Facilitation for different learning styles

Aims of the tool

To introduce facilitation, demonstrate different learning styles, and help participants understand how to adapt facilitation methods to suit various learning styles using Kolb’s cycle as a framework.

Description of the tool

Introduction
Establish learning environment and energize group for the session. Trainers introduce themselves, facilitate quick energizer. 5 minutes

Discussion + theory
Discover existing participants' knowledge about facilitation and educate about existing ones.
Open discussion about what is facilitation. Writing down ideas on a flipchart. Then revealing several definitions.
10 minutes

Theater sketch task
Explore what kind of learning styles exists and understand how different they are. Participants work in small groups. Each group receives a paper with one type of learning style. Their task is to come up with a 1 minute theater play (sketch) without using words. Each group has 5 minutes to come up with an idea of what they will show. Each group has 1 minute for the show, others try to guess. 20 minutes

Debriefing 1
Facilitate a discussion on the experience of embodying different learning learning styles:
How was it?
How did you feel while preparing sketches?
Which learning style fits more for you and why?
How have you experienced different learning styles?
7,5 minutes

Theory
Help the participants to connect the experience with a theoretical model.
Trainers explain Kolb’s cycle. Then participants have a few minutes to connect the learning styles with Kolb’s cycle parts.
10 minutes

Closing / reflection
Encourage participants to reflect on their experience and connect it with facilitation process
Facilitate a discussion on how Kolb’s cycle and its connection to learning styles can benefit in their facilitation process :
How can you apply the knowledge about Kolb’s cycle and Learning styles in your facilitation process?
7,5 minutes

Total time: 60 minutes