This document provides an overview of online and face-to-face facilitation. It defines online learning and face-to-face learning, noting that online learning can be synchronous, asynchronous, self-paced, or facilitated. While the online environment is becoming more common, facilitating online requires different skills than face-to-face. Some skills from face-to-face facilitation are transferable, and participants are asked to introduce themselves and discuss this in an online forum.

1. Lesson:
Fundamental Concepts
Objective:
After completing this lesson, you will be
able to:
– describe similarities and differences
between online and face-to-face
facilitation.
– post to a discussion forum
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2. Topic 1: Comparing Online
and Face-to-Face Facilitation
First, some terminology:
Online learning -- Learning that takes place on the
Internet, away from a physical classroom. Learning
can be synchronous (facilitator and participants
online at the same time) or asynchronous; self-paced
(participants study on their own schedule without
interacting with a facilitator or other participants) or
facilitated, or a combination. Also called distancelearning and e-learning.
Face-to-face learning – Facilitator and participants are
together in a room. Also called in-person, classroom2
based, and traditional.

3. Topic 1: Comparing Online and Faceto-Face Facilitation
The online environment is
becoming a more commonplace
platform both for teaching and
learning, and its popularity has
increased exponentially and
continues to grow.
The Internet has made it easier for anyone to study
and for anyone to teach online, but teaching and
learning online is very different from teaching faceto-face. New skill sets may have to be learned by all.
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4. Topic 1: Comparing Online and Faceto-Face Facilitation
Because you already have
experience as a face-to-face
facilitator, and probably also as
a participant, you have skills
and knowledge that are
transferrable to facilitating in the
online format.
 On the left menu, click Introductions to meet other
participants and discuss this with the group.
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