this question…’ Those words can be music to learners’ ears when we have been sitting a lot or been in a multi-day event.
So, why don’t we see this technique used much? Why do we feel we need to stay in the training space and can only use other spaces during breaks and down time? Why do we keep people in their seats so much where we know they are getting tired and distracted?
‘Take 20 minutes to move around the room with a partner …’ Those words can be music to the ears of many learners when we have been sitting for a long-time training or they have been in a multi-day event.
So why don’t we see this technique used much? Why do we feel we need to stay in the training space and can only use other spaces during breaks and down time? Why do we keep people in their seats so much when we know they are getting tired and distracted?
It’s taken time – you see I’m an extrovert – but I have learned to appreciate silence. Whether a learning event, meeting, working session, workshop or check in, I value time when no one is talking. I know it can feel uncomfortable for some and sometimes the seconds can feel like hours to others, but I have learned that this is time well spent.
Years ago, I was on a Board of Directors for a local charity. Another board member always brought her knitting to our meetings and when someone asked why she did this, she simply responded, “It helps me concentrate.” After 30 years of meetings, trainings, and other convenings — in the role of facilitator, teacher, participant, member, Chair, Secretary, leader, professor, or facilitator
Many of us are back on the road facilitating in-person events. It feels great! We can move around the room to engage with content and each other, we can sit in a circle for personal sharing, and we can touch, add and move ideas around to co-create meaning as we stand at a wall or move around a table.