Geoff Dugwyler
(posted 4/19/02)Student Originated Software: Seminar Facilitation Reflection
I’ve had my reservations about the seminar process in the past. That is to say, I am not a good speaker, find it difficult to say exactly what I mean, and consequently, do not particularly enjoy dialogue, and more specifically, seminar. I have also found that I get less out of seminar the more I realize that many of the people who speak often are also the least aware of what they’re talking about. Feeling pressured to speak because you "must" speak, rather than because discussing a topic facilitates learning, puts the focus of the student on proving he or she read the material instead of on gaining a better understanding of it. That said, after facilitating seminar, I still know I’ve gotten something worthwhile out of it.
As a seminar facilitator, I had the privilege to discuss the material a day in advance with the other facilitators in a low-stress environment. This was probably the most rewarding seminar-like experience I’d had at Evergreen – informal, respectful, and without pretense. Four people just sat down and had a discussion about a topic they came in only somewhat informed on, and left two hours later, knowledgeable and able to discuss it intelligently. There was no need to prove to anyone that the material was understood. We proved it to ourselves.
The seminar itself, though rocky in places (neither one of us having any sort of teaching credentials), went relatively well. We had a good discussion on general security issues, if we lacked the time or "resources" to get into the specifics. As I was more invested in the topic, I was also more interested in the seminar, and the class overall seemed fairly enthusiastic about it.
One thing this experience brought to light was the issue of authority in seminar discussions. In the small discussion forum between facilitators, and later with faculty, the talk remained candid and purposeful. The next day in seminar, I noticed a much greater level of formality, and with it, an increasing trend towards making manufactured comments that didn’t really get deep into the issue. I also noticed that speech was mainly directed at three people: Kate, Kirby, and I. Perhaps if we’re to have a genuine level of discussion, one that is more productive in terms of the learning process for all parties involved (thinking of all personality types and learning styles), it would help to tone down or even remove authority from seminar. I understand that this is probably one of the goals of student facilitation, and I think it’s definitely working to seminar’s benefit. I think we should go one step further, meeting in small randomly selected groups (but with a defined, if informal agenda), for at least a third of the seminar time, if not more. This successfully plateaus all authority, allowing everyone to feel more comfortable, and allows for a long discussion on a more meaningful level.