The first module is on adult learning principles and how it applies to the Agribusiness Leadership Program (ALP) • Visualize yourself at the front of a classroom. You are the facilitator for the ALP course, Foundations of Cooperative Management. In front of you are 20 participants. They are a mix of elected leaders and salaried staff from nearby farmer cooperatives. They range in age from 23 to 62 and have a range of literacy levels. Some are fully literate, while others need help from their colleagues to understand course concepts. o How do you motivate all these people to learn and participate in training? o How do you motivate adults to learn? • That is the topic of this first module. Many of you have extensive experience as trainers, so we will be looking to hear from you. 1
In module 1`, we focus on the first competency for ALP facilitators: • Deliver ALP training that is learner focused. 2
• Recall a learning experience you had that you considered “good”. o What made it a good learning experience? o Spend a few minutes thinking about this. Write down your thoughts on why it was a good learning experience. • Prepare to share your experiences for you may be asked to explain why you thought the learning experience was good. 3
Prepare yourself to engage in discussion by answering the following questions. • What are some characteristics of good learning experiences? • What does this tell you about adult learners in general? 4
Resources: Handout 1 – Motivating the Adult Learner • Here is what we know about adult learners: o Adults are relevancy oriented. They are motivated to learn if learning helps them solve a problem or perform a process. Many adults, especially the leaders of farmer organizations in ALP, want to learn and apply what they learned. They don’t have time to “learn for learning’s sake” o Adults have accumulated valuable life experience and they must be allowed to use that experience. They are not “empty vessels” like children into which you can pour information. Adults want to share their experiences and learn from one another. o Adults need time to practice what they learn. It is not enough to give them theory. They must have opportunities to reflect on and apply what they learn. o Adults are self-directed, and therefore must be in control of their learning. They can state, “I need to learn X”, rather than you stating, “You need to learn Y”. In school, children are often told what to do. This will not work for adult learners, who want a say in how they achieve their learning goals. • How do these align with the learning experiences you recalled? • Did your experience align with these adult learning principles? • Refer to handout 1 and note that this handout contains many tips and strategies for motivating adult learners. 5
Resources: Handout 2 – Adult Learning Principles and ALP • Let’s consider how the Agribusiness Leadership Program is built around these adult learning principles • Refer to handout 2. The table you see above is also on your handout. In the left column, we see 4 features of ALP training. Read these on your handout and then decide which adult learning principle they correspond with. The principles are also summarized on your handout. 1. There are many opportunities for discussion à Adults have life experience 2. Every module begins by establishing “what’s in it for me” à Adults are relevancy-oriented 3. Cooperatives decide which actions to take à Adults are self-directed 4. Every session has at least 1 activity à Adults must apply what they learn Now that you remembered about how to motivate adults to learn, you will next review how to create an environment that is conducive to learning. 6
• Think back to the good learning experience you thought about earlier. o What words would you use to describe the learning environment the facilitator created in that specific situation? 7
In this module, we focus on the second competency for ALP facilitators: • Create an environment that enhances learning. 8
• By the end of this module, you will be able to: 1. Explain how to prepare for an ALP training course. 2. Identify the characteristics of safe and unsafe learning environments. 3. Demonstrate some techniques you can use to create a safe, positive environment for ALP participants. 9
• Why is preparation important for establishing the learning environment? • There are 3 aspects to preparation. 1. You want to know your learners 2. know your material 3. know the classroom. • Knowing the classroom refers to the physical space, as well as any equipment and technology in the classroom. 10
Resources: Handout 3 – Preparing to Facilitate • Objective: Based on your experience, develop a list of steps to take to prepare for an ALP facilitation. • Think about the steps you would take to know the learners/material/classroom. 1. Write your ideas and be ready to share with your peers. • Questions to think about: 1. What steps have you found to be most critical in preparing to facilitate? o Refer to handout 3 2. How do your lists compare to the preparation steps listed on the handout? 3. What are some key differences for an ALP facilitation? • Conclusion: We cannot overstate the role of preparation in creating the right environment for learning. o Preparation is what allows you to use your materials confidently, address the specific needs of your learners, and use classroom technology without disruption. 11
