Chapter 1: Basics of Online Interaction
Chapter 2: Pre & Post Evaluation
Chapter 3: Online Interaction Project Management & Leadership
Chapter 4: Communication & Facilitation Skills for Online
Leaders and Facilitators
Chapter 5: All Things Technical
Chapter 6: Content and Subject Matter Experts
Chapter 7: The Importance of Adult Learning for ToT –
materials
Chapter 1: Basics of Online Interaction
Knowledge Sharing Goals
- Explain what online interaction is and lead a discussion on how it might
be useful to the audience. What is online interaction? How can it serve your
needs?
- Help participants explore and understand the differences and similarities
of online and offline interaction.
Participant Skills
- Ability to imagine how online interaction might support their work as demonstrated
by group brainstorming or other activity.
- Development of a clear and concise online interaction project purpose statement
using purpose checklist, measured by ability of others in the group to understand
the purpose statement.
Participant Qualities to Encourage
- Willingness to experiment
- Comfort with something new
Supporting Materials
Potential Activities
- Lecture/PPT: What is online interaction
- Success Stories: Have participants share past success stories from offline
collaborations and then think about how they might have been implemented online
or with an online component.
- Go Online: Have participants enter and use the online environment for introductions
or other workshop activity.
- Compare Online/Offline: Compare a potential activity as if it were offline
and online. Record differences and similarities on a flipchart. Note how many
similarities there are and what unique differences we should pay attention
to.
Chapter 2: Pre & Post Evaluation
Target Audience Pre-Assessment
Knowledge Sharing Goals
- Understand why knowing the target audience increases the chance of success
in an online interaction.
- Understand what types of pre-assessment information can be gathered and
analyzed.
- Existing skills & knowledge
- Motivations
- Opportunities & constraints
- Understand potential audience and situational pre-assessment strategies
- Draw a connection between target audience and purpose using pre-assessment
data.
Participant Skills
- Able to develop or modify an existing audience assessment tools and use
it to collect data from the target audience.
- Pre-surveys
- Observations
- Discussions with key constituents
- Existing data (computer literacy results, etc)
Qualities
- Past assessment or evaluation experience
Supporting Materials
Potential Activities
- Use the Tool: Use the audience assessment checklist
in the group and create a summary.
- Lecture: Show PPT and then do a Q&A and discussions
about how participants might go about pre-assessing their target audiences.
- Imagine If: Have the group imagine what would
happen if a project was planned in such a way that it did not meet the audience’s
need. Then ask them to imagine again if the audience’s needs were met.
Post Evaluation and Ongoing Improvement
Knowledge Sharing Goals
- Understand the value and importance of evaluation as a way to learn from
experience and future improvement.
- Understand the different types of evaluation and their uses.
- Understand techniques for review and ongoing evaluation during online and
offline group interactions.
- Know the basic data that must be reported to Project Harmony.
- Know how to apply evaluation data for specific process improvement.
Participant Skills
- Identify and select from evaluation options:
- Quantitative: number of active/passive participants, number of posts,
number of posts per participants, number of documents or outputs created
- Qualitative: post interaction satisfaction and knowledge surveys, observation
of post event participant skills, feedback from key constituents or leaders,
organizational satisfaction, any significant results or changes that resulted
from the interaction
- Understand how to summarize an online event as a way to share what happened
with others
Potential Activities
- Creating Summaries: Divide participants into
working groups. Give each group a copy of the “How to Create Summaries”
if you have not reviewed this in the workshop. Give each group 5-10 messages
from a previous online interaction and ask them to create a final summary
post with the key points from the messages. Report back to full group on the
process of creating the summaries. What was easy? What was difficult? How
might these summaries be useful to the participants?
- Did We Achieve Our Goal? Briefly describe a past
project. Ask the participants to then write down in a few sentences the following
question: “If you were leading this project, how would you evaluate
the project? How would you understand and report your final results”?
Discuss as a group or in larger groups, in break out groups.
- Writing Evaluation Questions: Divide into small
groups of 4-5. Ask each group to write 4-5 evaluation survey questions. Then
pass the questions between groups and ask them in the second round to evaluate
the questions from the other group from this perspective: “How could
you use the data gained from these questions for improving the next online
event you plan?” Debrief with the full group and explore which questions
generated the most usable/applicable data. Pay attention to the type of question:
yes/no, open ended, Likert scale etc. and look for patters about which kind
of question generated the most useful data.
- Each one Teach One: Have each participant teach
another participant something they have already learned on the training. In
debrief, discuss the importance of ongoing review to assess how people are
learning what they need for doing an online event or partnership.
- Ball Toss: Using a small ball, have the group
sit in a circle. First you toss the ball to somebody in the circle, and whoever
has the ball asks a question and tosses it to someone else to answer. Serves
as a way to review what has been learned so far and provide an indication
to the trainer what needs more review. This technique can also be used to
share what an individual has already learned.
