| Lecture |
- STRENGTHS:
- - presents factual material in direct, logical manner
- - contains experience which inspires
- - stimulates thinking to open discussion
- - useful for large groups
- LIMITATIONS:
- - experts are not always good teachers
- - audience is passive
- - learning is difficult to gauge
- - communication in one way
- PREPARATION:
- - needs clear introduction and summary
- - needs time and content limit to be effective
- - should include examples, anecdotes
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| Lecture With Discussion |
- STRENGTHS:
- - involves audience at least after the lecture
- - audience can question, clarify & challenge
- LIMITATIONS:
- - time may limit discussion period
- - quality is limited to quality of questions and discussion
- PREPARATION:
- - requires that questions be prepared prior to discussion
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| Panel of Experts |
- STRENGTHS:
- - allows experts to present different opinions
- - can provoke better discussion than a one person discussion
- - frequent change of speaker keeps attention from lagging
- LIMITATIONS:
- - experts may not be good speakers
- - personalities may overshadow content
- - subject may not be in logical order
- PREPARATION:
- - facilitator coordinates focus of panel, introduces and summarizes
- - briefs panel
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| Brainstorming |
- STRENGTHS:
- - listening exercise that allows creative thinking for new ideas
- - encourages full participation because all ideas equally recorded
- - draws on group's knowledge and experience
- - spirit of congeniality is created
- - one idea can spark off other other ideas
- LIMITATIONS:
- - can be unfocused
- - needs to be limited to 5 - 7 minutes
- - people may have difficulty getting away from known reality
- - if not facilitated well, criticism and evaluation may occur
- PREPARATION:
- - facilitator selects issue
- - must have some ideas if group needs to be stimulated
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| Videotapes |
- STRENGTHS:
- - entertaining way of teaching content and raising issues
- - keep group's attention
- - looks professional
- - stimulates discussion
- LIMITATIONS:
- - can raise too many issues to have a focused discussion
- - discussion may not have full participation
- - only as effective as following discussion
- PREPARATION:
- - need to set up equipment
- - effective only if facilitator prepares questions to discuss after the show
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| Class Discussion |
- STRENGTHS:
- - pools ideas and experiences from group
- - effective after a presentation, film or experience that needs to be analyzed
- - allows everyone to participate in an active process
- LIMITATIONS:
- - not practical with more that 20 people
- - few people can dominate
- - others may not participate
- - is time consuming
- - can get off the track
- PREPARATION:
- - requires careful planning by facilitator to guide discussion
- - requires question outline
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| Small Group Discussion |
- STRENGTHS:
- - allows participation of everyone
- - people often more comfortable in small groups
- - can reach group consensus
- LIMITATIONS:
- - needs careful thought as to purpose of group
- - groups may get side tracked
- PREPARATION:
- - needs to prepare specific tasks or questions for group to answer
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| Case Studies |
- STRENGTHS:
- - develops analytic and problem solving skills
- - allows for exploration of solutions for complex issues
- - allows student to apply new knowledge and skills
- LIMITATIONS:
- - people may not see relevance to own situation
- - insufficient information can lead to inappropriate results
- PREPARATION:
- - case must be clearly defined in some cases
- - case study must be prepared
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| Role Playing |
- STRENGTHS:
- - introduces problem situation dramatically
- - provides opportunity for people to assume roles of others and thus appreciate another point of view
- - allows for exploration of solutions
- - provides opportunity to practice skills
- LIMITATIONS:
- - people may be too self-conscious
- - not appropriate for large groups
- - people may feel threatened
- PREPARATION:
- - trainer has to define problem situation and roles clearly
- - trainer must give very clear instructions
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| Report-Back Sessions |
- STRENGTHS:
- - allows for large group discussion of role plays, case studies, and small group exercise
- - gives people a chance to reflect on experience
- - each group takes responsibility for its operation
- LIMITATIONS:
- - can be repetitive if each small group says the same thing
- PREPARATION:
- - trainer has to prepare questions for groups to discuss
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| Worksheets/Surveys |
- STRENGTHS:
- - allows people to thing for themselves without being influences by others
- - individual thoughts can then be shared in large group
- LIMITATIONS:
- - can be used only for short period of time
- PREPARATION:
- - facilitator has to prepare handouts
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| Index Card Exercise |
- STRENGTHS:
- - opportunity to explore difficult and complex issues
- LIMITATIONS:
- - people may not do exercise
- PREPARATION:
- - facilitator must prepare questions
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| Guest Speaker |
- STRENGTHS:
- - personalizes topic
- - breaks down audience's stereotypes
- LIMITATIONS:
- - may not be a good speaker
- PREPARATION:
- - contact speakers and coordinate
- - introduce speaker appropriately
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| Values Clarification Exercise |
- STRENGTHS:
- - opportunity to explore values and beliefs
- - allows people to discuss values in a safe environment
- - gives structure to discussion
- LIMITATION:
- - people may not be honest
- - people may be too self-conscious
- PREPARATION:
- - facilitator must carefully prepare exercise
- - must give clear instructions
- - facilitator must prepare discussion question
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