3 Initial thoughts about digital facilitation are:
1) It is FUN. In 2021 we have seen how much of life can be orchestrated through a conferencing app. We have seen educators get better and better at using these tools, incorporating more multimedia, and creating impactful interactions for students. There are more and more tools hitting the market, like Miro or gather.io which allow educators to really make learning in a digital environment engaging and fun.
2) It is more chill. In many cases digital facilitation places the learner and instructor in environments they have set up to support their learning; comfortable, coffee in hand, ready. Students can take part anywhere, any location, any time zone. With the formalities of a traditional school, environment removed students can be in their sweat pants or have a baby on their knee, ready to learn.
3) Accessibility. If a student has individual accommodations for accessibility they can access those without classmates having to be aware. Need a screen reader, a mobility device, an interpreter, digital facilitation can allow some students with disabilities access to learning in their personalized environment.
2 Main questions that come to mind are:
1) How can we tell if our digital facilitation is meeting the student’s needs?
2) How often should we as facilitators in digital environments switch technology?
1 Metaphor
Facilitating in a digital environment is like surfing, you can plan your wave and practice your technique but you can’t control the ocean.