Facilitating online communication and/or learning (course work)

A recent submission to my elearning course.

Facilitators need a large supply of skills to help keep them on top of their online environments and keep them apprised of the communication and learning that is taking place among their learners.

Audrey Choden wrote in an article[i] for http://www.suite101.com/ “According to Australia’s Natural Training Authority (now the Department of Education, Science and Training) Conceptual Model of Influences on Online Teaching and Learning[ii], the competencies required of online facilitators to ensure an effective online learning environment include:

• Instructional – questioning, supporting, leading and pacing,
  providing explanation and additional resources. Induction programs, the
  establishment and maintenance of learning communities, group tutorials and
  individual feedback.
• Managerial – keeping to the task, agenda, timetable, procedural rules and decision-making norms and tracking student participation.
• Social – creating a friendly social environment in which a climate for learning is promote.
• Technical – participants need to be comfortable with the system and the software in use.

The Jennifer Hoffman captures in her article for ASTD’s January 2000 issue of Learning Circuits[iii], several key points that all facilitators themselves should know before creating synchronous learning environments.

• Participate before you facilitate. – try a session yourself
• Be an advocate. – if this is a new initiative at work be supportive
• Practice, practice, practice. – rehearse first
• Learn the technology. – know the tools you are using
• Keep tuned in to the participants. – know how to read your participants’ moods
• Prompt some form of interaction every 3 to 5 minutes.
• Record questions that are asked in the session’s chat function.
• Use a teaching assistant. – an assistant can help during live chats with questions/technology
• Collaborate.
• Encourage coaching.

[i] Audery Choden, How to Succeed as an Online Facilitator http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/training_and_development/45384/2, August 8, 2000.
[ii] Australian National Training Authority (ANTA), http://www.tafe.sa.edu.au/lsrsc/one/natproj/tal/conmodel/facilitation.htm (Note: I can no long find a current web reference for this model, however I do like these points captured by other authors)
[iii] Jennifer Hofmann, Making Synchronous Training a Success, http://www.learningcircuits.org/2000/jan2000/Hofmann.htm, Learning Circuits, January 2000.