Introduction
Haneen Ahmad Abu Alwan, from Lebanon, holds a degree in Life and Earth Sciences. She worked for ten years as a science teacher and currently serves as the president of the “Sadeem” Association. She was introduced to the FIRSTedu–ADLX framework through one of SeGa’s learning journeys, which provided her with effective tools to design Active Deep Learner eXperiences with real social impact.
Ms. Haneen facilitated an awareness learning session titled “Our Environment, Our Responsibility,” targeting heads of local associations in a Lebanese town. The session focused on the environmental pollution issue in the area and aimed to develop practical solutions. Seventeen participants attended, ranging in age from 20 to 60.
The learning session lasted an hour and a half and included: an introduction to the session and the team (10 minutes), the main interactive activity (60 minutes), a break (15 minutes), and closing activity (5 minutes).
Learning Design Overview
Why the FIRST Framework?
Ms. Haneen selected this framework because it gives participants voice and space for interaction, fosters critical thinking, and transforms awareness content into a real Learner eXperience that enables reflection and decision-making. It also provides tools for structured and engaging facilitation.
Learning Outcomes
Attitude Outcomes:
- To feel personal responsibility toward the environment.
- To believe that change begins with simple and effective initiatives.
Skills Outcomes:
- To find realistic solutions to pollution in their community.
- To express their opinions through reflections, drawings, or speech.
Knowledge Outcomes:
- To identify the causes of pollution in their local environment.
- To list some successful environmental solutions in the Lebanese context.
Learning Journey Summary:
The journey was characterized by flow and diversity of activities—from a thought-provoking opener to impactful storytelling to both visual and verbal interaction. Roles were distributed, and diverse expression styles were respected to ensure inclusive participation.
Learning Activities Using the RAR Model
Learning Activity 1: Train of Causes
Readiness Increase: Ms. Haneen raised participants’ readiness and enthusiasm, then invited each one to mention a cause they believed contributed to pollution in the town.
Activity Facilitation: Participants shared their causes in sequence, while Ms. Haneen encouraged them to speak and linked their inputs to form a connected “train,” emphasizing the complexity of the issue.
Reviewing Actively: Ms. Haneen extracted key causes and linked them to participants’ reality through a brief discussion.
Learning Activity 2: Find a Solution
Readiness Increase: Photos of local pollution were presented. Participants were divided into groups, and the images were distributed. Ms. Haneen then invited them to propose practical solutions.
Activity Facilitation: Participants interacted in groups while Ms. Haneen followed up and facilitated the discussion.
Reviewing Actively: Ms. Haneen pulled the proposed solutions and pulled their practicality, with a focus on the role of associations.
Reflective Story Activity: Story and Thought
Participants listened to an inspiring story from Lebanon about a person who created a waste solution through source separation and resale. They were asked to respond with a thought, reflection, or comment. As in previous learning activities, Ms. Haneen prepared participants mentally, physically, and emotionally, supported them during the activity, and extracted key lessons and relevance during the reviewing actively stage.
eXperience Activities
Opening Activity: Habit Recycling
After clarifying the purpose of the learning journey, participants were invited to write down a habit they wanted to change. Some shared theirs publicly, creating a sense of personal openness and preparing everyone mentally.
Energizer: Who Do You Influence Most?
Each participant was asked: “Who do you influence most?” This invited personal reflection on individual impact.
Linking and Summarizing: Creative Summaries
- The first group drew a picture summarizing some environmental solutions.
- The second group presented an idea as a “future window.”
- The third group gave a verbal summary of what they had reached during the session.
Closure Activity: Three Ideas and a Feeling
Each participant was asked to share three ideas they gained and one feeling. Some adopted specific solutions and committed to applying them; others proposed new initiatives. Everyone expressed gratitude, excitement, and hope that this type of purposeful activity would continue.
FIRST Framework in Action
F – Focusing on Learner Behaviors
Individualization was activated through varied modes of expression (drawing, reflection, speaking) and use of local examples. Probing and Assessing appeared in following up on outcomes and summarizing key insights. Trust the Learner was shown through their freedom of expression without limitations.
I – Interacting within Positive Group Dynamics
Interaction was natural and authentic, supported by varied activities and direct human connection. Open questions and real-life stories helped create a safe and engaging environment.
R – Reviewing Activities within RAR
Each learning activity included Readiness Increase stage, Activity Facilitation, and a Reviewing Actively stage which deepened and reinforced learning.
S – Sequencing within the Learner eXperience
The journey progressed from self-awareness to analysis, proposals, storytelling, linking and summarizing, and finally adoption and application. This sequence maintained participant focus and deepened their thinking.
T – Transforming Learning into Performance
Change was evident as some participants adopted solutions and planned local environmental initiatives. The broader impact was in motivating the community to continue this type of learning journey.
Conclusion and Reflection
Impact on Participants: Everyone expressed happiness and gratitude, feeling motivated and ready to take real steps toward a better environment.
Impact on the Facilitator: The learning journey strengthened Haneen’s belief in the power of simple tools and participatory methods to generate meaningful change.
Impact on the Community: The learning journey served as a model for mobilizing local leaders to engage in collective action on environmental issues in creative and impactful ways.
This learning journey demonstrated that community-based learning using the FIRST framework can transform awareness into action and ideas into initiatives. It was a true Learner eXperience that marked the beginning of a new conversation about the environment in this Lebanese town.