Participation Training Facilitator Certificate Program

NO LONGER ACCEPTING NEW APPLICATIONS

The Adult and Continuing Education Department, IU School of Continuing Studies has developed an opportunity for you to earn a Participation Training Facilitator Certificate. Completion of this sequence of courses/workshops will enable you to skillfully use the PT Group Process of consensus decision-making with groups such as intact or ad hoc work teams or committees within an organization or community. This program is designed for private consultants, professional facilitators, professional trainers, organizational development specialists, community development specialists, in-house facilitators, and anyone who spends a significant amount of time working with groups. You must be fully admitted to the ACE program to apply.

This 11 credit hour Facilitator Certificate is offered to a limited number of participants each year. Participants are selected through an application process detailed at the bottom of this page.

The objectives for this Facilitator Certificate Program are for the participant to learn:

  • About the history and theory of PT as part of the community development process
  • Skills to become an effective group participant
  • Skills to become an effective group facilitator using the PT process
  • How groups can maximize participation, ownership and commitment in decision-making
  • When and how the PT Process may assist groups to make decisions effectively

Facilitator Certificate Program Requirements include successful completion of the following:

  • ACE-D 521 Participation Training (2 cr) as a participant
  • ACE-D 625 Special Topics Seminar: Listening Dynamics for Teaching and Learning (2 cr)
  • ACE-D 523 Small Group Theory (3 cr)
  • ACE-D 590 Independent Study in Adult Education: PT Observation (2 cr)
  • ACE-D 590 Independent Study in Adult Education: Advanced PT Group Facilitation (2 cr)

Descriptions of the required courses in the suggested order of completion:

ACE-D 625 Special Topics Seminar: Listening Dynamics for Teaching and Learning (2 cr)
This interactive workshop is for those who wish to learn and use active listening skills to improve their teaching and facilitation of student learning. (It is preferred that this course be completed first but if that is not possible it can be completed later in the sequence) This course involves one face-to-face full day meeting. Offered Summer 1 and 2

ACE-D 521 Participation Training (2 cr)
Team building in groups; collaborative program planning and implementation; application of the design to appropriate settings; training in the roles of group leader, observer, and recorder; recognition and treatment of dysfunctional behaviors in group settings. Emphasis on functional aspects of group cohesion, consensus decision making, shared leadership, and program evaluation. Participation training is a small group, consensus decision-making process. Offered Summer 1, 2 and Spring

ACE-D 523 Small Group Theory in Adult Education (3 cr)
Theory under-girding small group practices in adult education. Emphasis on conditions of collaborative effectiveness in decision-making groups and learning groups, consideration of major models of group formation and development, and implications of theory for social practice. Offered Summer 2 only.

ACE-D 590 Independent Study in Adult Education: PT Observation (2 cr)
For the purposes of completing the PT Facilitator Institute, students participate in the Participation Training again - this time as a participant-observer. The second time you are expected to do additional reading on PT; complete a set of observation notes on at least 6-8 TGO sequences completed by two or more different groups; This Independent Study includes additional preparation with the PT Facilitation Team in advance of the D521 workshop and a de-briefing session after the 3-day workshop. Some of the pre- and post-work may be completed within Oncourse using asynchronous and/or synchronous discussions.

ACE-D 590 Independent Study in Adult Education: Advanced PT Group Facilitation (2 cr)
Students must have completed Participation Training twice (as described above) and the Listening Dynamics Workshop before submitting an application to be selected for this Independent Study. The primary focus is additional preparation and experience as a PT Facilitator-in-Training during a PT Workshop. This Independent Study includes additional preparation with the PT Facilitation Team in advance of the workshop and a de-briefing session after the 3-day workshop. Some of the pre- and post-work may be completed within Oncourse using asynchronous and/or synchronous discussions. This Independent study includes full participation in PT as a Trainer. This includes lectures, observations, feedback, and critiquing group function.

Application

You can apply either before or after you have taken Listening Dynamics and/or Small Group Theory. You must be fully admitted to the ACE program to apply. Applicants must have previously completed PT.

If you are interested in this opportunity please submit the following information in an e-mail to Jeani.

  • Name
  • Address
  • Phone number
  • E-mail address
  • What classes have you already completed or are currently completing in the program
  • In approximately 200-300 words, please describe your experiences working with groups, group facilitation, and/or project teams.
  • In approximately 200-300 words, please describe why you want to pursue this certificate
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