Facilitator Training Program CUR/532

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Facilitator Training Program: Signature Assignment
Christian Reid, Larena Thede, Suyen Chamberlain, Tammie Johnson
CUR/532
Gregory Jackson
30 August 2021

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Part I: Vital Information
Audience
This manual is intended for tenured and adjunct faculty who have completed at least a Master of
Education in any concentration. Qualifications include having experience in facilitating a program
on a traditional campus with face-to-face interaction and courses. Skill level varies based on
experience in the program and as a facilitator as well as familiarity with technology. Adjuncts tend
to have a working knowledge of modern technological modes of communication while tenured
have detailed methods of facilitating programs efficiently and effectively.
Goals
1. To provide tools which enable facilitators the capability to incorporate technology
into the current curriculum in order to provide an effective and efficient program of
online education.
2. To provide the ability to communicate asynchronously so as to eliminate the need
for all participants to be in the same place or even the same time (Haythornthwaite,
C., & Andrews, R., 2011, p. 33).
3. To provide the tools necessary to create a webpage by which faculty can
communicate with facilitator and facilitator can communicate with supervisor.
Objectives
1. Given the manual and tools to incorporate web-based learning, a facilitator should
be able to incorporate technology into the existing curriculum to aid in
communication as well as: planning, designing, implementing, and assessing a
program of online education, by the end of one semester.

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2. Given the webtools for online communication, facilitator should merge the two
modes of communicating with faculty in order to establish skill set necessary to
give and receive feedback asynchronously so as to eliminate most face-to-face
communication by semester’s end.
3. Utilizing traditional methods of communicating, designing, implementing, and
assessing programs, and then incorporating the tools and methods learned when
obtaining these tools of online education, a facilitator should be able to design an
interactive webpage which allows for instruction, feedback, and assessment for
both facilitator, staff, and supervisor by the end of the semester.
Summative Evaluation
Utilizing the platform provided, the facilitator should design a web-based interactive page
which can be utilized at the beginning of the second semester. The web page should be a working
simulation of what will be available to the faculty upon completion of the first semester of
integration. Implementing the tools and methods found in the manual throughout a semester, while
still relying partly on traditional methods of communication and planning of program, will help
with acclimation of technological tools. The web page should follow the same criteria as any
summative assessment and should contain specifically:
 Clear goals of program
 Clear objectives of program
 Link or portal providing asynchronous communication via the web
 Links to web-based resources
Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2011), p. 95
*note

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Various tools and strategies should be tested alongside traditional methods throughout the first
semester to ensure multiple modes of communication and feedback are implemented as programs
and faculty will change according to budget and culture. Providing tools on the summative
assessment that are both effective and easy-to-use encourages practicality of use.
Part II: Facilitator Skills and Instructional Materials
Skills needed for effective distance learning facilitators
1. Transparent Communication – Like all successful training programs, transparent
communication is regarded as the highest desirable attribute because it offers open and
honest dialogue to allow the trainee to learn from all forms of feedback, good or bad.
2. Proficient Technology Use – An effective distance education facilitator must be proficient
in technology including staying up to date on all the latest programs that encompass
collaborative work and how to trouble shoot basic programs like Word, Excel, and
PowerPoint.
3. Effective Online Teaching Skills – Navigating and facilitating learning in an online course
takes more than beginner’s luck. Practice and developing these skills is an essential part of
being an educator.
4. Active Participation – Creating a presence that ensures the facilitator is always around for
support is important.
5. Timely Responses – In a distance learning course majority of the students, if not all, have
limited availability and are often never online during the same time as anyone else or the
facilitator. So, it imperative to answer all student’s questions and private messages in a
swift manner is important to keep the students on track.

