My initial thoughts on facilitation in a digital environment center around my own experiences with online learning. There have been some highs and lows in regards to online learning, and many of my so-called challenging experiences have come from what I interpret as poor facilitation.
3 initial thoughts I have about facilitation in digital environments
- Facilitation is a continuous process: A good facilitator is present often (sometimes daily), keeping the conversations going and responding to students in a timely matter. I find this maintains momentum of the learning environment and creates trust in the process.
- Maintain a social connection: It can be challenging to see each other as people in digital environments. Facilitating a group of people requires everyone to see each other as people, and not an avatar or username in a chat room.
- Be a model user: A facilitator is responsible for maintaining the standard for behaviour within the group, and this can be a challenge with large groups or among varied backgrounds. It’s important for the facilitator to set the standard for conduct, participation, and overall tone of the digital space.
2 questions about digital facilitation
- How do you keep everyone at the same speed in a digital learning environment or online course?
- How do you gauge participation from students who are more observers than contributors? (and is observing an equal participation?)
1 metaphor I have for digital facilitation
- “It’s like herding cats….”
