Building Competency in Diabetes Education THE ESSENTIALS

11-56 | CHAPTER 11

• Develop the overall agenda as much in advance as possible to allow all participants to formulate ideas/opinions or research the topic and to see how it fits into the overall education plan. • Questions that provide direction to group discussions should clearly reflect the outcome desired. For example, if the goal is to have the group members evaluate an idea, then the questions to be answered should be explicit. • Redirect the discussion if it has wandered off topic. Shift the leadership role if discussion stalls. 2. Provide information or resources to adequately inform the discussion. • Provide resources that may be required. • Any member may contribute information for the group to use. 3. Recap and change focus if needed. • Periodically summarize and/or clarify key points and conclusions. • Identify significant areas of discussion that have been neglected/superficially explored. 4. Share leader and team roles. • Arrange the seating to facilitate all participants being able to communicate verbally and nonverbally. Create an informal atmosphere. Use round tables whenever possible. • Arrange an opportunity for all members to participate. • Set the ground rules to prevent “discussion stoppers”, such as the following: o Monopolization/misdirection of the discussion. o Criticism or ridicule of ideas. Minimizing the value of a response. o Invading the learner’s privacy with intrusive questioning. o Interruptions. o Ignoring the responses of a participant. o Going on too long; set time frames.

Tips for facilitating a brainstorming session: • The issue/goal of the brainstorming session must be clear. • Focus on quantity rather than quality of ideas.