Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
HANDBOOK
CHAPTER I
PRINCIPLES OF ADULT EDUCATION
INTRODUCTION
Learning is a lifelong process in which experience leads to changes within the individual. In
fact, learning is often defined as a change in behaviour resulting from experience. In short,
learning means change!
Good training or facilitating doesn’t just happen. Good facilitation skills are acquired
through preparation, experience, and evaluation. Through frank self-assessment, and
feedback from others, effective facilitators build on their strengths and learn from their
mistakes. As well, good training reflects the practical application of principles of adult
education.
The following adult learning principles will help you gain a better understanding of how
adults learn.
• The purpose of training is clear and satisfies an immediate need, (i.e. it is relevant to
current challenges). Participants usually decide what they will learn and want to
identify their expectations as they relate to the course.
• They participate actively in the learning process. Adults possess a wealth of
experience and knowledge; they are a valuable resource as well as a learner.
• New facts and insights are connected to and build upon what they already know.
• The specific goal of the learning activity is clear and participants understand what is
expected from them.
• Organizing and making available the widest possible variety of resources for learning.
• Helping to clarify the course learning objectives and also responding to the individual
learning needs of each participant.
• Not only giving feedback, but encouraging, accepting and responding to feedback
yourself.
• Actively listening and responding to non-verbal messages.
• Being familiar with subject material.
• Quickly learning names of participants and using them.
• Admitting when you don’t know the answer to a question, but also following-up
(researching and providing a response).
Try to anticipate the unexpected. There is nothing worse than having a classroom full of
participants and an instructional program that cannot proceed due to a facilities related problem.
LOCATION
Arrange for a location that will satisfy the following requirements:
Classroom Preparation:
Ensure you have the following audio-visual equipment, and that it is operational:
• Screen.
• LCD / Overhead projector with extra bulb.
FACILITATOR’S TRAIN-THE-TRAINER HANDBOOK Page 3 of 21
The following illustrations are suggested room layouts, HORSESHOE and ROUNDS.
HORSESHOE
(Suggested Layout)
FLIP CHART
WHITE BOARD SCREEN
H/OUTS
ROUNDS
(Suggested Layout)
H/OUTS WHITE BOARD SCREEN
Instructors:_______________________________________________________________
Let’s keep the terms simple. Throughout this manual, you will be described as a facilitator to avoid
the awkwardness of "trainer/facilitator". Think of yourself in whatever terms are most comfortable.
TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION
There are several positive ways to enhance communication between facilitator and participant. The
following briefly highlights some techniques to improve your ability to communicate with
participants.
Eye contact:
• Avoid extremes - don’t zero in and lock eyes with one person for an extended period of
time; on the other hand, don’t sweep your eyes over the group.
• If you sense that your eye contact is creating nervousness or discomfort, move your
attention elsewhere.
• Be natural - don’t establish a set pattern of eye contact. (e.g. the "windshield wiper"
approach to eye contact)
• Know what you are going to say before you say it.
• Be natural (even if you have to work at it).
• Be positive, friendly and straightforward.
• Speak spontaneously, relying as little as possible on notes or written materials.
• Speak conversationally and enthusiastically.
• Make sure you can be heard comfortably by listeners.
FACILITATOR’S TRAIN-THE-TRAINER HANDBOOK Page 6 of 21
Body Language:
Non-verbal cues or body language play a key role in the communication process. Observing how
people are saying what they are saying can frequently tell you much more about the content of the
message, than the words themselves. Facial expressions, body movements, posture and position,
and gestures all contribute to the message.
FEEDBACK
In addition to receiving ‘feedback’ from participants, you will periodically be providing
participants with feedback on their performance.
Effective Feedback :
QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES
On of the most useful and productive methods of sustaining participant interest and involvement is
through the use of ‘open’ and ‘closed’ questions.
• Can encourage the exchange of ideas and sharing of different perspective and experiences.
• Will allow the facilitator to determine the present knowledge-level of participants.
• Can serve to emphasize and reinforce key points.
The following checklist can be used periodically to review your communication effectiveness.
General Yes No
TRAINING TECHNIQUES
LECTURETTES
When facilitating any training session or course you will be presenting several brief lecturettes to
participants. When planning your session, make every effort to minimize the number and length of
lecturettes. Any presentation you make should not exceed 10-15 minutes. The attentiveness and
interest of most participants will tend to diminish quickly after 15-20 minutes.
FACILITATOR GUIDELINES
BE A ROLE MODEL
Your behavior is a model to participants at all times. Model a sensitive, patient and tolerant
approach to the issue.
Listen attentively when participants share experiences, or when emotions are being expressed.
Never make light of people’s experiences or discount their feelings. However, you will need to
balance the needs of individuals with the needs of the group as a whole.
Try to explain issues and to respond in ways that maintain participants’ self-esteem, without
appearing too strongly biased about the subject matter.
