Online Facilitation Models and Facilitation Tools

Facilitation Model

 

An Introductory Video of the Gilly Salmon Model

A facilitation model provides a roadmap for facilitating meeting, webinar, training etc. The model helps facilitators to guide participants through the process toward “agreed-upon outcomes” (The Grove Consultants International, 2023). The model becomes effective in the online space when creating a strong learning community which is “crucial for fostering engagement, collaboration, and support among students”. In general models exist for the facilitation of online courses (Ally, 2004; Moule, 2007: 37-50 as cited in Mbati & Minnaar, 2015). Examples of some of the more notable models according to Australian Flexible Learning Framework, 2003 are:

1. Salmon’s Five Stage Moderation Model,
2. Collison, Elbaum, Haavind and Tinker’s Facilitation model,
3. Paulsen’s Function model, and
4. Hootstein’s ‘Four Pairs of Shoes’ Model.

Of course, there are others, such as the Community of Inquiry (CoI) Framework, my preferred online facilitation model. The model of a Community of Inquiry (CoI) is a process that creates deep and meaningful learning experiences consisting of three key elements: Teaching presence, cognitive presence, and social presence. 

As recorded in Pressbooks, 2018:

Social Presence. The ability of participants to identify with the community, communicate purposefully in a trusting environment, and develop interpersonal relationships by way of projecting their individual personalities (Garrison, Anderson & Archer, 1999).

Cognitive Presence. The extent to which learners are able to construct and confirm meaning through sustained reflection and discourse in a critical Community of Inquiry (Garrison, Anderson & Archer 1999).

Teaching Presence. The design, facilitation and direction of cognitive and social processes for the purpose of realizing personally meaningful and educationally worthwhile learning outcomes (Garrison, Anderson & Archer, 1999).

Facilitation Tools

Tools used in the online space to facilitate training, meetings, etc. will significantly aide the success of

the goal to achieve. Consequently, the needs and preference must carefully be considered as there are a wide variety of tools from which to chose. Tools that can allow us to see and hear participants, such as WebEx, Ms. Teams, Skype, Zoom, Google Meet. These tools also allow us to collaborate through the chat, screen sharing, break-out rooms features, they also provide recordings. There are other tools that allow the sharing of documents, Google Workspace( Doc. Presentation, Jamboard etc.), Ms. Teams, NearPod as well as other for games and quizzes.

Favourite Facilitation Tool

CISCO WebEx "provides high-quality video and audio, screen sharing, and a host of other features like digital whiteboarding and breakout sessions" (Tugrul, 2023). I enjoy the emjos this platform offers.

References

1. Australian Flexible Learning Framework. (2003). Effective Online Facilitation. RENEW PROJECT. https://leonardorenew.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/8/9/10896304/no_facilitation-e-learning.pdf
2. Community of inquiry model | Denver. (n.d.). Denver. https://operations.du.edu/inclusive-teaching/community-inquiry-model
3. The Grove Consultants International. (2023). A model for meeting facilitation strategies | The grove consultants. Facilitating Change, Strategy & Teaming | The Grove Consultants. https://www.thegrove.com/methodology/facilitation-model#:~:text=A%20Model%20of%20Facilitation%20Mapped,involved%20in%20leading%20group%20process
4. How to share content in Webex meetings and webinars. (2022, May 31). University of Wisconsin KnowledgeBase. https://kb.wisc.edu/webex/page.php?id=88401#:~:text=Share%20your%20screen
5. Karr, D. (2023, May 8). Generational marketing: How each generation has adapted to and utilizes technology. Martech Zone. https://martech.zone/generation-technology/#:~:text=This%20generation%20primarily%20utilizes%20email,social%20media%2C%20and%20the%20internet
6. Mbati, L., & Minnaar, A. (2015). Guidelines towards the facilitation of interactive online learning programmes in higher education. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v16i2.2019
7. Pressbooks. (2018, July 9). Community of inquiry framework in online learning: Use of technology – Technology and the curriculum: Summer 2018. Pressbooks Create – Your partner in open publishing. https://pressbooks.pub/techandcurriculum/chapter/coi-and-online-learning/
8. Tugrul. (2023, July 6). Top 35 digital facilitation tools for virtual workshops & events. TrainingBusiness. https://www.trainingbusiness.com/35-digital-facilitation-tools/#29-cisco-webex-%F0%9F%8C%90