Facilitation Coaching Session for The Open Exchange for Social Change
http://open-exchange.net
Introductions
Dirk Slater, @FabRider,
dirk@fabriders.net www.fabriders.net
Oscar Montiel, @tlacoyodefrjiol
oscar.montiel@okfn.org
Mor Rubinstein, @morchickit
mor.rubinstein@okfn.org
Are these effective methods of learning?
Reading step by step instructions
Listening to a lecture
Watching and listening to a presentation
Watching a video ‘how to’
Teaching others
Discussion with peers
Personal Experience
Key Factors in Adult Learning
Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented.
Experience (including error) provides the basis for learning activities.
Most adults are interested in learning what has immediate relevance to their professional and social lives.
- From researcher Martin S. Knowles
Using ADIDS Methodologies for Workshops
A - Activity
D - Discussion
I - Indepth
D - Deepening
S - Synthesis
Activity
The session begins with an activity that is connected to the topic of the session. This is meant to introduce the topic to the participants and get them grounded in their own contexts in connection to the topic.
This can be as simple as breaking people into pairs or groups of three to discuss their own experiences and contexts.
Discussion
Large group discussion reflecting on the last exercise. The facilitator’s role is to ask question and guide the discussion.
Input
The facilitator presents on issues, sub-topics and more advanced concepts related to focus of the session. This is the first point that content should be introduced, usually helpful if this is based on the facilitator’s own experiences.
Deepening
In technical training, this is usually the hands-on segment of a session. This is where the participants will get to put what they are learning to use.
Synthesis
A good training habit is to always summarize the session. Talk about what happened in the session, some of the results of the discussion, what issues were discussed, what solutions were made, and give some more time for participants to ask more questions before the session is closed.
Dirk’s Golden Rules
Think about what you want to learn from the individuals that are participating in your session, rather than what they can learn from you.
Your role as a facilitator is to enable peer sharing of knowledge. It is not to “deliver” a session or present a lot of content in any form.
Make it Productive - have a clear purpose
- Brainstorming ideas to address a specific problem or opportunity
- Achieving shared understanding on a specific issue or challenge
- Working through 1 or more scenarios and capturing insights and learning
- Identifying action items and next steps in a particular context
- Transferring specific skills or know-how
- Making a list of best practices
- Designing or reviewing a project or campaign plan
- Capturing learnings from an action
- Making a wish list or a list of challenges in a specific context
“Less is more”: try to do a small number of things well in your session, rather than cramming too many elements into what you work on. Too much preparation is not a good thing; just have a clear plan for how you want to spend the time, and be ready to adapt as participants get engaged.
A Sample Short Session Plan
- 3 minutes: State the frame and goals for the session to the group
- 5 minutes: Go round to invite each participant to say IN ONE SENTENCE what they want to get out of the session
- 10 minutes: Have participants break into pairs and brainstorm the best practices and the questions they have, putting each item on a separate sticky note.
- 10 minutes: Collect and group the practices and questions sticky notes into related clusters.
- Remainder of session until wrap-up: Use your judgement as facilitator to identify 2-3 themes or “hot spots” from what has been produced to go into deeper dialog and sharing. Alternately, have participants vote by marking which topics they want to work on.
- Last 3 minutes: Summarize and identify any possible next steps.
What you need to know about The Open Exchange for Social Change
We will spend the morning getting to know each other and exploring topics for further discussion.
Working sessions will be after lunch
WE NEED YOUR NOTES!
The Open Exchange for Social Change
The International Open Data Unconference.
Tuesday, October 4, 9:30 - 18:00,
Centro de convenciones IFEMA NORTE,
Madrid
Key Points to Remember
- Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented.
- ADIDS, is an effective workshop format: Activity, Discussion, Indepth, Deepening and Synthesis
- It’s about what you can learn from the participants
- Be purposeful and productive
- Less is more
- Find a Note-taker before you start your session
- The Open Exchange for Social Change starts at 9:30am in Madrid on Tuesday, October 4th