compiled by Ms. Maud Muscat (2009)

PSD in Malta developed more from a psycho-social rather than an educational perspective, and this is reflected in the methodology we have developed. (Muscat, 2006). This also had an effect on the development of the contents of the syllabus.
PSD methodology has strong democratic roots and embraces empowerment at every stage of learning. In the local context, it is based on two pillars: The Experiential Learning Cycle (Kolb, 1984) and Processing – a technique borrowed from the counselling field and adapted to group growth and learning in the PSD session. (Falzon, 1999, Muscat, 2006)

Experiential learning (EL)

Heron (1999) defines EL as learning which takes place through an active process and involvement of the whole person ‘as a spiritually, energetically and physically endowed being encompassing feelings and emotion, intuition and imagination, reflection and discrimination, intention and action…The participants are learning from experience. These are the objectives of learning: the knowledge, skills, change of attitudes, affect and character structure and deeper transformation of being to be acquired by the learners.’ (p. 5)

Thus, a definition of EL needs to encompass a psychological, philosophical, social, learning, assessment and a pedagogical context. In short, EL is the abstraction of the world around us - the way we informally learn beyond and without an institutionalised context. (Evans, 1994; Warner and McGill 1989; White, 1989; In PSD sessions, then, facilitators try to bring the world to the students and, at least for that point in time, students are glimpsing a natural way of learning. Whitaker (1995), in fact, claims that ‘this interactive process of action, reflection and planning is at the heart of all successful learning and needs to occupy a significant place of schooling process.’ (p.15).

PSD must, because of its very nature, assume that attitudes and skills are acquired through EL. These are skills we use everyday to survive better in a healthy democratic community. This has always been stressed upon in PSD on the island and in fact, PSD sessions are held in groups of not more than 15 students in order to ensure that students are given the environment to truly learn experientially. The classroom is arranged in a circle or a horse-shoe formation such that each participant can view each other and the PSD specialist will equal time and attention to individual participants. Nelson-Jones, (1991).

The methodology is based on Kolb’s EL cycle (Kolb, 1984), and our choice for this was no coincidence. Kolb’s cycle is actually the most widely used in the field of EL (Henry 1989). It is also influenced by Dewey;’ processes of instruction where he refer to a five stage cycle: (1) the choice of activities students are interested in throughout the educational experience (2) a general problem to address develops in the session(3) information and observation to deal with the problem is provided and presented (4) suggested solutions elicited (5) opportunity to test, to clarify and to discover for themselves the validity of a solution (1916, p.163) This cycle (Figure 1) elicits learning from the participants’ own experiences, be they real or simulated through an activity - for example - role play, and follows the concept of constructivism (Steffe and Gale, 1995) and learning by discovery (Schwebel, 1978, Labinowicz, 1980, Gredler, 2004, Ormrod, 2007).

Figure 1: Experiential Learning Cycle (Kolb, 1984)

Let us take, as an example, the facilitator who ties a balloon round each of the students’ legs and informs them that one wins if one’s balloon is not burst (Darmanin,1992). This is clearly a simulation of a naturalistic context in life where one often find oneself in win-lose situations or in conflicts.

The students usually react by fighting each other to ensure that they burst their friends’ balloons but no one burst their own Someone might then realise that if no-one had burst any balloon, everyone would have won. Whatever happens, it is the EL technique and the processing that follows which would allow the facilitator to help students acquire correct conflict management techniques, the objective of the above exercise, which can be referred to in future situations. (Whitaker, 1995)

A successful PSD session, therefore, involves the use of activities (natural learning situations) from which outcomes can be elicited. The use of EL identifies the need for the facilitator to melt into the background and let the learners flow into the session. Moreover, EL also includes the idea that we reflect upon and assess what/ has happened, in other words processing.

Processing

Activity issues such as role-play, brainstorming exercise, use of handout, discussions… highlight the EL aspect of PSD activities. These, however, can only become relevant if the facilitator successfully helps students to translate the activities into skills, skills which eventually become part of their daily repertoire. This is carried out through processing (Falzon, 1999). Dewey (1916) was actually the first educator to stress the importance of processing as opposed to content in education - what he called reflective teaching and routinezed teaching respectively - where the latter allowed for social awareness, flexibility, criticism and analysis.

The importance of processing is very aptly defined in the Maltese PSD Methodology Overview of the teacher training courses: ‘This is the lifeline of PSD. The (above) exercises would be pointless if not followed by and incorporated within processing. Any exercise or activity carried out by the facilitator during a PSD session MUST be followed and concluded by processing. Without correct processing, the students would not be able to integrate and internalise what they have experienced during the particular exercise, and hence will also not be able to transfer the learning to real life. This would impede true personal growth and change, thus defeating the aims and rationale of PSD. The participants must therefore understand and be able to use this technique extremely well.’ (Falzon, 2008, p. 3)

The skill of processing is a basic tool. Processing requires particular teacher-training involving a good grounding in psychological theory and knowledge, particularly with regard to communication skills as well as a sociological/philosophical background. During this part of the session, PSD specialists use the group’s skills, presence and participation to motivate them to reflect, analyze and act upon their participation during the activity. The group leader must therefore be well-trained in what Shor (1987) terms as performing skills. These include thinking skills, communication skills, leadership skills, discussion provoking skills, questioning techniques, helping skills (Egan, 2005) such as probing and paraphrasing, as well as presentation skills such that participation can be encouraged and developed to provocative dialogue (Shor, 1987).

Bond (1986) does not refer to this learning experience as ‘processing’ but as ‘discussion’. He refers to stages necessary when facilitating through a game. Bond feels that this stage is paramount to PSD learning and should never be ‘omitted or rushed’. Napier and Gershenfeld (1999) again do not mention the term ‘processing’. However, in the thousands of games created in their publication they always refer to the need to finish an activity using the principles of processing as outlined above. During processing, the group leader also respects the concept of ‘role release’ (Orelove and Sobsey, 2004) and a supporter, as opposed to taking on the role of the expert. This democratic concept of exchange and mutual learning must be present at all times. PSD specialists must see themselves as enabling empowerment or, as Freire’s describes, someone who is ‘critical and knows that although it is within the power of humans to create and transform, in a concrete situation of alienation individuals may be impaired in the use of that power (Freire 1998, p. 72). It gives every participant the opportunity to voice themselves.

Processing is so important in our model of PSD that it is inherent even in teacher training, where the process model has again been adopted. The aim is 'to help and prepare the future facilitator develop a wide conceptual and procedural framework for the theory and practice of Personal and Social (Lifeskills) Facilitation in Educational settings and to promote participants' personal growth and social development within the group.' (Giordmania ed., 2000, p. 214)

Adapted from paper PSD in a Small Island Community – Presenting The Maltese Democratic Model presented at ETEN Conference – Liverpool 2008.

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