1.1 Orientation to class structure & methods

45 Minutes

PROCEDURE

1) Hand out course outline and syllabus.

2) Explain that the workshop will be conducted informally and that we will learn by experience and participation. Participants will work in groups - two to four persons on each team. Teams are encouraged to work cooperatively by sharing information, resources, and evaluative feedback.

3) Tape learning chart (illustration 1.1.1) to the wall or chalkboard where everyone can see it.

• Ask one or more volunteers to explain what the chart means to them.

• Ask participants to generate a single statement to describe the meaning of the chart, e.g. "The more completely we involve our audience in their own learning process, the more fully they will understand" or "We learn most when all of our senses are involved in the process".

• Summarize the ideas set forth and get a concensus.

• Print the class statement at the bottom of the chart.

4) Briefly review the course outline and syllabus with class members. Remind participants that, although the character of the workshop is informal, there is a lot of material to cover; each workshop session will last three hours. Participants must be punctual, attend every session, and complete all homework assignments as scheduled by the facilitator in order to earn a certificate of completion.

5) Send a dated attendance sheet around the room and ask everyone present to sign it. This should be standard operating procedure at each workshop session.

6) Tape the picture of the three blind men and the elephant (illustration 1.1.3) to the wall.

• Ask participants if anyone present is familiar with the story. If anyone is, ask that individual to relate the tale to the rest of the class. If not, give a volunteer a copy of the story to read aloud.

• After the story has been shared, ask participants if they think any of the blind men really understood the nature of an elephant. Ask them to explain their answers.

• Now ask if they can relate the story to their role as health educators. Encourage them to see that, as health professionals, we frequently see only one aspect of a barangay health issue. It is imperative that we "walk around" the problem, analyzing it from every angle, in order to fully understand the situation and be prepared to offer appropriate and relevant alternatives. The fable can also be related to the way in which we present our material to barrio residents. We need to help them examine "the whole beast" rather than simply offering them a tail to hang on to.

 

7) Tape the arrow picture (illustration 1.1.4) to the wall.

• Ask participants which direction the arrows are pointing.

NOTE: Most people will see either one set of arrows or the other - but not both - at least at first.

• Ask the class to examine the picture closely.

 

8) Tape the faces/vase picture (illustration 1.1.5) on the wall next to the arrows.

• Ask participants what they see.

• Can you see both the faces and the vase at the same time?

• Can you see the black arrows and the white arrows at the same time?

NOTE: The answer to both these questions is NO. It is physiologically impossible to focus on more than one item at a time.

• Explain to the class that you are using these two pictures as analogies for the issues and problems we face as health educators. As the pictures demonstrate, there is usually more than one way to look at things. However, so long as we focus on what to us seems obvious, we will fail to see any other alternatives. In this workshop we are going to "walk around the elephant" to try to become familiar with all the aspects of the public health issues with which we shall deal. And, we are going to shift our focus away from the obvious and expected to explore alternate solutions.