Facilitating on Purpose

In this episode, host Beth Cougler Blom shares several recommendations about how to work with course content that you might, at first, consider dry or boring and make it come alive for your learners.

It's not the content of our sessions that is naturally "dry" - it's how we approach it when we're designing the learning experience!

Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast:

• Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube
• Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com

Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom:

• Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at [email protected]
• Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design
• Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage
• Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn

Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.

Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions

In this episode, Beth chats with Jan Keck, an experience designer, facilitator, and trainer whose mission is to help people feel less alone. Jan shares with us some of the ways he intentionally helps people create deeper human connection through facilitation.

Beth and Jan also explore:

• Considering people's senses and feelings when designing experiences
• Increasing participants' comfort levels - and therefore engagement - over time
• The necessity of bringing more play into facilitations
• Fostering connection with and between very large groups

Connect with Jan:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrjankeck
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjankeck
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/mrjankeck
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jankeck
• Free Resource: The Secret to Avoiding Crickets in Online Meetings

Other Links from the Episode:

• Priya Parker

Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast:

• Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube
• Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com

Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom:

• Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at [email protected]
• Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design
• Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage
• Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn

Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions

In this episode, Beth talked with guest Hannah Brown about her new book, Training that Clicks: Virtual Design Playbook, which is all about designing and facilitating virtual learning. Hannah helps us remember to use technology to our advantage and think both about our participants' experience and how we need to show up as facilitators in virtual spaces.

Beth and Hannah also explore:

• the different people involved in learning and development and how their needs vary
• focusing on desired performance or behaviour changes in learners
• finding a good tech host to support virtual training
• extending participants' learning before and after virtual sessions
• engaging learners who may show up as "resistors"

Engage with Hannah Brown:

• Website: PerformanceMatters.ca
• Training that Clicks book
• Design for a Digital Age course
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahbrown-kw/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0WloB_Py0hi05s5_PmqJUA

Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast:

• Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube
• Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com

Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom:

• Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at [email protected]
• Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design
• Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage
• Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn

Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions

In this episode Beth talks with her parents, Ron and Elaine Cougler, and her brother, Kevin Cougler, about being lifelong learners and how that has presented itself in their family. Listen for ideas to take into your own life and relationships – with family, friends, or colleagues – about how to be and support each other as lifelong learners.

The Cougler Family also explore:

• Learning when we're ready to learn and seeking out learning
• Supporting and being supported by people in our life
• The effort it takes to be lifelong learners
• Taking risks and learning from failure

Engage with Ron, Elaine, and Kevin Cougler

• Kevin Cougler, Founder, STEM Camp
• Elaine Cougler, Author & Speaker – ElaineCougler.com
• Ron Cougler, STEM Camp Foundation

Other Links from the Episode

• Ron Calhoun (family friend of the Couglers) was the National Special Events Chair for Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope. Elaine wrote his biography in her book, The Man Behind the Marathons.
• Elaine Cougler's four historical fiction novels, the Loyalist books
• Beth's book, Design to Engage: How to Create and Facilitate a Great Learning Experience For Any Group
• The "God particle" Kevin refers to is the Higgs boson particle

Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast:

• Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube
• Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com

Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom:

• Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at [email protected]
• Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design
• Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage
• Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn

Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions

In this episode, Beth talks with guest Taruna Goel about the facilitator's role in helping participants become expert learners, and how facilitators can strive to become expert learners themselves.

Beth and Taruna also explore:

• Being strategic and taking more active roles as facilitators
• What it means to be an expert learner
• How we can use the Universal Design for Learning Guidelines to make learning inclusive and transformative for everyone
• Investing in our own personal learning, including formal and informal learning
• Expecting and designing for learner variability

Engage with Taruna Goel:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/write2tg
• LinkedIn
• Blog: Designed for Learning!
• Becoming an Expert Learner

Other Resources and Links from the Episode:

• Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice - book by Anne Meyer, David H. Rose and David Gordon
• CAST - Universal Design for Learning Guidelines

Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast:

• Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube
• Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com

Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom:

• Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at [email protected]
• Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design
• Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage
• Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn

Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions

In this episode, host Beth Cougler Blom shares some mistakes that she has made recently in her facilitation practice and talks about what she's doing about them to keep learning in her work.