Resources: Handout 4 – Elene’s First Day of ALP Training • How would you feel if training started without welcoming you or learning your name? • How would you feel if a trainer told you where to sit? What if a trainer tells you loudly “you wrong” when you make a mistake? Or ignored your questions? Or interrupted you? o How likely would you be to participate fully in the training? • Adults have more to lose than children in learning situations. They have a reputation to protect. They have built up insecurities over the years. They do not want to risk looking stupid in front of their peers. o This is not to say that children do not have insecurities or do not want to look stupid. Adults have simply had more time to build anxieties and resistance to learning • Adults need to feel safe to explore ideas, try things out, and make mistakes • Read handout 4 and be ready to discuss during a scheduled session 12
Resources: Handout 5 – Creating the Learning Environment Before looking at the handout, answer the last question on this page. • Here we have some characteristics of safe and unsafe learning environments o In the handout on Elene’s first day of training, we saw the facilitator do everything listed in the unsafe column • Can you think of anything else to add to either column? 13
There are 6 key techniques for creating an environment that is safe and positive for learners. The first 3 occur at the beginning of training, while the next 3 can be used throughout the duration of training. 1. Welcome learners individually and as a group: Greet each person as they walk into training. Introduce yourself and learn their names. Welcome the whole group once training begins. 2. Take time for proper introductions: Never rush right into the technical content. Give them a chance to introduce themselves. Include some kind of energizing icebreaker that sets the tone for learning. 3. Get consensus on ground rules: It is important that learners accept and possibly help build the ground rules so they don’t feel the rules were forced upon them. 4. Involve all learners: Look for opportunities to include everyone. Make sure quieter learners have the chance to contribute. Provide opportunities for reflection and for working alone or in small groups. When someone asks a question, give others in the class a chance to answer it. 5. Provide positive reinforcement: Value earners comments and ideas – acknowledge their contributions. Learners also want to know how they are progressing through the material. Be specific about what they did well. If they make mistakes, praise the effort, while providing guidance on how to improve. 6. Manage disruptive behavior: Protect those who are there to learn. Do not let dominant or disruptive types get in the way of others’ learning. • Think about examples for each? 14
• We started by talking about how to deliver training that is learner focused and rooted in adult learning principles. Then we discussed how to create an environment conducive to learning. • Even with the right learning environment, you will still need to use instructional techniques and learning methods that keep people interested and motivated. • This next module lies at the core of ALP. We will talk about how to use a variety of interactive learning methods that help participants get much closer to the material than they would through straight lecture. 15
• In this module, we focus on the third competency for ALP facilitators: o Use a variety of learning methods that motivate and engage ALP learners. 16
• By the end of this module, you will be able to: 1. Describe the primary ALP learning methods and the pros and cons of each. 2. Demonstrate skills needed to facilitate using ALP learning methods. 17
• What do we mean by the term “learning method”? Think about it before reading the next sentence. o A “learning method” is any activity used in the classroom to convey course content. Examples include discussion, brainstorming, games, quizzes, case studies, and role-plays • What are your preferred learning methods as a trainer? o You may be asked to share with your peers • Do these differ from your preferences as a learner? 18
• You will find that ALP uses 6 main learning methods: 1. Small group activities: Breakout activity where the class is divided into smaller groups (typically a group of 5 people to keep it manageable and to allow everyone to contribute). It can be used for “brainstorming”, discussion, problem solving (for example, ALP frequently has cooperative members work on their development plans), or for role-play, and more. 2. Discussion: An exchange of ideas on a topic. It can be in small groups or with the whole class moderated by the ALP facilitator. During small group activities, group members will moderate their own discussions, though the facilitator may circulate to spend some time with each group. 3. Reflection: An underrated and underused learning method. In the the rush to get through all the material, it is tempting to reduce reflection time. This is a mistake because adults need time to process new material. ALP integrates opportunities for reflection into its formal learning design. For example, in some activities, learners will be asked to first think about something on their own before getting into a group. Self-assessments also encourage reflection. Informally, you can encourage reflection by pausing after asking a question. 4. Lecturette: A very short lecture! we strive to keep lectures brief in ALP. When covering technical knowledge, you can break up your lectures by asking questions and taking questions. A lecturette does not have to be an uninterrupted monologue like you might hear in a university classroom. 5. Mini-case study: It briefly describes a situation and asks learners to consider how they would handle it. Mini-case studies can be described orally by the facilitator, rather than being handed out in written form. 6. Role-play: Any activity that allows learners to perform a role in a particular situation. It is a type of small group activity. Role-plays are most powerful when they approximate the real-life situation learners might find themselves in. If you are asked to create and act out a sketch or perform as though you 19
