Professional Facilitation

Skill-Based Facilitation Training for Modern Evidence-based Instructors

Through years of experience and practical application, Step Training Inc. has created a unique instructor course designed to provide modern, field-tested approaches to student skill retention and decision making. This course factors in concepts taught at federal training academies and adds new tools and in-depth instruction for facilitators.

How is this accomplished? Step Training Inc. has combined modern adult learning theories, applied science, and reality-based training to enhance student learning. We believe instructors should always place the needs of students first, thus providing a safe training environment for students to apply newly acquired skills as well as performance skills learned throughout their careers. Step Training Inc. shares the “what, how, and why with the facilitators of agency training programs.

Definition of Facilitator:

“A facilitator is a professional trainer who engages in helping students to understand and apply the common objectives and practices of their organization or service. ” – Steve Poplawski

Traditionally, there was a strong belief that a student needs to “sink or swim” when it comes to job performance and training. Trainers believed that a student needed to be able to handle the stress of the job and that there won’t be anyone to hold their hand when they get to the “real world”. This practice impacted the type of training students attended. When delivering reality-based training scenarios, oftentimes an instructor would traditionally ask a student a series of probing questions identifying what went wrong during their performance. This was done as a means to highlight what areas a student was deficient and in need of improvement. This follows the “learn from your mistakes” model.

Step Training Inc. believes this model or practice of facilitation, brings the students’ focus to the negative aspects of their actions. It creates a situation where the student will actually mentally review what they did wrong, and as a result reinforce the undesired behavior.
Science suggests it takes about 17 positive scenarios to come back from one that ends in a negative outcome.

The course offered through Step Training Inc. adheres to a different approach.

The facilitator should focus on the outcomes within the scenario, and not directly attack poor student performance. It is at this point that a student needs positive reinforcement from the facilitator and criticism needs to be handled tactfully. We advocate a graduated approach to stressful situations, allowing the student to be successful at each stage, and thus build confidence in their own abilities.
Through professional scenario design and skilled facilitation, the student is taken through a process that gradually increases decision-making complexity and the need for higher-level skills to be successful.
The course strongly advocates student-focused facilitation building a sense of partnership between student and instructor.

Topics Covered (customized to the needs of each agency)
• Lesson plans and scenario development.
• Identifying key roles in the training process.
• Student-focused training.
• Establishing learning objectives for different learner levels.
• The power of positive reinforcement.
• Outcome-focused facilitation approach.
• Building real confidence in your student.
• Establishing a graduated approach to Reality-Based Learning.
• Unwinnable scenarios and the damage they can cause.
• Struggling students – best approaches for recovery.

This professional course is strongly committed to applied practice. Each student in the course will design, write, and facilitate multiple scenarios while actively practicing the skills and methodology of the course. This is a hands-on approach, blending theoretical education with concrete practice. Each course is administered by certified training professionals who have extensive experience in designing and delivering education and skill-based programs.