DESIGN TO ENGAGE

A thorough guide to the planning and execution of learning experiences.

Canadian author Cougler Blom, a self-described “learning designer,” prefers to consider herself a facilitator rather than a teacher. Instead of simply imparting new information, she aims to show her students “what they have inside themselves and what others also have, and I encourage them to relish their similarities and differences.” Fortunately, this vague and anodyne description is not at all characteristic of the book as a whole, which is largely precise and helpful. The author focuses her book on in-person educational sessions and emphasizes the cultivation of an engaging environment that encourages participation and collaboration, knowledge sharing, and inclusiveness. Further, she ably discusses the mindset that’s most conducive to successful facilitation—one that prioritizes flexibility and curiosity and embraces humor and passion. With impressive comprehensiveness, she discusses possible learning outcomes, the formulation of lesson plans, and the collection and analysis of student feedback. Cougler Blom’s prose is lucid, informal, and relatable, and she candidly shares her own past failures as a facilitator. That said, the book too often indulges in facile, vague assertions: “We need to bring our whole, authentic selves to this craft.” The orientation of the guidebook is highly practical, though, with illustrations of her principal points drawn from real life, and she concludes each chapter with concise summaries. Her own experience is considerable—she’s worked as an academic, a community organizer, and an entrepreneur—and that expertise is evident in her sound counsel. Over the course of the work, she covers a remarkable swath of territory, including a discussion of art-based activities, a sample lesson plan, and the bios of 30 facilitators whom she interviewed while researching the book. It’s certain to be helpful to those interested in practicing the facilitation craft, whether they’re novices or seasoned veterans.

A clear, practical, and well-organized education handbook.