are in a particular situation, that is a role-play. 19
• Here is an example of a small group activity. In this example, they are working with members of their cooperative, since they are working on something specific for their cooperative. o However, for activities that are more general in nature, like idea brainstorming, we try to assign random groups, so they have a chance to learn from those outside their own cooperative. 20
• Here is an example of a discussion. Note that discussions are not confined to the slides that say “Let’s discuss.” They can also take place within small group activities and during activity debriefs. 21
• Here is an example of how ALP imbeds reflections into a small group activity. o The advantage of reflection is that it levels the playing-field. Some learners are quieter and need more time to think before discussing. Others are happy to jump into discussion immediately. o Reflection gives the introspective learners some time to arrange their thoughts. Though everyone can benefit from reflection time, not just quiet people. 22
• You cannot avoid lecture. The facilitator must provide some content, especially for more technical topics like finance and accounting. o Strive to keep your lectures brief and focused. And intersperse them with questions and other interactions with learners. 23
• Here we have a case study in very broad strokes. 24
• The mini-case study overlaps with class discussion. o Learners are encouraged to put themselves into the position of the decision maker in the scenario and decide what they would do. 25
• Finally, here is an example of a role-play. Learners develop characters and build a sketch around a scenario assigned to them. 26
• There are skills that you will have to use time and time again when you facilitate ALP. You will have to know how to: 1. Lead discussions 2. Ask questions • How might these skills help you with the learning methods we just discussed? o Make the connection between asking good questions and prompting reflection. 27
• What makes someone a good discussion leader? • This question attempts to get at your role as a facilitator in using discussion to help learners share ideas, reflect on your experience, and write your answers to the question before reading on. • Good discussion leaders: o Ensure the discussion is not dominated by a few individuals. o Encourage everyone to participate. o Keep the discussion on topic. o Compare and contrast differing points of view. o Ask questions that clarify a point, probe for more information, and encourage reflection. o Pause to give time for reflection. o Summarize key points. o Recognize when it is time to conclude the discussion and move on. 28
• Why ask questions during facilitation? • Think about your answers before reading on. • Questions are asked: o To promote discussion (“What do you think about…. ?”) o To prompt an exchange of ideas or experiences (“Cooperative X, how have you dealt with this situation?) o To check for understanding (“What business records are you required to keep by law?”) o To encourage thinking and individual reflection (“What did you find most challenging about this?”) o To encourage the participation of quieter individuals (“What do you think, Edna?”) o To promote application of learning (“How will you use this in the future?”) 29
Can you think of more examples? 30
• Next we turn to two additional skills in the facilitator’s toolbox: feedback and communication. • These skills are different, yet related. Delivering feedback requires good communication skills. You have to choose your words carefully. o When giving feedback, you may have to tell someone something they do not want to hear. You will have to do that in a way that conveys the need for improvement, while inspiring them to want to improve. • Of course, communication skills are used in many situations beyond delivering feedback. o As a trainer, you must be a good speaker. The ability to speak comfortably and clearly and in a way that makes people want to listen to you – those are called “platform skills” and they are crucial in training. • We have tied feedback and communication together in this module for a very specific reason. You will find out why a little later! 31
• In this module, we focus on the fourth competency: Provide feedback that promotes learning and performance. • We also cover the fifth competency: Communicate in a way that strengthens learning. As I mentioned earlier, there is a reason we combined these two competencies in one module, which you will learn shortly. 32
• By the end of this module, you will be able to: 1. Differentiate between effective and ineffective feedback. 2. Deliver effective feedback using the 3M model. 3. Identify the speaking skills needed for ALP facilitation. 4. Demonstrate effective speaking skills. 33
• Think about a time when you received feedback you thought was effective o What made the feedback “good”? o What impact did the feedback have on you? • Reflect on these questions and be ready to discuss in a scheduled session 34
• Use the 3M model to deliver feedback: o Be measured: Balance the number of positive comments with the number of recommendations for improvement. Provide recommendations appropriate to the learner’s abilities. o Be meaningful: Be sincere and specific with your comments and anchor them to future performance. For example, “I liked how you did X. Next time, consider how you can build on this by including Y.” Avoid “good job” at all costs! o Be motivational: Leave the learner feeling motivated to improve. End on a positive note, concluding your remarks with what you liked most about the learner’s performance. This goes back to what we said earlier in the training about providing positive reinforcement. 35
