Facilitating Learning

Introduction

When it comes to learning facilitation methodologies, teachers and educational leaders have a deep
and abiding responsibility to students. The teacher as a facilitator is a concept that many be recent but
has been needed for a long time. Facilitating learning and assessment in practice isn’t something that all
teachers are innately equipped for. This guide to learning how to facilitate learning in the classroom
should be invaluable in the pursuit of facilitating the learning environment and learning process.

What is Facilitating Learning?

• A learning approach where students are encouraged to take ownership and control of their
learning process and the role of the teacher changes from supplier of knowledge to facilitating
the process of learning. This is done by providing learning resources and actively challenging
students through systematic problem-based learning and other active learning methods.

Advantages and disadvantages of facilitated learning

Facilitated learning is based on the premise that the more responsibility a student takes for his/her
own learning, the more effective the training or education will be. The advantages are:

 Learners use skills like synthesis and analysis

 The learner is actively involved
 Learners interact with and learn from each other
 There is no need for large amounts of learning materials
 Learners can work in an environment similar to that of the real world
 A variety of learning methods are used

There are some disadvantages:

 Facilitated learning can be — or be seen to be — more
expensive

The pace of instruction is based on the group rather than

the individual learner

The teacher’s role is not clearly defined

There is a need for extra facilities to allow for group work

etc

The learning is relatively time consuming in proportion to

the amount of material covered

Facilitated learning is not appropriate in some cultural

contexts

Delivery of Facilitated Learning

As already noted, the teacher’s role in facilitated learning is to create and manage collaborative learning
experiences, or group learning in which exchanges between instructors and learners and among learners
occur over a period of time.

Facilitated courses and learning experiences usually take place over a series of weeks and may include:

• On-demand tutorials, presentations, and keynote addresses

• Online or face-to-face group discussions and exchanges

• Handouts, readings, and links to relevant Websites

• File and link sharing

• Surveys and polls

• Virtual real-time or physical classroom sessions, lectures, seminars

 • Brainstorming sessions (virtual or face-to-face)

• Group activities such as role play and games

• Field trips

• Projects and case studies

Teachers as Facilitators: What is Needed?

High quality teachers can dramatically improve the learning outcome. Teachers can act as facilitators by
adhering to the following guidelines:

• Changed Teachers’ Mindset

Move away from the stand-by mindset that dictates, “the teacher says and the student must follow.” It’s
important to understand the students’ role in the learning process. True comprehension is enhanced
when students become part of the learning process, instead of being forced into a stagnant “follow
along” role. Student engagement studies have demonstrated that students of all ages learn faster when
they are engaged and involved in the instruction.

• Deeper Questioning Skills

Learn how to ask questions; how to phrase questions in order to instigate thinking from more than one
perspective. Understand the impact of a question; how will a particular question facilitate or hinder the
learning process. Ask questions that require students to delve into the “why” of the answer, rather than
simply the answer itself.

• Enhance Listening Skills

Learn how to listen. Be attentive to what students say, but also what they didn’t say. Instead of thinking
about what you are going to say after the student is finished speaking, be in the moment. Be present for
the answer. Be thoughtful and try to discern why a student answered in a particular way.

• Work on Course Redesign

Learn how to structure a course to facilitate both linear and non-linear learning. Work toward a balance
between providing information and pulling information. Think of courses as a continual work in
progress, where you are constantly making adjustments according to new knowledge about how
students are learning and progressing. Create coursework that involves students in the learning process.

• Better Cultural Awareness

Adapt facilitation to culture of students.

• Redesign Classrooms and Schools

Classrooms and campus should be redesigned to facilitate socialization and interactions, rather than
isolation. Start with the desks. Consider adapting to the Harkness method, where students and teachers
gather around an oblong table and engage in lively discussions where each student has an equal voice,
instead of teacher lectures from a desk or lectern.