From Competendo - Digital Toolbox
It may seem you have spent a lot of time doing other things before working on the “real content,” but all those steps are necessary elements that enable you and your participants to create a good learning experience. While working on the content it is important to provide the participants with a lot of different learning opportunities and use a mixed style of methods.
Every participant learns in a different way and we have to give everybody the possibility to learn as much as possible. At the same time it is very important to stay authentic as a facilitator. If you do not feel comfortable with a method, then it’s better not use it. Working on content in a holistic way means not only addressing different learning preferences but also creating learning experiences that are close to real life. The following approaches and methods support you in such a kind of learner centered learning process management.
Moderation
Moderation means to shape a common learning or discussion process. A moderator offers methods and guides the process.
Here you find a clear structure for the different phases in your moderation.
Introduction of some methods to moderate decisionmaking processes in a group.
With this method you can determine in a group which subjects you want to deal with and which project goal is for you crucial. Or you can identify the most important aspects of further planning in the team. You can also gather what you like in the subject, which organizational or regarding the contents aspects of the project were most interesting.
With this method many different aspects can be quickly evaluated within a group in a transparent way.
This method aims at letting the participants conduct a small-scale survey among each other, having a vivid visual representation of the survey outcome and facilitating a discussion around the survey outcome.
Two walls function as saving and inspiring places for inspiration, information and findings within a seminar. A wall of ideas and a wall of problems
Discussions make different perspectives on a topic visible. They are a useful tool for learning to defend the personal points of view as well as to react on different opinions. As well they help to shape the skills for critical evaluation and for interpersonal communication.
Training and reflecting discussion skills by using visual impulses.
A brief overview what to have in mind while moderating
A brief tool for planning a moderation
How to prevent stigmatization? What to do that collective decisions are seen as fair by any participant? How to deal with conflicting needs in a group?
The method addresses the communicative skills and helps to reflect opposite points of view in a discussion. Therefore two groups discuss the opposite opinions regarding a topic. This may be a general relevant topic or a current hot topic in your society.
A person describes a problem he or she wants to solve, and his or her colleagues inspire him or her with their associations and advice. A very interactive and dynamic activity.
Constructive questions are a tool for guiding a learner or a group toward self-explored solutions and options in a coaching style. In this section we introduce types of questions focusing on solution-finding by activating the ressources/capacities of learners and focusing on their ability to develop and assess opportunities.
A summary helps participants in a discussion, a training or a meeting to follow the thread. Especially in discussions a moderator needs to calm down the passions, or to help the audience and involved disputants to find the common main question again.
This method helps the facilitator make the agenda presentation more interesting for the participants.
Collecting and structuring opinions, ideas, facts.
Presentation & Visual Facilitation
The section includes methods for vizualization and presentation.
Some hints for the preparation of a presentation
(Re)discover your natural ability to communicate and express yourself in a more visual way. Explore the potential of visual language and use it for a more comprehensive moderation of learning and group processes
Present your ideas precise and creative with a projector. Pecha Kucha connects both goals within 6 minutes and 40 seconds.
The more possibilities for development you consider, the more likely it is for your idea to loose clarity. This method introduces the need for focus and for concentrating on a few aspects. We use wooden matchsticks.
Bullet journalling is a creative methodology how to strucuture notes and thoughts, and how to save thoughts and inspiration. It can be used by facilitators and participants , in example in learning journals or in note-keeping.
Collecting and structuring opinions, ideas, facts.
Training and reflecting discussion skills by using visual impulses.
Energizers & Cooling Downs
Energizers and cooling downs help learners to refocus their attention, to involve into the learning process (again), or to reconnect to the group.
Energizers and cooling downs have the function to help learners to refocus their attention, to involve into the learning process (again), or to embedd theirselves (again) in the group. These tasks contribute to a methodological balance and variation.
Energizers and cooling downs have the function to help learners to refocus their attention, to involve into the learning process (again), or to embedd theirselves (again) in the group. These tasks contribute to a methodological balance and variation.
Big group methods
Approaches for facilitating processes with bigger groups of participants.
Moderation of large groups that delegates a great amount of responsibility to the participants. They suggest contents, decide about them, and are responsible for their realisation and the documentation of learning outcome.
A method for learning and exchanging ideas on a broad bandwith of topics. Participants go around and visit different tables which are dedicated to one topic or key question each.
A proposal for an idea development workshop with larger groups of people who want to implement a civil initiative.
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