Blended Assess, strengthen, and practice your group facilitation skills through an integrated self-paced and Live Online learning experience.
Overview
Leaders at all levels spend a significant amount of time facilitating meetings on topics ranging from planning and professional learning to problem-solving and community engagement. Given the importance of this work, it is essential for leaders to strengthen their skills in group facilitation so that they may lead focused and efficient discussions that promote idea-generation and decision-making.
Professional Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education has introduced a new program called Strategies for Effective Facilitation that gives leaders the time and tools necessary to strengthen their skills in group facilitation. Through experiential learning, focused assessments, and practical feedback, participants will gain insights into various facilitation models, understand the importance of developing detailed facilitation plans, and learn innovative strategies to keep groups focused and productive.
Program Details
Strategies for Effective Facilitation is a professional learning program where participants experience job-embedded learning in both self-paced and live online settings. The program unfolds in the following three phases:
Phase I - Online, self-paced, and moderated by the instructional team: The program begins online, with participants spending five to seven hours over a three-week period assessing their group facilitation skills and exploring models and tools for leading group discussions.
Phase II – Live online sessions facilitated by Elizabeth City and other faculty: Participants spend a virtual weekend with Harvard faculty exploring facilitation strategies, moves, and protocols that will build the skills necessary to work through conflict and difficult discussions. The activities will foster a supportive community of practice among members of their cohort.
Phase III - Online, self-paced: Following the live online component, the program resumes online briefly. Participants will spend up to three hours practicing protocols and exploring other resources that will help them to master their facilitation skills over time.
If you are unable to participate in the Live Online portion of the program, we invite you to participate in just the self-paced portions of the program for $199. You will be able to select your preferred learning experience as part of the application process.
Program Objectives
- Understand your mental models of facilitation and collaboration
- Assess your strengths and learning edges and develop a learning plan in response
- Know the power of a good agenda and be able to plan an effective facilitation plan
- Explore and practice new facilitation strategies and moves and experience putting these newly acquired skills into practice
- Acquire strategies for managing unequal power dynamics and conflict within a group
- Expand your repertoire of tools for helping people connect, both online and off