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Phases of Development
 It is important for facilitators to undergo the scaffolding method when it comes to learning
the skills required to be an effective distance education instructor
o Master one concept before moving on to the next
o Allows for a stronger foundation and builds on existing skills
 Phase Model
o Stage 1- at this stage the teacher becomes the learner by gather information with the
purpose to develop skills needed to perform instructional tasks when using
technology (Palloff & Pratt, 2011). Peer outreach and feedback is helpful for this
stage.
o Stage 2- According to Palloff and Pratt (2011), at this stage instructor’s experiment
with various forms of technology seeking feedback and support from peers and
mentors.
o Stage 3- at this point the instructor has been using technology and implemented
tools that have proven a success; enhancing these tools through topic specific
workshops are recommended at this stage.
o Stage 4- this is the stage where the teacher plays the role of affirmer or rejector;
“incentive systems work well at this phase” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p.49).
o Stage 5- the teacher takes on a leadership role and is encouraged to teach new
members to become an active researcher so as to expand their role (Palloff & Pratt,
2011).

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Theories of Distance Learning
1. Online Collaborative Learning
a. A learning theory that relies on the internet to facilitate a faster and more
collaborative environment that reshapes the norms of the formal and non-formal
environments.
2. Community of Inquiry
a. A model for online learning based around 3 concepts: cognitive, social, and
teaching.
b. This model “supports the design of online and blended courses as active learning
environments or communities dependent on instructors and students sharing ideas,
information, and opinions” (Picciano, 2017, pg 173).
3. Connectivism
a. A learning model that acknowledges and gives credit to the way the internet has
reshaped society and the laws of education with it.
b. Has taken the idea of education in a internal individualistic approach to one that
favors community and group activities to improve data sharing and information
gathering.
Theories for engaging Distance Learners
1. Community-Embedded Learning
a. This theory encompasses the idea of each individual bringing about their own
experiences within their organizations/communities and sharing it with the rest of

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their classmates. This is turn, builds a community developed knowledge and
framework that is shared with each student. Learners within this framework are
“embedded in work as well as social communities, often employed in jobs that are
related to the academic degree they are earning online” (Haythornwaite et all,
2007).
2. Learner-Leader Model
a. Based on the idea that learners participate in their own learning and assist in the
learning of others. “They engage in an emergent and iterative process of leading
and learning by providing and receiving information, experiences, and opinions to
and from fellow students” (Haythornwaite et all, 2007). This engagement often
happens in public discussion boards where students are asked to compare
information to their own experiences and then share what they have learned or how
it applied to them in that situation. This allows them to lead and follow in new
experiences for other students.
Phase III: Technology Tools
Learning Platform
 LMS is the platform utilized by faculty
Facilitator Processes
 Facilitators will complete lectures using PowerPoint. Facilitators will assure students have
access to videos by converting the PowerPoint lectures using MP4 conversion tool.
 Class discussions will be conducted using the LMS discussion forum/Communication
Board

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 Assign the group discussion to each student individually. This will only allow you and that
student to see you and their discussion.
 Go to your modules, go to LMS, choose course management icon, and choose the
assignment you would like to add, then add assignments.
 We will utilize a compatible tool such as Google suite, for grading assignments and
feedback. For this system, we will use Google Canvas.
Tools that can be utilized to enhance student learning
 Audio: Adobe Voice
 Video: iMovie
 Visuals and infographics: Easel.LY
 Games and simulations: we will use controlled environment real life simulated programs
to teach students.
Technology tools for student collaboration
 Class Craft: helps to motivate students to participate, encourage collaboration, develop
interpersonal relationships, and helps to develop teamwork between students.
 Yammer: This program can be used to create groups, create external networks for parents
to utilize and view students’ progress, and set up staff meetings.
 Mind Craft Educational: You can set up team leaders, set benchmark timers for
scheduled courses or assignments, create instructions and expectations for assignments,
encourage critical thinking and problem solving for group participation, and provides
researching tools for groups
All the tools listed above and through-out this portion of the project, are programs that not only
assist students individually or as a group, but also help facilitators and educators to create
relationships with their students. Technology help develop student learning rather traditional
or e-learning, and create student access to vital information to enhance learning, engagement
and apply critical thinking. These said technologies also work to expand the learning
environment and has the ability to support education across the globe and throughout the
world.

