New WebJunction course: Facilitating learning groups
Have you ever started to teach yourself a new skill and lost steam midway through? Or wanted to find an instructor-led course, but they’re just too expensive? Yes, us too. It’s a common experience where learning on its own can feel isolating and lack accountability, and instructor-led training can be pricey and hard to find.
Learning with peers who understand your work is a great alternative that can motivate you to apply what you're learning, much like an instructor-led course. Learning groups are a great approach that can provide structure, help shape team culture, improve staff morale, and increase a team’s ability to meet their community’s needs.
At WebJunction, we are huge fans of learning together and have published the on-demand course Facilitated Learning Groups to support this approach. This quick, 30-minute self-paced course provides an introduction to learning groups and walks you through how to organize and facilitate one.
Support for facilitators
Think you need to be an expert to facilitate a learning group? Think again. A facilitator is the person who brings a group together, keeps them on track, and creates conditions where learning can thrive. The facilitator is not a teacher nor an expert on the topic. Rather, they are the person who convenes and coordinates the group and facilitates discussions.
The course offers the practical steps for planning a learning group, using the Facilitation Guide that accompanies the course module. Additionally, the course covers factors to consider when making logistical decisions, such as meeting online versus in-person and scheduling. The final section guides the learner in facilitating discussions, including how to develop effective questions, techniques for redirecting the discussion, and how to gather feedback and keep momentum going.
Our testers had these comments about the course:
- Great information! It was also concise while still informative.
- It broke it down into manageable steps that built on the previous slide.
- I thought it was thoughtfully designed.
- I liked the fact that it was straightforward and simple with the information it provided. The structure made sense for the topic.
Applying your new facilitation skills
WebJunction courses and webinars lend themselves to learning groups. Many courses include discussion and activity guides to assist a facilitator, and our webinars often include a Learning Guide with similar prompts to aid a facilitator.
We hope you will take advantage of this new course, which guides you through facilitating a learning group. Find a friend to co-facilitate with you. What do you want to learn about, and who will learn with you? The curiosity and experiences of learners in the group make it a powerful and motivating experience.