DESIGNING AND FACILITATING

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTOPPORTUNITIES

-Sharon LampardRed Deer Public

The best way to get a good idea is to get a lot of ideas.

-Linus Pauling

Today’s Agenda

Section A: The Facilitator’s Toolbox

1. Qualities of an Effective Facilitator

2. Adult Learning Theory

3. Communication Techniques

4. Handling “Challenging” Participants

Section B: The Workshop: Planning for Success

1. Behind the Scenes2. Workshop Planner Formats3. Ideas for Beginning Well4. Ideas for “the Main Event”5. Ideas for Ending Well

Section C: Workshop Reflections

Reflections:

1. Participants’ Assessment

2. Facilitators’ Assessment

Major Models of Professional Development

• Training• Involvement in a Process• Individually Guided Activities• Observation/Assessment• Study Groups• Inquiry/Action Research• Mentoring

Workshop Goals

1. Examine qualities of effective facilitators2. Examine characteristics of effective

workshops / inservices3. Provide a toolbox of options for facilitators4. Provide examples that encourage reflective

practice.5. and…..

Workshop Goal #5 ?

5. Enable participants to leave this workshop thinking….

Bring it on!

I can do it!

LIKE ME…

PARKING LOT

Process: Use stickies and post ideas/questions as they occur

Purposes: • Ideas are not lost• Focus of the workshop is not

interrupted• Allows facilitator to meet unidentified

needs at the appropriate times.

Protocols

Q. # 1 : Why might we need them?

Q # 2 : If needed, what would be included?

Strategies: Reporter/ RecorderBrainstorm / Pass

Gallery Walk (also known as Carousel)

Instructions:1. Groups of 5 - five questions posted for discussion2. Each group begins at a different question/station3. You have 3 minutes to write your responses to each question4. Groups rotate clockwise after each 3 minutes5. Once back to your original question, review all responses and

prepare to report to the group at large

Gallery Walk Questions (also known as Carousel)

1. What characteristics/qualities are evident in workshops that you most enjoy being a participant?

2. What are the characteristics/qualities of workshops you believe were least productive and/or produced the least learning?

3. Identify unique (and not so unique) qualities of the Adult Learner – your colleagues.

4. In T-Chart format, identify challenging behaviours you have witnessed in workshops as well as suggestions for facilitators to handle these behaviours.

5. In T-Chart form, identify the characteristics of effective workshop facilitators and quality professional development.

Dotmocracy

Conversations have the capacity to promote reflection, to create and exchange craft knowledge, and to help improve the organization.

- Roland Barth

Effective Facilitation

Role of the Facilitator1. Assure a pleasant atmosphere2. Begin with introductions – modeled by the facilitator3. Establish the ground rules4. Clarify the roles of the group members5. Set time limits – clarify them on a sheet / overhead visible to

participants. For each activity, be certain the participants are aware of the time constraints.

6. Manage the energy of the group and maintain discussion – know when it is time to wrap up one activity and begin another

7. Involve everyone in the discussion8. Clarify/summarize comments as appropriate9. Evaluate the workshop

A Strong Facilitator…• Exhibits genuine enthusiasm for his/her role and topic• Is prepared to modify his/her expectations of the participants• Is clear about the expected outcomes/objectives well in advance of

the workshop• Is prepared to modify the agenda, if needed• Plans ways for all participants to learn more from each other as well

as from what you present on the topic• Knows when to be quiet and let others speak• Knows when to be quiet – even if there is silence. This may promote

more thinking prior to a response.• Welcomes questions and does not become defensive• Has techniques for involving participants meaningfully• Models the behaviours expected of the participants• Asks for feedback

• A team will out-perform a group of individuals every time.

- James B. Miller

- Colleagues are engaged in conversations

about teaching and learning and encouraged to reflect on ways to improve their practice.

-Teachers work collaboratively to generate ideas that enhance learning for everyone.

- Teachers develop professional relationships with other teachers that enable them to observe one another and share best practices

Impact of Training Components On Effective Learning

TRAINING COMPONENTS

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING

SKILL ATTAINMENT

APPLICATION

PRESENTATION OF THEORY

85%

15%

PRACTICE AND LOW RISK FEEDBACK (IN THE TRAINING SETTING)

85%

18%

MODELLING BY TRAINER(S)

85%

80%

COACHING 90%

80%

Impact of Training Components On Effective Learning

TRAINING COMPONENTS

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING

SKILL ATTAINMENT

APPLICATION

PRESENTATION OF THEORY

85%

15%

5-10%

PRACTICE AND LOW RISK FEEDBACK (IN THE TRAINING SETTING)

85%

18%

5-10%

MODELLING BY TRAINER(S)

85%

80%

5-10%

COACHING 90%

80%

80-90%

The Magic Number 6

An Idea presented only once has a 10% chance of being retained after 30 days…

but an idea intermittently reviewed six times has a 90% chance of being retained after 30 days.

-Albert Mehrabian Silent Messages

“Chunk” Content

The average adult can listen with understanding for 90 minutes, but with retention for only 20 minutes.

Even better is the 10-2 rule: After every 10 minutes of content spend 2 minutes interacting with the content.

-Tony BuzanUse Both Sides of Your Brain

PERCENTAGE OF INFORMATION

RETAINED After 3 hours After 3 days

TELL ONLY 70 %

SHOW ONLY 72%

SHOW and TELL 85%

Delivering Effective Training Sessions p. 71 Geri E. H. McArdle

PERCENTAGE OF INFORMATION

RETAINED After 3 hours After 3 days

TELL ONLY 70 % 10%

SHOW ONLY 72% 20%

SHOW and TELL 85% 65%

- Delivering Effective Training Sessions p. 71

Geri E. H. McArdle

The Workshop

Behind the Scenes: planning a workshop

Refer to Sections A, B and C.

Wrapping Up…

Techniques practiced today…

PREPARATION/ CONTENT

• Start on Time - Greet people• Workshop Planner / Agenda/ Goals • Time limits vs. Flexibility• Aware of adult learning theory• Chunking• Overplan• Evaluations/Assessment

STRATEGIES• Line up• Protocols • Like Me• Parking Lot• Gallery Walk / Carousel• Select a reporter: Pound, Pound, Pound, Point• Select a Reporter/Recorder - other ways• Dotmocracy• Reporting to the large group• Think / Pair / Share• Revisit Goals• 3- 2- 1 Reflection / Assessment Exercise• Facilitator Assessment

(Line-up revisited, as one assessment tool)

Staff development leaders have to ask themselves which strategies make sense to use at what particular time with that particular set of teachers for a particular set of outcomes.

-Susan Loucks-Horsley

Goals Revisited

1. Examine qualities of effective facilitators2. Examine characteristics of effective

workshops / inservices3. Provide a toolbox of options for facilitators4. Provide examples that encourage reflective

practice.5. and…..

Workshop Goal #5 ?

…Enable participants to leave this workshop thinking….

Bring it on!

I can do it!

3 - 2 - 1

3 things I learned today

2 observations I made about my learning today

1 “ah-ha” insight I had today

The discussions that lead up to the creation of the vision are a form of professional development and adult learning that generates a sense of “ownership” of new ideas and practices, rather than mere program ‘buy-in.’

-Tony Wagner