• Is this feedback effective? Why or why not? 36
• Is this feedback effective? Why or why not? 37
• Is this feedback effective? Why or why not? 38
• Is this feedback effective? Why or why not? 39
Resources: Handout 7 – Speaking Skills Self-assessment • We will now transition from delivering feedback to speaking effectively. However, you will have the opportunity to practice delivering feedback before this module is over. o Why is it important for a trainer to be a good speaker? o What speaking skills do trainers need to have? • Think about your answers and then look into handout 8, which is a speaking skills self-assessment. • The purpose of this handout is to help you understand which speaking skills you already have and which ones you need to work on. o Take 5 minutes to read the questionnaire and respond to the statements by checking “never”, “sometimes”, or “always”. • It is hard to be objective about your own strengths and weaknesses. Try to think of specific examples of how you have used those skills. 40
• There are 5 techniques that will immediately make you a better speaker: 1. Vary your voice: Nothing puts people to sleep in training like a monotone. Change it up! Vary your volume. Lowering your voice can capture attention, as people assume what you are saying is serious and important (within reason, of course – they still need to be able to hear you). You will want to slow down for especially important material. 2. Use open, natural gestures: Pretend you are talking to a good friend. When you speak to a friend, you likely use some natural gestures. Do this, but on a bigger scale. When on a stage, everything has to be bigger than when you are speaking one on one – your gestures, your speaking volume, etc. 3. Stand confidently: Posture makes all the difference. Stand straight with your feet planted solidly on the floor. Avoid rocking or pacing. 4. Make eye contact: Eye contact is crucial in training. Looking at learners tells you a lot about whether they are understanding the material. It is also an acknowledgement of their contributions. Of course, use eye contact appropriately. Do not spend too long on one person or they will be unnerved! 5. Show enthusiasm: Use your voice, your facial expressions, and your gestures to communicate that you want to be there and that this matters to you. o What do we mean by each of these techniques? o Who can demonstrate each of these techniques? (Note to instructor: Be willing to step in and demonstrate if there are no volunteers.) o In the next activity, you will have a chance to practice these speaking skills and receive feedback from a partner. 41
Resources: Handout 8 – Feedback on Speaking Skills • Objective: Use public speaking techniques to deliver a 1-minute speech about yourself. • Grouping of participants: Individual • Duration: You have 1 minute to present. Gauge yourself to prepare • Process: You will be assigned a person to evaluate using handout 9. Which is the same form you will be evaluated by 1. Prepare your self introduction. 2. Consider how to use your voice, the words you use , and how to convey your message to capture attention. o Because this will be through a virtual class, body language will not be evaluated but be mindful of your body language 3. Deliver your 1-minute speech when invited 4. Receive feedback. • It is important for you to pay attention when others speak as well as when you receive feedback. When you receive feedback, consider: 1. What did the person say that was measured, meaningful, and motivational? 2. What will you change as a result of his or her feedback? 3. What overlaps do you see between speaking and giving feedback? o Do they require any similar skills? 42
• Think back to the learning experience you recalled at the beginning of this training—the one you defined as a good experience. • Do you still use what you learned from that experience? o If so, what was it about the learning that made it “stick”? • Making learning “stick” so it is applied or used is what we call “learning transfer.” 43
• In this module, we focus on the sixth competency: Facilitate learning to enable ALP participants apply what they returned when they return to their cooperatives 44
• In this module you will learn techniques to promote learning transfer. 45
Resources: Handout 9 – Improving Learning Transfer (article from Training) • Training magazine had a good definition from an article called “Improving Learning Transfer,” which is included in your handouts. According to this article, learning transfer is “the ability of a learner to apply the behavior, knowledge, and skills acquired in a learning event to the job, with a resulting improvement in job performance.” • In other words, learning transfer is about making learning “sticky”. o Think about how you, as facilitator, ensure that ALP learners remember and use what they learned when they return to their cooperatives 46
• What does learning transfer mean for ALP participants? o When you facilitate the ALP training, “what does success look like?” o It is important that ALP learners return to their cooperatives equipped to put their development plans into action 47
• There will always be factors that either inhibit or promote learning transfer for ALP cooperatives. • Review the inhibiting and promoting factors above. o Can you think of other factors that either inhibit or promote learning transfer? 48
• This is the ideal situation – the factors promoting learning transfer outweigh inhibiting factors. • We have designed ALP to maximize these promoting factors. For example, coaching occurs at regular intervals after the training. • It is your job to make sure the “promoting” factors outweigh the “inhibiting” factors… 49
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