Beth also explores the following:

• showing our humanity as facilitators
• using inclusive language
• finding the words to speak up against racism
• the vulnerability and bravery involved in revealing our mistakes

Other Links From the Episode:

• Liberating Structures
• Brave video by Sara Bareilles
• Facilitating on Purpose Episode 3: Inclusive Facilitation with Susana Guardado
• Priya Parker's repost of Brad Montague's "fail-a-bration" post
• Brad Montague on Instagram
• Teaching in Higher Ed podcast - Ep 427 with Dave Cormier

Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast:

• Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube
• Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com

Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom:

• Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at [email protected]
• Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design
• Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage
• Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn

Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions

In this episode, Beth chats with guest Tara Jaskowiak from Groundwork about the business side of facilitation, focusing on planning and communications strategies that facilitators can use to support their success. This look behind the scenes will be valuable for either people who own a facilitation-related business or who do facilitation work inside an organization.

Beth and Tara also explore:

• Tara's five elements of communication
• Using storytelling skills to make connections with others
• Reflecting on and replicating strategies for success
• Getting clear on and communicating boundaries
• Using values to drive business/organizational decision-making

Engage with Tara Jaskowiak, Groundwork:

• Groundwork
• Instagram: @the.groundwork

Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast:

• Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube
• Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com

Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom:

• Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at [email protected]
• Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design
• Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage
• Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn

Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions

In this episode, Beth chats with Moe Poirier of Shift Facilitation about the importance of leaders learning facilitation skills and how the fields of coaching and facilitation are a lot alike.

Beth and Moe also explore:

• the core mindsets and skillsets of facilitators
• how to deal with their 'fraud voice' as facilitators
• how organizations can use facilitation skills to support their success

Engage with Moe Poirier, Shift Facilitation:

• shiftfacilitation.com
• fivepersonas.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moepoirier/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SHIFT_Canada
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shiftfacilitation/

Other Links from the Episode:

• Chad Littlefield's book, How to Make Virtual Engagement Easy
• Chase Jeffels, Actor, Creator, Comedian. https://www.chasejeffels.com/
• Liberating Structures: https://www.liberatingstructures.com/
• Rebecca Sutherns: https://rebeccasutherns.com/

Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast:

• Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube
• Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com

Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom:

• Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at [email protected]
• Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design
• Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage
• Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn

Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions

In this episode, Beth and guest Susana Guardado of Bright Light Ideas talk about how facilitators can create inclusive learning spaces and experiences in which people feel valued, respected, and accepted.

They also explore:

• Listening to learners to be able to meaningfully engage them
• Learning from feedback to continue to grow as facilitators
• Designing learner-centred sessions
• Using techniques of visual thinking and visual facilitation to support people's experiences and learning

Engage with Susana Guardado:

• brightlightideas.ca
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-guardado
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sus.guardado.5

Other Links from the Episode:

• Facilitative Equity course with Nakia, LiLi Kathleen, Derek, and Anna
• BCcampus

Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast:

• Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube
• Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com

Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom:

• Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at [email protected]
• Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design
• Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage
• Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn

Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions

In this episode, host Beth Cougler Blom shares why she chose the name of the podcast, Facilitating on Purpose. She talks about what that means and why we might want to facilitate learning with our groups on purpose, as well as some initial ideas of how to do that.

Listen in to learn more about:

• bringing intentionality to designing and facilitating learning experiences
• what it looks like to not be intentional and how to overcome that
• how time management is intricately interwined with the learning design process
• how being learner-centred and paying attention to learning outcomes supports the design and facilitation of effective learning experiences, and
• why making time for learning how to elevate your facilitation practice as professional development can be a really good thing

Connect with the Facilitating on Purpose podcast:

• Follow Facilitating on Purpose on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube
• Show notes and transcripts available at facilitatingonpurpose.com

Connect with Host Beth Cougler Blom:

• Give feedback or suggest upcoming show topics or guests at [email protected]
• Visit bcblearning.com to explore Beth's company's services in facilitation and learning design
• Purchase a copy of Beth's book, Design to Engage
• Follow Beth on Instagram or LinkedIn

Podcast production services by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions