facilitatinglearning 110402123213-phpapp01-1

Facilitating Learning in

Psychoeducational GroupsDavid Barry, Psychoeducational Groups

What the participants learn is

far more important than what

the facilitator says or does.

Goal:

This presentation examines the learning process and how

facilitators can promote learning in psychoeducational

groups.

Self-check:

At the end of this presentation there is a short self-

check review for participants.

Facilitating Learning in Psychoeducational Groups

What is Information? What is Knowledge?

Lets start with a fundamental distinction

Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups


Facts System of thought

Data Wisdom

Theories Integration of concepts

Raw observations Ability to use data, facts





Data Wisdom





So information consists or external, objective

facts and knowledge is how that information

is internally organized and applied by the

learner.



Data Wisdom




How do

we go

from here

to here




How do we acquire knowledge?

Knowledge begins when learners begin to conceptually re-organize their experiences and adapt new ways of understanding their experiences.



How do learners adapt new ways

of understanding their experiences?



Two phases to this adaptation process?

1] Assimilation of new information or skills

2] Accommodation of that information or skills with

existing concepts or skill sets.




WHAT?



Two phases to this adaptation process.


Basically, learners first learn the new information

or a skill and then reconstruct their “mental

schemes” to accommodate the new information.


This adaptation process is referred to as a

Constructivist View of learning.

Basically, learners first learn the new information or a

skill and then reconstruct their “mental scheme” to

accommodate the new information



CONSTRUCTIVISTS VIEW OF LEARNING

Question:

"How do we come to know what we know?“

Response

Knowledge is constructed in the mind of the learner.



Learners construct meaning and understanding.

This concept of learning then requires a shift in

how we think of the facilitator as a teacher.




In psychoeducational groups the facilitator focuses

less being someone who "teaches" and actively

becomes someone who facilitates learning.




This constructivist approach then shifts from the

time spent telling participants what to think, to the

time spent asking them what they think.



Remember the two phases of

the adaptive learning process.



1] Assimilation of new information or skills

2] Accommodation of that information or skills with

existing concepts or skill sets.


How can the facilitator help learners adapt new ways of

understanding within this Constructivist View of learning?

The real learning begins when the

participants start doing most of the talking!


Facilitating Using a Constructivists Approach

In the Assimilation Phase the facilitator:

•Presents new information or demonstrates

skill

•Leads a guided discussion

•Generates a list with participant input

•Presents a story or scenario and asks for participant observations

•Provides handouts, printed materials or video about topic

Facilitating Using a Constructivists Approach

In the Accommodation Phase the facilitator:

•Asks participants for examples of how the new information or

skills can be used

•Has participants demonstrate skill of discuss information

•Gives participants chance to review their understanding of new information

•Has participants develop a story or scenario involving new skill\information

•Provides a class assignment for the next session

How can the facilitator help learners adapt new ways of

understanding within this Constructivist View of learning?

The real learning begins when the

participants start doing most of the talking!

How about a five question self-check to see if you have

been able to integrate this information into your concepts

about facilitating psychoeducational groups.

Self-check

Self-check


1] What are the two phases of the “adaptive learning”

process?

A] Listening and thinking

B] Inspection and reflection

C] Assimilation and accommodation

D] Passive and active

Self-check


1] What are the two phases of the “adaptive learning”

process?

C] Assimilation and accommodation

Great! Lets go on to the next question.

Self-check


2] Which statement best defines the “Constructivist View” of

the learning process?

A] Learning is an independent activity that is more

dependent on the learner rather than the teacher,

B] Learners first learn the new information or a skill

and then reconstruct their “mental scheme”.

C] Knowledge is built from the accumulation of “atomic

facts”.

D] The teacher needs to “construe meaning”

to the information presented.

Self-check



2] Which statement best defines the “Constructivist View” of

the learning process?

B] Learners first learn the new information

or a skill and then reconstruct their

“mental scheme”.

Self-check


3] What are the implications of this “Constructivist View” for

facilitating psychoeducational groups?

A] Facilitation is based more on helping people

learn than on just providing information.

B] Facilitation is a two part process involving talking

and listening.

C] Facilitation also involves evaluating learner

progress in very objective terms.

D] Facilitation is more learner centered than fact

centered.

Self-check



3] What are the implications of this “Constructivist View” for

facilitating psychoeducational groups?

A] Facilitation is based more on helping

people learn than on just providing

information.

Self-check


4] Which statement best describes the facilitation skills in

the assimilation versus accommodation phases of learning?

A] The facilitator is more passive in the accommodation

phase.

B] In assimilation the facilitator helps provide information

and in accommodation the facilitator helps participants

integrate the information.

C] This is a trick question, they are the same skills.

D] In assimilation there is more responsibility on

the facilitator and in accommodation more on the

learner.

Self-check



4] Which statement best describes the facilitation skills in

the assimilation versus accommodation phases of learning?

B] In assimilation the facilitator helps

provide information and in accommodation

the facilitator helps participants integrate

the information.

Self-check


5] In what ways does this presentation resemble a

constructivist approach to learning?

A] There is useful information that can be applied to

psychoeducational groups.

B] Clear definitions were given that can be used to help

design psychoeducational groups.

C] How we use this information is up for us to

construe.

D] Information is first presented and then learners have

a chance to integrate and apply the information.

Self-check


Great! You have successfully completed this presentation.

5] In what ways does this presentation resemble a

constructivist approach to learning?

D] Information is first presented and

then learners have a chance to

integrate and apply the information.

This was a presentation focusing on “Promoting

Learning in Psychoeducational Groups.”

The takeaway messages for this presentation are:

1]What the participants learn is far more important than

what the facilitator says or does.

2] The real learning begins when the participants are doing

most of the talking.

Hope you enjoyed the presentation

and visit more of our site.

Just click here to return to our site

Psychoeducational Groups.com

http://www.psychoeducationalgroups.com/

facilitatinglearning 110402123213-phpapp01-1

Education

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