How to facilitate learning in psychoeducational groups using a constructivists approach.

1. Facilitating Learning in Psychoeducational Groups David Barry, Psychoeducational Groups

2. What the participants learn is far more important than what the facilitator says or does.

4. Lets start with a fundamental distinction Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups What is Information? What is Knowledge?

5. Lets start with a fundamental distinction Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups What is Information? What is Knowledge? Facts System of thought Data Wisdom Theories Integration of concepts Raw observations Ability to use data, facts

6. Lets start with a fundamental distinction Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups So information consists or external, objective facts and knowledge is how that information is internally organized and applied by the learner. What is Information? What is Knowledge? Facts System of thought Data Wisdom Theories Integration of concepts Raw observations Ability to use data, facts

7. Lets start with a fundamental distinction How do we go from here to here Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups What is Information? What is Knowledge? Facts System of thought Data Wisdom Theories Integration of concepts Raw observations Ability to use data, facts

8. Lets start with a fundamental distinction How do we acquire knowledge? Knowledge begins when learners begin to conceptually re-organize their experiences and adapt new ways of understanding their experiences. Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups What is Information? What is Knowledge?

9. Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups What is Information? What is Knowledge? How do learners adapt new ways of understanding their experiences?

10. Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups What is Information? What is Knowledge? Two phases to this adaptation process? 1] Assimilation of new information or skills 2] Accommodation of that information or skills with existing concepts or skill sets.

11. Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups What is Information? What is Knowledge? Two phases to this adaptation process? WHAT?

12. Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups Basically, learners first learn the new information or a skill and then reconstruct their “mental schemes” to accommodate the new information. What is Information? What is Knowledge? Two phases to this adaptation process.

13. . Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups What is Information? What is Knowledge? This adaptation process is referred to as a Constructivist View of learning. Basically, learners first learn the new information or a skill and then reconstruct their “mental scheme” to accommodate the new information

14. CONSTRUCTIVISTS VIEW OF LEARNING Question: "How do we come to know what we know?“ Response Knowledge is constructed in the mind of the learner. Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups What is Information? What is Knowledge?

15. CONSTRUCTIVISTS VIEW OF LEARNING Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups What is Information? What is Knowledge? Learners construct meaning and understanding. This concept of learning then requires a shift in how we think of the facilitator as a teacher.

16. CONSTRUCTIVISTS VIEW OF LEARNING Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups What is Information? What is Knowledge? In psychoeducational groups the facilitator focuses less being someone who "teaches" and actively becomes someone who facilitates learning.

17. CONSTRUCTIVISTS VIEW OF LEARNING Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups What is Information? What is Knowledge? This constructivist approach then shifts from the time spent telling participants what to think, to the time spent asking them what they think.

18. Remember the two phases of the adaptive learning process. Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups What is Information? What is Knowledge? Two phases to this adaptation process? 1] Assimilation of new information or skills 2] Accommodation of that information or skills with existing concepts or skill sets.

19. How can the facilitator help learners adapt new ways of understanding within this Constructivist View of learning? The real learning begins when the participants start doing most of the talking! Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups

22. How can the facilitator help learners adapt new ways of understanding within this Constructivist View of learning? The real learning begins when the participants start doing most of the talking!

23. How about a five question self-check to see if you have been able to integrate this information into your concepts about facilitating psychoeducational groups. Self-check

24. Self-check Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups 1] What are the two phases of the “adaptive learning” process? A] Listening and thinking B] Inspection and reflection C] Assimilation and accommodation D] Passive and active

25. Self-check Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups 1] What are the two phases of the “adaptive learning” process? C] Assimilation and accommodation Great! Lets go on to the next question.

26. Self-check Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups 2] Which statement best defines the “Constructivist View” of the learning process? A] Learning is an independent activity that is more dependent on the learner rather than the teacher, B] Learners first learn the new information or a skill and then reconstruct their “mental scheme”. C] Knowledge is built from the accumulation of “atomic facts”. D] The teacher needs to “construe meaning” to the information presented.

27. Self-check Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups Great! Lets go on to the next question. 2] Which statement best defines the “Constructivist View” of the learning process? B] Learners first learn the new information or a skill and then reconstruct their “mental scheme”.

28. Self-check Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups 3] What are the implications of this “Constructivist View” for facilitating psychoeducational groups? A] Facilitation is based more on helping people learn than on just providing information. B] Facilitation is a two part process involving talking and listening. C] Facilitation also involves evaluating learner progress in very objective terms. D] Facilitation is more learner centered than fact centered.

29. Self-check Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups Great! Lets go on to the next question. 3] What are the implications of this “Constructivist View” for facilitating psychoeducational groups? A] Facilitation is based more on helping people learn than on just providing information.

30. Self-check Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups 4] Which statement best describes the facilitation skills in the assimilation versus accommodation phases of learning? A] The facilitator is more passive in the accommodation phase. B] In assimilation the facilitator helps provide information and in accommodation the facilitator helps participants integrate the information. C] This is a trick question, they are the same skills. D] In assimilation there is more responsibility on the facilitator and in accommodation more on the learner.

31. Self-check Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups Great! Lets go on to the next question. 4] Which statement best describes the facilitation skills in the assimilation versus accommodation phases of learning? B] In assimilation the facilitator helps provide information and in accommodation the facilitator helps participants integrate the information.

32. Self-check Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups 5] In what ways does this presentation resemble a constructivist approach to learning? A] There is useful information that can be applied to psychoeducational groups. B] Clear definitions were given that can be used to help design psychoeducational groups. C] How we use this information is up for us to construe. D] Information is first presented and then learners have a chance to integrate and apply the information.

33. Self-check Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups Great! You have successfully completed this presentation. 5] In what ways does this presentation resemble a constructivist approach to learning? D] Information is first presented and then learners have a chance to integrate and apply the information.

34. This was a presentation focusing on “Promoting Learning in Psychoeducational Groups.” The takeaway messages for this presentation are: 1]What the participants learn is far more important than what the facilitator says or does. 2] The real learning begins when the participants are doing most of the talking. Hope you enjoyed the presentation and visit more of our site.

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