According to C. R. Rogers, the learning process has been facilitated when:
- The student actively participates in the learning process and has control over its progress and direction.
- It is primarily based on direct interaction with personal and social problems.
- Self-evaluation is the principal method of assessing progress with an openness to change.
How do you determine if a student is truly engaged in the learning process?
They have the following characteristics:
- Reliable for their own learning. Students acknowledge that they must take charge of their own learning and self-evaluation. Students gradually define the (group) problems and set the goals based on the facilitated learning process. They understand how a specific activity relates to the goals; and, by using a group standard of excellence, they evaluate how well they have achieved the goals. Successful, engaged learners also have explicit terms of measurement and a criteria for assessing their work, complete with benchmarks to check their progress toward achieving their goal
- Stimulated by the learning process. Engaged students find excitement and pleasure in learning. They possess a lifelong passion for solving problems and understanding ideas or concepts. To such students, learning is naturally motivating.
- Strategically learning how to learn. Engaged students continually develop and refine their own learning and problem-solving strategies. This capacity for learning how to learn, even though the set standards may be based on continual changing information. Engaged learners can adapt, apply and exchange knowledge in order to creatively solve problems.
- Work together in support of their group. Engaged students understand that learning is social activity. They will be able to see themselves and their ideas as others in the group see them. They will be able to articulate their ideas to others, have empathy for each other, and will become fair-minded in dealing with contradictory or conflicting views. They will develop skills to identify the strengths and intelligences of themselves and others.
Important Note: Since EAL is designed to encourage students to engage in the learning process,
it is imperative that the program’s progress keep up with the developmental student.
EAL Facilitation is designed to encourage participants to:
- take charge of their own learning and self-evaluation;
- to define their group=s problems and set the goals;
- understand how a specific activity relates their goals;
- set a standard of excellence;
- evaluate how well they achieved their goals;
- identify terms of measurement to assess their achievements;
- find excitement and pleasure in learning;
- find a passion for solving problems;
- continually develop their own learning style;
- starve to learn, how to learn by continually exchanging information;
- adapt, apply and exchange knowledge to creatively solve problems;
- understand that individual learning is social activity;
- see themselves and their ideas as others in the group see them;
- articulate their ideas to others;
- have empathy for others in their group;
- become fair-minded in dealing conflicting views.
- develop skills to recognize the strengths in themselves and others.
Goals of a Facilitator:
• Awaken Enthusiasm: without enthusiasm, you will never have a meaningful experience; strive for a calm, intense flow of personal interest and keen alertness;•
• Focus Attention: enthusiasm alone isn’t enough; learning depends on each participant’s, focused attention; enthusiasm must be brought into focus;
• Direct Experience: as attention focuses, become more aware of what they are seeing, hearing, touching, and smelling; focus their attention on the task at hand;
• Share Inspiration: experience creates a deeper awareness of the objective; groups should be encouraged to share their personal experience in the debriefing process it will work to strengthen as well as clarify the experience.
Participants should be encouraged to:
• be an active participant in all group activities and discussions;
• willingly share ideas, opinions and insights with the rest of the group;
• be a good listener;
• help the discussion stay on task;
• assist the facilitator to deal with any tense situations;
• give undivided attention to questions and answers;
• respond to the questions directly;
• build upon another member’s response;
• ask questions often in order to remain clear and current on goals and objectives of the group’s interaction