PBL pearl Vol 2 (#7): How can we be better facilitators?

This week I thought I would put out as a point of discussion how we can be better facilitators. This is based on a lot of reading I am doing of late and many conversations with previous tutors. The general consensus is the facilitator should always try to step back and observe the group function. By this I mean look at how group members reason, engage in their critical thinking and process information, and
how they interact with each other. We should avoid teaching and instead act as a resource trying to take students to the end of their knowledge, helping them realize when they are not focused. The biggest task is to assist the group to be self aware and self correcting and most importantly modeling good group behavior. As any facilitator we must give timely (i.e., prompt) and effective feedback.....and we should
not let things build. Most important we need to be flexible, these are smart souls. Last but not least life is short so have fun.

A teacher's purpose is not to create students in his own image, but to develop students who can create their own image. ~Author Unknown


I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework. ~Lily Tomlin as "Edith Ann"

Maynard