Questions you should consider:
— Will the teaching and learning methods contribute to the achievement of the learning outcomes?
— Do they complement the content?
— Do they meet the needs of the learners (what they need to learn and how they are able to learn)?
— Are the necessary resources available (human, financial, physical)?
Key skills required for facilitation of learning
A challenge for the agroforestry teacher and curriculum developer is to equip the participants with effective and suitable teaching and learning strategies and approaches.
Tips for trainers:
—Ensure that participants in the training are engaged and involved actively in the learning process.
—Understand the content of the course; monitor strictly whether participants understand the content of the course and, if not, act swiftly.
—Co-ordinate and help learners participate in learning activities which will help them to construct their own learning from the training course.
—Clarify meaning and help learners contextualize it to their own life circumstances.
—Help learners see how new knowledge can be applied in useful ways.
—Help and encourage learners to voice their opinions, raise questions and discuss issues with the trainer and with each other.
—Provide and distribute relevant information and learning materials which are needed to enhance learning.
—Monitor with the participants the group dynamics, communication processes and the achievement of learning outcomes.
—Be aware of conflicts or blockages to learning, and find ways of resolving these with the participants.
Types of learning methods:
—lectures/presentations
—group discussions/group work
—brainstorming
—demonstration
—reading
—exercises/problems
—case study analysis
—role play/simulations
—games
—practicals
—project work/research
—field visits
—attachments.