For this assessment you will write a group facilitation program for delivering a positive psychology activity to adults. The group is 60 minutes (1 hour).

Your program will be written as though another facilitator will run your program and will need facilitation directions. Facilitation directions tell the facilitator what they will need to do to and say to facilitate the program.

The group facilitation plan should consider how to provide an optimal learning environment for an adult learner, how to best leverage group dynamics, and consider goal setting and motivation. Workshops and Moodle content will help you develop this knowledge.

Your group facilitation program will include:

1. The name of your group program and a brief statement of its purpose
2. The program Learning Outcomes
3. Brief outline of who the group is targeting as participants (age, circumstances, number of people)
4. Facilities: room/online environment, media, required resources
5. Facilitator directions for preparation, introduction and Acknowledgement of Country, running an icebreaker, running an evidence-based positive psychology activity that enhances eudaimonic wellbeing, ending the session
6. Accurate and realistic timings for each element in the program
7. An evaluation form for your participants to complete (this form will be used later in Assessment 2)
8. A reference list of the evidence-base for the positive psychology activity you are planning to deliver
   

Word count

There is no specific word-count for the group facilitation guide, but for usability by the group facilitator you should aim for between 3 to 5 pages maximum.

Similarly, there is no specific word-count for the participant evaluation form. For usability for the participant, you should aim for two pages maximum.


We will be undertaking an exercise in the first workshop using existing group facilitation programs. The exercise and the examples will give you a good idea of how much information you need to provide and how to set it out well.

What to submit:

1. Your group facilitation guide
2. A list of references for the positive psychology activity you are planning to deliver
3. A participant evaluation form

The work will be assessed on:

1. Effectiveness of program elements and structures for enhancing eudaimonic wellbeing and optimising learning for adults in a group environment. Elements and structure includes:

    a. Learning Outcomes - realistic, coherent, experientially-based
    b. Icebreaker - meets effective icebreaker checklist, enhances positive emotions, innovation
    c. Activity - evidence-base and connection to eudaimonic wellbeing
    d. Ending - evaluation of one Learning Outcome and transfer of learning applying goal-setting theory
    e. Inclusivity and accessibility

2. Quality of facilitation directions - clarity, supports empathic facilitator responses
3. Usability of participant feedback evaluation form

For this assessment you will deliver one part of your program that you developed in your group facilitation guide for Assessment 1, the positive psychology activity, to a group of students in this unit. You will also ask students in your group to complete the participant feedback form you developed for Assessment 1 to help you collect relevant feedback on your session.

Zoom and recordings

These sessions will be run online using Zoom at a time that suits all the members of your group.

You will submit a video recording from Zoom of the session. The recording needs to show you and your slides and the participants so it can be marked for body language, Zoom use and background.

Length

The activity/session length is a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 20 minutes. Appropriate timing is included in your marking rubric as a marking criteria.

What to submit

An unedited recording of the session which clearly shows you, the other participants and your slides.

The work will be assessed on:

1. Preparation and delivery using Zoom (professional background, quiet environment, appropriate volume, positioning of self on screen for optimum visibility)
2. Delivery of psychoeducation and activity (translation of research into accessible lay terms, skilful use of research to support experiential learning, use of storytelling and visuals)
3. Quality of verbal and non-verbal communication throughout demonstrating inclusivity, empathy, focus and flexibility with challenges
4. Timely and clear guidance of the activity
5. Use of PowerPoint slides (clarity, supports visual learning style)
   

For this assessment you will reflect on the process of planning and running a group. Your reflection will include three (3) sections:

1. One aspect of the group facilitation that you felt went particularly well
2. One aspect of the group facilitation that you felt did not go to plan/was challenging/unexpected
3. How you will address the challenging element in future group facilitation, through changing your practice and developing new skills

In sections 1 and 2 please include both:

i. what you observed to support your reflection that an element worked/didn’t work as well as hoped and;
ii. an analysis of why an element worked/didn’t work so well.

For section 3, based on your reflection, consider:

1. How might you run this group differently in future?
2. What goal/s will you set for yourself?
3. What skills do you need to set these goals? (e.g., further study, practice, mentor, feedback)

Word count

Each section should be 350-400 words in length, for a total of 1050 to 1200 words. The maximum word count is 1,200 words. Meeting the word count is included as a part of the marking criteria in your marking rubric on Moodle. See the Psychology Word Count Information document on Moodle for a rationale for using this type of word limit restriction.

 The work will be assessed on:

• The depth, quality and balance of critical insight in reflecting on the group, including skilful and accurate use of feedback from observation and evaluation forms
• The development of a clear, achievable and relevant goal and future steps for improvement
• Quality of literacy and written communication including purpose, integration, and persuasion in the structure and word use, including adherence to word limit