Some participants will never have discussed the subject material in a formal context before.
Sharing experiences can help the whole group to gain a better understanding.
Differences in opinion and approach are normal. Allow differences of opinion to be expressed.
Create an atmosphere in which participants do not feel judged because of their beliefs. Don’t get
FACILITATOR’S TRAIN-THE-TRAINER HANDBOOK Page 11 of 21
At the same time, don’t let one or two participants dominate. (Techniques for encouraging equal
participation will be covered later in this chapter.)
Obtain as much information as possible about the group prior to the training. Background on their
familiarity with the subject material, experience, and current related issues can be helpful.
With the latter individual, ask them to briefly summarize their point and then move on. If this fails,
take them aside (during a break) and ask for their cooperation in providing others with the
opportunity to participate.
Handouts
Written materials distributed to participants during or after any learning activity can supplement
the learning. Ideally, handouts consist of short summaries, booklets, pamphlets or articles, and
usually contain additional
There are, however, some potential pitfalls to avoid when using the
whiteboard:
• The Course Facilitator must periodically turn their back on the participants.
• Careless or poor writing is difficult to read.
• Space is limited.
• When the Course Facilitator has to erase, information is lost. (However, some portable
whiteboards do have a photocopy capacity built in.)
Use dry-erasable (non-permanent) felt pens only. Don’t use (permanent) flipchart pens - they will
not easily erase.
The Flipchart
The flipchart can be used like a whiteboard or it can consist of a series of pre-recorded pages
which develop a theme on a step-by-step basis. When the flipchart is used like a whiteboard the
same basic guidelines apply. When necessary, the facilitator can flip back to sheets already
discussed, tear off important sheets and tape them to the wall, or use the whiteboard to summarize
key points.
• Flipcharts can be awkward to move around, so practice this before your session starts.
• Include no more than 5 or 6 key points (or bullets) per page.
• Use masking tape to tab important pages.
• Eliminate unnecessary information and avoid clutter. Use an extra sheet if necessary.
• Use colour for emphasis, but don’t overuse.
• Use felt-tipped flipchart pens, preferably black, blue and green. (Avoid red, yellow and
amber since these colour are hard to read.)
• Number the pages.
• Flip to a blank page when not using the flip chart.
• Use the "pencil" technique to cue yourself on important points or information.
• Prepare short strips of masking tape to post complete pages.
• Turning (or flipping) the pages is not as simple as it looks - practice this technique before
your session.
• Periodically ink will penetrate the paper and mark the following page; place a blank
‘blotter’ sheet between page when preparing.
• Stand beside and slightly behind the flipchart. This will encourage you to speak to the
participants and not the flip chart. (Don’t wrap yourself around the flipchart, just refer to
it.)
Remember; however, that excessive use of the overhead tends to increase the passivity of
participants, reducing interaction between the facilitator and the group.
• When you produce transparencies by freehand, your pen should be led in one stroke -
without interruption. Interruptions leave dark spots. If possible, use ruler and compass.
Shaky lines, curves, etc. are magnified on the "big screen".
FACILITATOR’S TRAIN-THE-TRAINER HANDBOOK Page 16 of 21
CHAPTER V - EVALUATION
WHY EVALUATE?
The main purpose of the any training course or learning activity is to provide participants with new
knowledge and skills. All well designed programs have specific learning objectives. The purpose
of evaluation is to determine the extent to which this training has enabled participants to
accomplish these objectives.
WHAT TO EVALUATE?
An effective evaluation process will cover:
OBSERVATION
While observation does not fall into the category of hard data gathering, and should never be
exclusively relied upon, it is an important source of information and should be considered part of
our overall evaluation process.
Observation permits on-going, continuous evaluation, and many situations can be handled
immediately by the facilitators. For example, if participants are arriving late for sessions, appear to
be disinterested, or rarely ask questions the facilitator can respond immediately.
Contacting participants three or four months after the course and asking how effectively they have
been able to apply what they learned, can provide relevant evaluation information.
FEEDBACK
The value of feedback has been stressed throughout this handbook. The value of feedback for
evaluation purposes flows both from its on-going nature and because its verbal content provides a
good balance to written questionnaires and your own observations. Sometimes participants will be
somewhat more candid when providing you with verbal feedback than through written evaluation
questionnaires. By encouraging feedback from your participants during your training session, you
will be able to respond quickly by adjusting to meet their identified needs.
QUESTIONNAIRES
SELF-ASSESSMENT
A self-assessment questionnaire and action plan are included at the end of this chapter. These tools
may be help you continuously improve upon your strengths as a facilitator.
1. What do I do well ?
3. What thoughts have I had about facilitating that I have not yet turned into plans?
6. Of the courses (classes, terms, semesters) I have taught, which ones did I enjoy the most?
What specifically did I enjoy? Why? Which did I enjoy the least? Why?
7. What abilities or aptitudes do I posses that I have not yet capitalized on?