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Part IV: Issues and Classroom Management
Different Distance Learners
 The distance learners enrolled in this program will have earned at minimum, a
Bachelors degree; if they have earned a Master’s degree then the program will be
taken to earn CEU (continuing education units) which will be offered to students
seeking these units. Currently, the program is offered worldwide since it is an
online distance learning program and thus can be accessed at anytime, anywhere.
However, there is a requirement of having an advanced understanding (reading,
writing and speaking) of the English language as the program is currently only
offered in English. Preferably, students enrolling in the program are working
professionals or have working experience since the program will require that
participants have the knowledge and experience to share real world experiences in
the online classroom. The program will also offer technical assistance for students
that are accustomed to the traditional classroom learning setting. Students will be
able to access tutorials, there will be a phone number where students can contact a
live representative and there will be a 24-hour tech support via chat that students
can access at anytime to support their technical needs.
Synchronous vs Asynchronous Facilitation
 The program will offer both synchronous and asynchronous interactions.
Synchronous sessions will run in real time and will be available individually as
needed by learners reaching out to the facilitator and scheduling according to what

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works best for their schedules. Facilitators will also offer synchronous sessions
where the class participants can meet and contribute to the learning process. All
course material will be available to learners asynchronously as students taking the
course may not always be in the same time zones and so accessing class materials at
different hours and from different locations will be beneficial to the success of both
the program and the learners.
Technology Management issues and resolutions
 Information security- learners will be providing personal and financial information
upon enrollment and will also be sharing personal and professional information
when participating in class. The program has to ensure that the security of all
involved is secure from hackers by providing top of the line anti-virus software that
will be updated quarterly and monitored daily by proficient IT personnel.
 Fraud monitoring- it is difficult to monitor professional and academic honesty via
online distance learning. The program will monitor this barrier with required and
consistent participation in the online classroom. The facilitator will also closely
monitor the work that the learners submit so as to establish a pattern in the language
and style of work each individual submits.
 Technology integration and upgradation- students will have access to an IT
department that is accessible 24 hours a day so as to best support individuals needs
and barriers that may arise throughout the program. The program will also seek to
provide upgrades that are user friendly and also meet the highest expectations of
learners participating in the program.

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Learner Feedback
 Learners will be able to provide comments in the classroom forum; they will also
have the availability to message the class, individuals and the facilitators. Audio
messages will be accessible through user-friendly compatible software; audio
messages will only be allowed between the learner and program facilitator.
Challenging Behaviors
 Challenging behaviors will be unavoidable via online distance learning since
accountability is “loose” since there is minimal if any face-to-face interaction.
Cyber-bullying will not be tolerated as it can become threatening and hurtful and so
this can “cloud” the online learning experience that can in itself be challenging to
tackle for participants. Course facilitators will be tasked with monitoring class
posts. There will also be a department created to handle and monitor posts in all
courses. This department will randomly navigate different courses and ensure that
information being posted is appropriate and meets program standards.
 If and when a participant is not appropriately engaging in a course, the course
facilitator will reach out to the individual and an academic counselor to provide
support to the student. Exceptions on deadlines will be made on an individual basis
and circumstances.

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References
5 technology tools that enhance student learning. TeacherVision. (2018, October 4).
https://www.teachervision.com/teaching-strategies/5-technology-tools-that-
enhance- student-learning.
Haythornthwaite, C., & Andrews, R. (2011). E-learning theory and practice. Los Angeles, CA:
Sage.
Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2011). The excellent online instructor: Strategies for professional
development. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Picciano, A. G. (2017). Theories and frameworks for online education: Seeking an integrated
model. Online Learning, 21(3), 166-190. doi: 10.24059/olj.v21i3.1225
Showcase. (2021, February 12). What are the best online collaboration tools for students? Clear
Touch. https://www.getcleartouch.com/what-are-the-best-online-collaboration-
tools-for- students/.
The Best Schools(2021). https://thebestschools.org/resources/synchronous-vs-asynchronous-
programs-courses/