RSOM Faculty Development Guide: Start a Teaching Renaissance

Small group learning is different than didactic lectures.  In didactic lectures a facilitator is a sage on the stage meaning they are in front of the classroom lecturing and students are passively listening, taking notes, and sometimes asking questions.  In small group learning the facilitator is a guide on the side meaning they allow students to explore learning themselves while they support the process and give them advice, assistance, and correction.
 

Facilitator's Responsibilities

• Setting clear goals at the start of the session 
• Facilitating the session and ensuring it runs on time
• Maintaining the flow of content, ensuring a logical sequence of learning, and providing stimulating materials and questions
• Questioning students to check their understanding
• Encouraging students to ask questions throughout the session and participate
• Clarifying areas that may cause misunderstanding or confusion for students
• Providing effective feedback
• Managing the group dynamics, including resolving conflict and unprofessional behavior
• Critical reflection and lesson evaluation at the conclusion of the teaching session   

There are some key strategies and tools that a facilitator can use to ensure a successful session.

Meeting Management Strategies

• Design, plan, and focus the meeting - Make sure you are prepared to teach the meeting.  Plan it so that it will run smoothly and review all documents ahead of time.  
• Open the session - Make sure you properly open the session.  (See section on closing a session for more information.)
• Encourage participation - Make sure that all students are completing the activity.  When it is time to discuss ensure that all students answer questions.  We will talk more about this when we discuss questioning strategies.
• Consider all students’ ideas -  If students present an idea even if it’s incorrect consider it and discuss it with the class so they can determine why it is right or wrong.
• Manage the group process - If students are working in small groups within the larger class, then walk around the room and make sure all groups are functioning properly and working collectively to complete the task.
• Organize, connect, and summarize data and content -  You want to make sure that information presented by you and information gained through the activity is understood by the students.  Additionally you want to ensure that students can make connections between the information they are learning and information they have learned in the past.  Also another crucial point to consider is the level that students are on.  Do not present information that is above their level or explain things in a way that is too complex for them to understand.
• Bring the session to a close -  Make sure you officially close the session.  (See section on closing a session for more information.)

Tools for Meeting Management

Objectives and Agenda	You should provide a guide for the meeting.  Let students know their objectives.  What should they achieve by the end of the session? You should also have an agenda.  Let students know what activities will occur during the session and how much time will be spent on each activity.  This will help you manage your time as well.
Ground Rules	Ground Rules are particularly important if you have students working in groups in your session.  Rules will encourage participation, respectfulness, and keep students on task.
Parking Lot	This is a placeholder for any issues that come up that are off topic or any questions that you can’t answer.  If you put something in the parking lot you should write it down and address it either in an email to all students or at another class session.
Action Items/Next Steps	This is part of the session closing, will aid in the session summary, and let’s students know what they should do when they leave the session.

Effectively opening and closing a small group session will aid in student learning.  Below are some strategies you can use.

Opening a Session

• Establish rapport - Welcome the students, be energetic and enthusiastic, set the tone of the session.
• Discuss mutual expectations for instructor and students - Explain the behaviors that you expect of the students.  For example, you expect them to be engaged, to listen to their classmates and to you, and to answer questions when asked.  Also explain that you will do the same.  You will be engaged throughout, you will answer any questions students have, and listen to everyone when they are talking.  
• State the structure of the session - Explain everything that will happen during the session and in what order activities will occur, let students know if they will be working solo or in groups, explain how engagement and participation will happen.
• Explain the task - Tell students exactly what they have to do, go over all instructions, and answer any questions they may have. 

Closing a Session

• Have students identify new knowledge - Ask students to identify something new that they have learned.
• Give a summary of key points - Identify the most important things that you want students to get out of the session.  Display a list of the points so you can review them with students.
• Link back to course content - Link the small group activity to content learned in lectures and course materials.  
• Point out what was achieved - Remind students what they achieved during the session--the activity they completed and the new  knowledge they gained.
• Provide action items and next steps - Let students know what they should do after leaving this session.
• Thank the group for the discussion - Thank students for their engagement and let them know how much it enhanced the session and the discussion.