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<\/a>Claire Crawford<\/p><\/div>\n
Crawford, along with 18 other upper-year students, is participating in the University\u2019s full-year Facilitating Communication and Critical Thinking in Groups course, which sees the class developing and examining the skill set necessary to lead group discussion as well as practically implementing these lessons by facilitating seminars for students in the first-year Introduction to Psychology course.<\/p>\n
The dual role demands about 10 hours of in-class time per week, split between seminar leadership and in-class exercises, but also pays students for their efforts and provides employment experience for their resum\u00e9s.<\/p>\n
For Crawford, the opportunity to work as a facilitator and examine concepts related to the psychology of human learning, including the importance of student engagement and asking good questions, as well as active versus passive learning, has led to some takeaways that will stay with her long after the semester ends.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the seminar, we practically apply theories while also learning skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and thinking on your feet \u2014 all things you don\u2019t necessarily develop in a normal course,\u201d she said. \u201cAll of those skills are really important for employers. Some people come out of their degree only knowing facts, but this experience sets us apart because we know how to communicate and lead as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Experiential learning exercises, like leading seminars, have become an integral part of most programs at Brock, and their importance within the Psychology program was reinforced by the course\u2019s professor, Tanya Martini.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can do lots of reading, but until you go out there and try to execute, it\u2019s difficult to fully appreciate those skills in practice,\u201d Martini said. \u201cThe course forces our facilitators to stretch themselves beyond the abstract to deal with the messiness of trying to apply the skills they have been reading and writing about.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crawford encountered the \u2018messiness\u2019 that Martini mentioned first-hand when she entered her first seminar last fall.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the start, I felt a bit like a chicken with its head cut off,\u201d she said. \u201cI had never been in a situation where I needed to lead a seminar before, and I felt like the students were expecting me to be a genius. But as we progressed together, I was able to reflect on and learn what skills worked best for me and the students in each seminar.\u201d<\/p>\n
The course also aimed to help seminar facilitators develop an enhanced appreciation of diversity, which Martini said is an important goal of any undergraduate Psychology course.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes those differences are obvious to us,\u201d she said. \u201cBut we also spend a fair amount of time talking about the invisible ways that students differ, including learning disabilities, mental health issues and sexual orientation, and how all of those characteristics can influence their learning and their participation in seminar.\u201d<\/p>\n
As she grew in her role, Crawford embraced the different responsibilities that leading a room full of diverse first-year students can bring.<\/p>\n
\u201cI try to have a healthy balance between being a role model and a peer facilitator,\u201d she said. \u201cI want to be there to guide them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martini said Crawford is a great example of the outlook and approach the course\u2019s professors are looking for in seminar facilitators, but that many personality types can succeed in the role.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we first started putting the course together, I made the mistake of thinking that we would have only extroverts,\u201d she said. \u201cBut all types of people find this to be a valuable experience and they can all be incredibly successful. We try to give everyone sufficient training so no one feels like they are being thrown in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crawford, who will graduate this spring, has used the experience of seminar facilitation and other course exercises, such as peer evaluation and preparing a 15-minute Ted-Ed talk, to consider new possibilities for her own life.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got to know myself better as a person and as a student,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd, because I enjoyed the facilitation portion so much, I now think that a position of leadership could be a realistic goal for my future.\u201d<\/p>\n
As she nears the end of her studies, Crawford is already planning to use the training and skills she has learned to make her goal a reality.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand how valuable experiential education exercises like the one offered in the course can be,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m prepared for the practicum and teaching elements that come in the master\u2019s programs I\u2019ve applied for, as well as how to best communicate my own skills and ideas in the workplace.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having seen such beneficial change in herself through the course\u2019s exercises, Crawford hopes that others will take the same step she did and apply to take part in the course next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a unique opportunity that not every university offers to their students,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you have the chance to participate in the course, I would absolutely recommend it. It sets you apart in the professional world and shows that Brock is leading the way when it comes to experiential learning.\u201d<\/p>\n
Any undergraduate student who completed PSYC 1F90, regardless of their major, can apply for the hands-on course.<\/p>\n
Those interested in learning more about the PSYC 3F01 Facilitating Communication and Critical Thinking in Groups course are invited to visit the course\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n