The Professional Development of trainers, facilitators and designers has always been an area of growing interest and constant research. Several studies, models and researchers have thoroughly explored this domain with the efforts to train trainers on how to understand, experience, practice and leave a sustainable impact on learners. However, the existence of a comprehensive framework that combines the efforts and findings of these studies and theories remained in need

That is why we consider it our honor and privilege to introduce our holistic framework, Learner FIRST.

So, what is Learner FIRST framework?

Designed on the basis of Educational Psychology, Neuroscience, Cognitive Psychology, and Design Thinking, Learner FIRST is an engaging framework that promotes Active Deep Learning and inspires a positive transformation in mindset and behavior. Eventually enabling individuals and organizations to achieve the performance they aim for.

Think of it as your personal guide as a facilitator, trainer or designer, to create an active deep learner experience for your learners to go through, practice and benefit from its sustainable impacts.

Learner FIRST Framework is designed to view the Learner eXperience from different angles:

To do so, FIRST is divided into 5 domains that integrate and build on each other. Each domain consists of 3 principles and each principle entails 3 behavioral competencies

Let us walk you through a general layout of FIRST’s domains and their respective principles.

Focus on each single learner’s behavior during the trip, and how the facilitator interacts with every individual, and what activities can be done to enable the learner to enjoy a unique experience.

The emphasis of the F domain is on every learner and not only the overall learners, by every learner we mean his/her learning curve, previous knowledge, feelings, and experience. This can happen through:

• Individualization
• Probing and Assessing
• Trusting the Learner

Interacting within a positive group dynamics creates a unique experience for every group of learners. Meaning that the same learner can have a different experience when he/she interacts with a different group of learners

The main principles of the I domain are:

• Socail Events
• Positive Spirit
• Motivation & Attention

Reviewing and interaction within activities, the R domain focuses on how a group of learners interacts together learning activities, which are the main unit in experiential learning as well as the active deep learning approach.

The main principles of the R domain are:

• Readiness Increase
• Activity facilitation
• Reviewing actively

Structuring and sequencing, the focus of the S domain is the full experience of the trip itself. Sequencing is not just the matter of sequencing group of learning activities along the day flow, it is more for keeping participants engaged all the time along the trip in order to leave deeper and more sustainable impact. With the help of SEE Model, which summarizes the three aspects of learner’s engagement– simple, engaging, and enjoyable–, you can sequence the learning activities through:

• Structuring and Sequencing
• Repetition without Boredom
• Linking and Summarizing

Transforming learning into action, the T domain focuses on what activities and actions can be done within the training room/learning event that would help the learner keep an eye on the practice and the learning transfer, as well as helping in the follow up/mentoring phase (if any) that takes place after the trip.

The main principles of the T domain are:

• Reflection on Reality
• Practicing and Experiencing
• Continuity and Follow Up