- Expectations & Results: At the start of a
F2F meeting or online interaction, ask the participants to share their expectations.
At or near the end, bring out the list of expectations and check to see if
they have been met. In the debrief address how unmet expectations might be
met in the future.
CHAPTER 3: Online Interaction Project
Management & Leadership
Note: this is the largest
section of the training. You may wish to provide this training in phases with
the most important information first, and save some secondary points for subsequent
training.
Knowledge Sharing Goals
- Understand how planning can make their online interaction projects and
event easier and more successful. Understand the importance of back up plans
or “plan B.”
- Consider the means and importance of blending online and offline activities.
- Consider how to have a team to support the online interaction and explore
potential roles and responsibilities
- Understand the importance of norms/agreements/rules
Participant Skills
- Using the Purpose developed in Section 1 and the audience pre-assessment
from Section 2, develop an agenda for an online event or a timeline for a
longer-term online interaction. Goal is for participant to think through the
steps that might be required in preparation for planning.
- Using an imaginary or real situation, develop a plan that includes the following
elements as appropriate:
- Purpose
- Target audience
- Invitation or recruitment plan
- Orientation
- Definition of key discussions or interactions (See Section 5)
- Norms and Agreements
- Roles and Responsibilities of project team
- Participant expectations
- Communications plans
- Review other needed materials
- Supporting content (see also content/subject expertise)
- Orientation materials
- Subject matter content (see Section 6)
- Evaluation forms (See Section 2)
- Be able to plan and deliver an orientation session
- Be able to improvise an example of a changing condition, calling for “Plan
B”
Qualities
- Focused
- Acts professionally
- Positive
- Confident
- Charismatic
- Flexible
- Tenacious
- Takes initiative
- Serves the group and the purpose
Supporting Materials
Potential Activities
- Group Break Outs for Timelines and/or Planning: Break
the group into smaller groups of 5 each and have them create a timeline or
draft plan for a real or imagined online interaction. Have them briefly present
to the full group and get feedback/suggestions for improvement.
- Draft an Invitation: Have each participant draft
an invitation to an online event. Then compare with another person for feedback.
As a full group, ask them to notice what they would do differently the next
time.
- Draft Norms and Agreements: In small groups have
the participants discuss potential norms and agreements. Ask them to identify
their top three and report back to the group. Look for similarities and differences.
In the debrief, ask how they would enforce the norms and reinforce the point
that keeping norms and agreements simple and as few as possible makes them
more likely to be understood and adopted. Over control of adults tends to
make them not want to participate. Preview how they will learn about role
modeling norms in the facilitation section #4).
- Improvising and Plan B: In advance, prepare 2-3
sentences describing an online event scenario. Ask three participants to come
up and act out the scenario. Part way in, change a key situation and ask them
to continue, improvising to adjust to the change. Debrief: discuss both the
importance of plan B – thinking about what might go wrong and having
a plan – and the ability to quickly adjust and improvise to changing
conditions. Reinforce that this is one of the advantages of the online environment
- you can quickly make changes and adjust an online environment.
- Compare to Past Experiences: Ask participants
to describe a time when they did a good job planning and leading a collaboration
and event. Discuss how planning can make things easier and more successful.
- Pick and Choose: Put a variety of examples of
supporting materials out and ask small groups to assemble the ones that best
fit their planned project. Ask them to discuss how they would change or customize
the materials.
CHAPTER 4: Communication & Facilitation
Skills for Online Leaders and Facilitators
Knowledge Sharing Goals
- Share general tips for successful online communication for participants
- Understand the importance of welcoming and acknowledging “first posts”
- Know what a “new-bee” is and why they are important in online
groups
- Understand the importance and practice of using simple and understandable
language online
- Describe the difference between “push and pull” online communications
and how to use both in online interactions.
- Understand the importance of reward and reciprocity in encouraging productive
online interactions.
- Understand the use of questions in facilitating group interactions.
- Understand how to engage passive or “missing” participants.
- Understand the importance of both “social” and “topical”
online interactions and how to foster each of these
Participant Skills
- Demonstrate the ability to write short, clear postings/messages
- Practice how to engage silent or passive online participants with online
and offline strategies.
- Practice using questions to stimulate and focus online conversations.
- Practice simple language.
- Practice an online game
Qualities
- Confidence
- Diplomacy
- Professionalism
- Tactfulness
- Patience and ability to listen
Supporting Materials
Potential Activities
- Post It Note Exercise: To get people to imagine
what it is like to communicate in a text only environment, have the carry
on a simple conversation using “post it” notes as a simulation
for online postings/messages. Divide the group into smaller groups of 3-5.
