Training Goals
- Facilitators will gain experience applying Practice-Based Facilitation to case studies around different open-ended exhibits.
- Facilitators will collaborate to deepen understanding of the three Practice-Based Facilitation pathways and how to navigate them with visitors.
Training Guide
Review Practice-Based Facilitation. Welcome participants and explain that they will be working to review and apply their understanding of Practice-Based Facilitation to several case studies and (if desired for this training) their museum floor. Ask participants to describe each of the following aspects of PBF in review:
- Engagement categories: Different ways a visitor might engage with an exhibit. These progress from basic to complex and will vary depending on exhibit, age range, family dynamics, background, prior knowledge, and more.
- Practices: These are the actions that experts in the field engage in that visitors may also do. MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration uses the NGSS Science and Engineering Practices as a starting point for identifying practices and includes additional disciplinary practices. Review the practices identified in PBF Bite #3- Broaden Practices.
- Facilitation Pathway 1- Change Engagement: Using talk moves, facilitators can choose to change the engagement category a visitor is interacting with an exhibit in. For example, if a child if picking up balls to place in a bucket, the facilitator can encourage the child to try rolling the ball through the exhibit.
- Facilitation Pathway 2- Expand Practices: Using talk moves, facilitators can choose to change the practice a visitor is using with an exhibit. For example, if a visitor is making observations about a phenomenon and poses a prediction for why the phenomenon is occurring, the facilitator may encourage the visitor to systematically test their prediction.
- Facilitation Pathway 3- Optimize a Practice: using talk moves, facilitators can choose to deepen the visitor’s engagement with a practice they are already using. For example, if a visitor is creating in a makerspace environment with some of the materials provided, the facilitator might encourage the visitor to take more creative risks by incorporating unusual materials found throughout the maker space.
Leave space for discussion of any lingering questions or comments about how PBF might apply to participants’ institution or role at their institution.
Case Study 1. Show participants the Heartbeat Drum Case Study video and ask them to consider:
- What PBF moves the facilitator makes in this case study
- How you might incorporate different PBF moves that (1) Change the visitor's engagement category, (2) Expand the visitor's use of practices, or (3) Optimize the use of a practice.
After viewing the video, use Think-Pair-Share to encourage discussion about how PBF fits into this facilitation encounter and the questions above.
Case Study 2. In small groups, ask participants to read through the MindBall Case Study Transcript. If participants are unfamiliar with this exhibit, encourage them to explore the MindBall website first. Ask participants to consider:
- What PBF moves the facilitator makes in this case study
- How you might incorporate different PBF moves that (1) Change the visitor's engagement category, (2) Expand the visitor's use of practices, or (3) Optimize the use of a practice.
After small group discussions, ask each group to share out their thinking and discuss their responses to the above questions. It is important to note that there is no right or wrong answers in this discussion and everyone’s approach and comfort with different exhibits and the three PBF pathways will vary.
Optional Floor Application. In small groups, ask participants to select an open-ended exhibit within the training institution and observe visitors interacting with the exhibit. Encourage them to identify the engagement categories visitors are in, the practices they are using, and identify a facilitation pathway to use. If time permits, encourage participants to interact with visitors and practice the facilitation pathways.
After approximately 10-15 minutes on the exhibit floor, reconvene and discuss as a whole group the successes, challenges, and remaining questions participants have. Note that PBF takes time and practice before feeling comfortable and encourage participants to practice applying PBF in their day-to-day interactions with visitors.