Blog
Explore design & facilitation of learning
A checklist for returning to in person facilitation
In May I facilitated a half-day workshop at a Vancouver-area college and it marked my first in person facilitation since the pandemic took hold of us all in March 2020. I was thrilled to be back in a physical room again and revelled particularly in the sound of...
Top Six Tips for Facilitating Virtual Sessions
I got a lovely email recently from someone who said that she has so appreciated my book because it's full of great ideas. She asked me if I would share my top five or ten most important points for people to consider when teaching virtually, which I was doing long...
Creating an e-learning course in Culturally Safe Advance Care Planning
As a learning designer I get the chance every year to work with great organizations to build courses on interesting topics. Every topic is worthwhile of course, but sometimes one comes along that also has direct relevance to my own life. This happened last year when I...
Hone your workshop lesson plans with constructive alignment
Recently I was working with a client in a 1:1 consulting session and we were looking at their emerging lesson plan for a 2-hour workshop. I noticed some misalignments between the draft learning outcomes they’d written and the content and activities they’d designed...
How negative feedback can lead us towards more inclusive learning design
In my last post I described how to facilitate the Back to Back Listening activity virtually. What I didn't know then was that I would soon receive negative feedback about that activity from a participant. And it prompted me to think more intentionally about my design...
How to virtually facilitate Back to Back Listening
Back to Back Listening is one of my favourite "in development" Liberating Structures. It's not part of the original set of 33 but it's an activity that really works - both in person and virtually. You'll find the write-up of Back to Back Listening on the in...
Reflecting on 2021
About this time every year I take some time to look back on the year and reflect on my work. Come along on this journey to get a glimpse of some of the things (I can only mention a few here and there!) I was up to each quarter. January - March The start of 2021 marked...
Virtual Consulting Session Giveaway
Do you have my book, Design to Engage, and want to learn more, directly from me? Before midnight Pacific time on January 3, 2022, post a photo on Instagram, Facebook and/or LinkedIn of either you holding Design to Engage or the book itself, tag #designtoengage and my...
Google Easter Eggs for Facilitators
Have you ever heard of Google Easter eggs? They are "hidden features or messages, inside jokes, and cultural references inserted into media" and can be really fun surprises tucked into certain Google searches. Some of Google's Easter eggs could be both fun and useful...
Liberating Structures Templates in Mural
If you've had any interactions with me over the last several years I've probably mentioned Liberating Structures to you. Liberating Structures are powerful activities and processes that you can use in meetings and learning events to include all voices in the room and...
