Facilitating Skills :Facilitating Skills Microteaching Report by Jennifer Lim DMD


Objectives :Objectives To know the purpose of facilitation skills. To identify the role of a facilitator. To learn tips for effective facilitating skills. To compare the different types of members. To analyze the common group problems.


Purpose of Facilitation :Purpose of Facilitation The purpose of facilitation is to assist people to achieve their objectives.  This entails helping people learn how to improve the process(es) they use to achieve their objectives.  The term “facilitation” is most commonly used when people are working in groups.


Who is a Facilitator? :Who is a Facilitator? Ensures the effective flow of communication within a group so that the participants can share information and arrive at a decisions. Poses problems and encourages group analysis. Provokes people to think critically and motivates them towards action


Who is the Facilitator? :Who is the Facilitator? Does not change or ignore any decisions reached by the participants through consensus. Is sensitive, both to the verbal and non-verbal communications that occur in the group. Is sensitive to the feelings, attitudes, cultures, interests and any hidden agenda that may be present in a group


Apply ADI in Facilitating :Apply ADI in Facilitating A- agreement should be explored D- disagreements respected I- irrelevance identified * exploring D’s can be explored to widen the A.


Facilitator is like a Sponge :Facilitator is like a Sponge They are never content of the skills and knowledge they have They are aware that their capacity for learning is endless They learn from everything They gain new insights and apply these to the next course based on their understanding


When observing effective facilitators :When observing effective facilitators What are the facilitators’ styles of facilitation? How effective are these styles? How they handle their participants? How do the participants respond to them? What are their strengths and weaknesses?


Facilitator or Expert :Facilitator or Expert A facilitator doesn’t need to be an expert on the topic of the task A facilitator has skills to manage the process - his/her expertise lies in the use of these skills


Facilitator or Expert :Facilitator or Expert An expert often needs to retain social distance between him/herself and the group / learners. The worst thing that can happen to an expert is that someone asks a question that he / she doesn’t know the answer to.


10 tips for an effective facilitation skills :10 tips for an effective facilitation skills Grasp firmly Be open Watch for the point Know you limits Learn how to count Watch your wrist 7. Have an artist’s touch 8. Learn the traffic signals 9. Learn how to salute (learn how to respect and appreciate) 10. Know your left and right ( strong and weak point)


Facilitating Different Types of Member :Facilitating Different Types of Member


The Silent Member :The Silent Member Facilitating the Different Types of Member Why? Fatigue Fears ( Criticism) Inferiority Feelings Inhibiting Group Factors Lack of Motivation/ Disinterest Resistance to Facilitator


The Silent Member :The Silent Member Remedies: Low Pressure Slow down teaching pace Build him up in the group Put him beside you Don’t group with aggressive members Non-verbal + reinforcement Facilitating the Different Types of Member


The Silent Member :The Silent Member Remedies: Medium Pressure Look for his talents / skills assign him some work Whatever he does – reinforce Indirect request for participation Not much outside consultations High Pressure Asking directly why Provoke him Facilitating the Different Types of Member


Dominant Member :Dominant Member Why? Build status in the group Make good impression on facilitator Need to just “show-off” Displaced anger/ hostility De-focus limelight from vulnerable self Facilitating the Different Types of Member


Dominant Member :Dominant Member Remedies: Low Pressure Hear him out Focus on others first, then get back to him Make him leader of something Facilitating the Different Types of Member


Dominant Member :Dominant Member Remedies: - Medium Pressure Ask someone to tone him down Ask group’s opinion Talk to him in private High Pressure Confront him directly Ignore him directly Facilitating the Different Types of Member


Common Group Problems :Common Group Problems


Fight :Fight Manifestations Members are impatient with each other Put down statements Aggressive , hostile, dominant members Competition with the facilitator Common Group Problems


Fight :Fight Cause : Group given an impossible job; they feel unable to meet the demands and are frustrated. Solution: Clarify tasks / objectives / aims Set expectations Form a learning contract Common Group Problems


Fight :Fight Cause: Main concern of members is to find status in the group- jockeying for power, establishing cliques, trying to suppress individuals, not accepted in cliques Solution: Confront it Clarify roles Distribute participation Respond to positive surface content Common Group Problems


Fight :Fight Cause : Members feel involved and are working hard on a problem- constructive rather than destructive ; reflects real interest Solution : More perceptiveness and better facilitating Common Group Problems


Apathy :Apathy Manifestations Frequently yawns, dozing off Low level of participation Members come late ; frequent absences Slouching and restlessness Ready suggestions for adjournment Reluctance to assume any further responsibility Common Group Problems


Apathy :Apathy Cause: Group goal may seem unimportant to members; may have other concerns Solution: Clarify task Expectations setting so roles are clear Build value for program Appeal to reason Common Group Problems


Apathy :Apathy Cause : Goals may be important but members fear working towards goals- may uncover ignorance, make mistakes, cause embarrasment. Solution: Emphasize value of it being a learning opportunity Create a climate of trust, openness and respect for one another Model good, affective feedback process Common Group Problems


Apathy :Apathy Cause : Group may have inadequate procedures for solving the problem lack of guidelines, knowledge of facts pertinent information Solution: Clarify task Elucidate on procedures to be used Give adequate guidelines, clear instructions Provide all necessary information Common Group Problems


Apathy :Apathy Cause : Members may feel powerless about influencing final decision- group results may not have influential effects (merely done for academic exercise). Solution: Stress individual responsibility Build value for results so they will assert themselves Ensures them of as much support as you can give Common Group Problems


To wrap up… :To wrap up…


Facilitating learning :Facilitator clarifies purpose , relying on desire of learners to implement Facilitator makes available resources and is a resource for the group him/herself Facilitator is alert to emotional needs of the group and expression from the group Facilitator accepts own limitations and shares feelings & thoughts with group  -from Brockbank & McGill (1998) Facilitating Reflective Learning in HE, OU, p149 Facilitating learning


Teaching or Facilitating Learning :“you cannot really teach anyone anything , you can only help them learn” The facilitator’s role is to create the environment for learning  To movitate the learner - Carl Rogers ( counsellor and therapist) Teaching or Facilitating Learning


Thank you! :Thank you!