Module Information

Module Identifier
MMM5920
Module Title
Facilitation for Organisation Leadership
Academic Year
2014/2015
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Co-Requisite
None
Pre-Requisite
First degree or equivalent professional experience
Other Staff

Course Delivery

Delivery Type Delivery length / details
Lecture Introductory and developmental lectures on days 1 & 2 (16 hours)
Seminars / Tutorials Seminar held on the morning of day 4 to review and summarise knowledge of the principles of facilitation and the development of facilitation skills (3 hours)
Practical Formatively assessed practical sessions on days 3 and 4 where participants will participate in and design facilitated sessions and facilitate purposive discussions on a range of relevant leadership and management issues with their fellow learners (5 hours) Summatively assessed facilitation activity on Day 5. (8 hours)
Other Action Learning Sets on day 3 enabling participants to develop ideas and resolve issues related to their facilitation skills, experiences and competence (8 hours)
Workload Breakdown 40 contact hours in total with a further 160 hours dedicated to background research and reading, researching and completing written assignments and the designing and preparation of sessions for facilitation as part of the practical assessment.
 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment 3000 word essay  60%
Semester Assessment Design, with written rationale, and Facilitate two 20 minute sessions   40%
Supplementary Assessment 3000 word essay  60%
Supplementary Assessment Design, with written rationale, and Facilitate two 20 minute sessions  40%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Critically evaluate the academic basis to models and processes of facilitation as a means to progress and enhance leadership for organizational change

Critically evaluate the role of facilitation as a tool of effective leadership and management

Demonstrate a conceptual and practical appreciation of a range formal and informal facilitation techniques

Demonstrate the ability to design, facilitate and evaluate an appropriate and progressive learning discussion on leadership and management issues to achieve intended objectives.

Acquire an appropriate level of skills to enable a group to develop ideas and identify feasible options for progressing a management project

Content

The module will be delivered over 2 x 2 day teaching blocks and 1 day as a formal assessment within one semester see as follows:

Week 1
Days 1 & 2: Introduction to academic and practical development of facilitation as a skill and development of the range of facilitation approaches and techniques;

2 week break

Week 4
Day 3: Practical experiential learning on participation in and facilitation of Action Learning Sets to develop ideas and formulate strategies for the resolution of particular leadership and management issues; introduction to a formal facilitation process;
Day 4: Review, development and evaluation of formal sessions facilitated by the learners; including the formative practical module assessment component.

Week 5
Day 5: Summative assessment of facilitation skills where learners will design, plan and facilitate a twenty minute session with their fellow learners on a relevant leadership and management topic. This will include individual reflection and group feedback on strengths and development areas for each facilitated session.

Brief description

Students will develop a critical appreciation of the rationale for the use of facilitation as a pedagogic tool, an evaluation of the range of models and techniques proposed and used, and be provided with an opportunity to acquire effective individual facilitation skills, and the knowledge, self-reflection and experience to use facilitation effectively and appropriately. As part of the module assessment, learners will be required to design and facilitate sessions and to submit written assessed work in order to demonstrate an appropriate depth of understanding of the theory and application of facilitation.

Aims

Provide delegates with an understanding of the pedagogic value of facilitated learning and the skills and knowledge required to facilitate groups through:

  • Developing a critical appreciation of the academic development of facilitation and action learning as a leadership tool;
  • Evaluate the range of models and techniques for the facilitation process;
  • Acquire skills to plan and structure leadership and management activities which require facilitation;
  • Acquire a critical appreciation of, and practical experience in the range of techniques commonly used in facilitation techniques;
  • Gain knowledge and understanding of group dynamics and challenging behaviours within groups, and an appreciate of the skills required to handle these;
  • Gain knowledge of and experience in the use of appropriate management feedback in a facilitated learning context;
  • Plan, organise and facilitate leadership and management group learning activities.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number
Communication Verbal communication skills will be covered as a fundamental element of facilitation and the ability to write academically at an advanced level will be assessed through the written assignment
Improving own Learning and Performance It is envisaged that this module will be primarily accessed by learners who are also working and who will therefore be able to apply their learning to the workplace and their work to the learning experience
Information Technology
Personal Development and Career planning This module will support the development and support of current and future leaders and managers within their organisations, through the acquisition of a range of skills including: communication, supporting teams, developing solutions.
Problem solving The ability to select and develop appropriate facilitation techniques for particular leadership and management scenarios and to utilise them to identify feasible solutions
Research skills Identification and assimilation of background research, particularly in support of the written assignment
Subject Specific Skills
Team work The conduct of Action Learning Sets inherently entail team working and team development. The overall ethos of delivery will be for learners to support and challenge each other.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 7