ClassInfo

Group process facilitation is used to help groups clarify and accomplish critical objectives and deliverables, achieve exceptional performance, solve complex problems, make high quality decisions, reach consensus, enhance learning and skill building using the strengths and knowledge of the group and help teams move through conflict. This seminar will introduce participants to a wide variety of participatory leadership, group decision making and meeting management theories, tools and techniques used to help groups meet their facilitation goals. Participants in this class will:

• Identify and examine key components of facilitation and link facilitation challenges with possible solutions

• Have a forum to clarify their facilitation capacities and goals and to share their experiences with each other

• Enhance their facilitation skills and start to develop facilitation strategies for their own work and practice

Group process facilitation is used to help groups clarify and accomplish critical objectives and deliverables, achieve exceptional performance, solve complex problems, make high quality decisions, reach consensus, enhance learning and skill building using the strengths and knowledge of the group and help teams move through conflict. This seminar will introduce participants to a wide variety of participatory leadership, group decision making and meeting management theories, tools and techniques used to help groups meet their facilitation goals. Participants in this class will:

• Identify and examine key components of facilitation and link facilitation challenges with possible solutions

• Have a forum to clarify their facilitation capacities and goals and to share their experiences with each other

• Enhance their facilitation skills and start to develop facilitation strategies for their own work and practice

The seminar is designed to:

1. Identify and examine key components of facilitation and link facilitation challenges with possible solutions.

2. Create a rigorous dialogue among the students and instructors. Participants' experience, their perceptions and their reactions to the ideas will, in part, determine what and how much is learned.

3. Provide a forum for the students to clarify their facilitation capacities and goals and to share their experiences with each other.

4. Brief students on theories and practical tools and techniques of facilitation.

5. Enhance facilitation skills and assist learners in developing facilitation strategies for their own work and practice.

In addition to the final paper, participants are expected to watch four short videos and read a series of web based articles on the Art of Hosting, team/group dynamics and decision making, and conflict management before the class begins. Class participants are expected to attend both days of class and participate actively in the discussions. Class participants are expected to arrive on time and stay for the entire class each day.

Group process facilitation is used to help groups clarify and accomplish critical objectives and deliverables, achieve exceptional performance, solve complex problems, make high quality decisions, reaching consensus, enhance learning and skill building using the strengths and knowledge of the group and help teams move through conflict. This seminar will introduce participants to a wide variety of participatory leadership, group decision making and meeting management theories, tools and techniques used to help groups meet their facilitation goals. Participants in this class will:

• Identify and examine key components of facilitation and link facilitation challenges with possible solutions

• Have a forum to clarify their facilitation capacities and goals and to share their experiences with each other

• Enhance their facilitation skills and start to develop facilitation strategies for their own work and practice

The seminar is designed to:

1. Identify and examine key components of facilitation and link facilitation challenges with possible solutions.

2. Create a rigorous dialogue among the students and instructors. Participants' experience, their perceptions and their reactions to the ideas will, in part, determine what and how much is learned.

3. Provide a forum for the students to clarify their facilitation capacities and goals and to share their experiences with each other.

4. Brief students on theories and practical tools and techniques of facilitation.

5. Enhance facilitation skills and assist learners in developing facilitation strategies for their own work and practice.

The class meets all day Friday and a half-day on Saturday. The first day covers the Art of Participatory Leadership, the role of a facilitator, and team/group dynamics. The second half-day covers how to navigate group and individual conflicts, manage meetings, and how to facilitate strategic planning processes. This class is designed to be interactive with careful consideration of the diverse and collective interests of the participants. The class design allows for different cognitive learning styles, for the special and complex challenges of cross-cultural learning, and for collegial sharing.

This class includes lectures, case studies, a panel discussion, large-group and small-group discussions, and problem-solving exercises. At the end of the class participants will be asked to write a final paper incorporating what they learned during the seminar. Options for the final paper include:

1. Case Summary Paper. This paper demonstrates the student's experience with facilitation and/or strategies for future facilitation.

2. Investigative Paper. This paper investigates a topic related to facilitation. This paper should include a literature review and practitioner tools related to the topic.

3. Observation and Analysis Paper. This paper involves: (1) observing a facilitated forum in the community (retreat, strategic planning session, public meeting, etc.); (2) a description and analysis of the session; (3) recommended tools and strategies for improvement.

The final paper is due Monday, July 10.

In addition to the final paper, participants are expected to watch four short videos and read a series of web based articles on the Art of Hosting, team/group dynamics and decision making, and conflict management before the class begins. Class participants are expected to attend both days of class and participate actively in the discussions. Class participants are expected to arrive on time and stay for the entire class each day.