Experimenting With Group Discussions

I am taking a class called Facilitating Adult Education at USM and last Saturday I facilitated a group discussion as part of the class. This class is fun for me since I facilitate classes all day at work. This is one of the few times I could select the topics I want to present and have complete freedom in my content selection. It was also challenging thinking about having a different audience. The presentations are also video taped so I can analyze it at home (the most painful part of the class!) .

At the last minute, I changed the outline. I had to rework the opening in my head just before starting the discussion. It didn't feel right but yet the discussion was on its way. The discussion moved along steadily fo the next 20 minutes. People were contributing opinions freely. I was albe to keep the group on track and work in the information I wanted to convey. It wasn't quite the way I planned it but it worked.

The discussion was on the use of questions to facilitate discussions. I wanted to present different styles of questions and discuss how they could be used by a facilitator. I wanted to discuss how how questions are ways to share control in a discussion. I didn't get the chance to make my full case but I was able to learn from the other people in the discussion.

I like these presentations. They give me a chance to try techniques that I have not used in my job. At work I have to be a subject matter expert and provide answers for learners. During this presentation, one of the participants asked me a direct question and I almost blurted out an answer. Instead, I choked back the response and turned the question around for the rest of the class to answer. I was surprised at the effect it had on the group. The conversation took on a life of its own. I found that I could let go of the control and still have the facilitation work. I never did answer her question.

I'll end this entry with a question but not an answer. Can a good group discussion ever go exactly as planned?