Put a blank flipchart sheet on the wall for each group and give each person
4-6 post it notes. Tell them that once the activity starts there is to be
no communication other than what is being written on the post it – no
talking, no gesturing of any kind. Ask the first person to write a question
on a post it note and post it at the top left of the flip chart. Then ask
the others to silently read the question. The next person writes their answer
or response on a post it and places it below the first post it. The other
people in turn “reply.” Continue for 5 minutes. Then call the
group back to debrief and ask them to describe the experience of having to
communicate only in text. Compare to a verbal conversation. What are the similarities?
What are the differences?
- Rewarding Participation Discussion: Ask participants
how they encourage and reward participants in a F2F interaction. Record these
on a flip chart. Then ask them to brainstorm how these might be done online.
- Show examples: Gather examples from your past
online projects that show long, complex posts and short, concise posts. Ask
participants to compare and contrast. Which do they prefer? Why?
- “Before and After” Simplification Exercise:
Break the group into groups of 3-5. Give each of them a complex posting and
ask them to create a simplified version in 5 minutes. Have the groups come
back and read their “before and after” posts!
- Question me a Question: Ask the group to brainstorm
good open ended questions. You may wish to start with an example of a closed
and open question. Closed questions are often “yes or no” questions
which tend not to stimulate deeper thinking or discussion. In the debrief,
also reinforce that the facilitator should not always be the one answering
questions. Even if you know the answer, support the group in coming to their
own conclusions and answers for deeper learning.
- Practice Facilitating a Discussion: This can
either be done in small groups or as a fish bowl. Give each group a discussion
topic/scenario and ask one person to facilitate a five minute conversation.
Debrief what went well and what they suggest for improvement and note on a
flipchart. If doing a fishbowl, you can also use the option of bringing in
new speakers and having a longer “conversation.” Share the “Facilitips”
and “Facilitator Qualities” documents as additional follow up
if desired.
- Just Three Words: demonstrate the game, “Just
Three Words” offline or online. The rules are simple. Each person can
respond with just three words, no more nor less. The first person starts with
three words and then go around the circle, each person responding with just
three words. Debrief on how the experience felt and how this game can get
people comfortable posting online without having to create deep thoughtful
posts. It’s an easy “first step into the water!” Brainstorm
other simple online games and suggest a separate online “social space”
so that the games don’t distract from the work or purpose.
CHAPTER 5: All Things Technical
Knowledge Sharing Goals
- Understanding why it is important for a leader/facilitator to get comfortable
with technology – it isn’t so bad!
- Know what specific technical skills you have to learn and how others may
help support you (have a strong technical person on your team)
- Review key online interaction technical terms
Participant Skills
- Assess their current technical skills, fears and develop a list of things
they need/want to learn and a plan to learn them.
- Discuss how to support others with a lack of technical skills or confidence
with those skills, which act as barriers to participation.
- Practice describing how to log on to an online space and make a posting.
(This will vary depending on the software in use
- Be able to identify 3-5 tools for online interaction
- Be able to define and describe the difference between a discussion and
a folder containing multiple discussions.
Qualities
- Ability to explain technical skills in simple terms
- Ability to assist others with technical questions or problems
- Experience creating online materials
Supporting Materials
Potential Activities
- Try It!: Have participants go online and play
“Just Three Words” online or other online discussion. If in a
computer lab, ask them not to talk during the activity. Debrief how it felt
to log on – and note differences between experienced and novice participants.
Chapter 6: Content and Subject Matter
Experts
Knowledge Sharing Goals
- Understand why and how content supports and drives online interaction
- Understand how content complements “purpose”
- Understand the potential roles of subject matter experts in an online interaction
- Understand the importance of online research skills, networking skills for
expert recruitment and specific selection and support skills for experts.
Participant Skills
- How to determine if you need to bring in external experts
- How to find and choose external experts
- Evaluating experts post-event
Qualities
- Critical thinking skills (get data before rushing to judgment)
- Intuition (on experts)
Supporting Materials
Activities
- Brainstorm Content Identification: Divide the
group into small groups of 3-5. Give each one a subject (can be different
or all the same) and ask them to think about 2-3 resources that might support
a group’s discussion on that subject.
- Brainstorm Subject Matter Identification & Recruitment:
Suggest a subject that some of the participants are familiar with. Tell them
they are to recruit an expert to participate in their online interaction on
this topic. Give the group 10 minutes to find the best potential 2-3 experts
in the room. Debrief asking what kinds of questions they asked to determine
expertise and willingness of potential “experts” to participate
in the fictional online interaction. Discuss the difference between expertise
and willingness to share that expertise and how that might inform their selection
process.
CHAPTER 7: The Importance of Adult Learning
for ToT – materials
Supporting Materials