facilitation manual

mg taylor modeling language
explore a brief explanation of the models.


five e's of education

Explanations and examples form the foundation of education, tying current models and knowledge bases into new ones. Experience, the actual doing, raises the learner up to the level of expectation. What leverages experience above expectation is the wedge of exploration, searching the unknown, encountering the unexpected, uncovering the surprise.

The model implies that explanations and examples form the foundation of education, but this doesn't mean that they necessarily come first in the process of education. Perhaps exploration and some experience come first, then out of the experience the learner can extract explanations and develop a systematic approach to hunt for further examples to confirm, deny, or expand their conclusions. The clear explanation, in a way, is the LAST step in the process. Only a master of a concept can explain it. Only a master has the experience and exploration behind her to do so.

In practice, the process tends to jumble all of the 5 E's together, calling upon whichever one is required by the learner to take the next step or receive the next insight. When designing with the 5 E's, employ them as a reference rather than as a rigid template. If an event lacks one or several of the E’s chances are its benefits will be marginalized.

Experience should be managed using the Seven Domains as a template, for all experiences are facilitated one way or another. Frequently the facilitative aspects are left to chance, or hidden or poorly designed, but they are present.

Thus, we can couch experience in terms of the other four E's, with the following result:

  • experience of explanation is in the ability to listen, focus and absorb (not necessarily referring to only an auditory process).

  • experience of example is recognizing the pattern.

  • experience of expectation is acknowledging mastery and the path to be taken.

  • experience of exploration is a sense of wonder and a willingness to risk.

  • experience of experience... (any philosophers out there?)

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