Meet the Writer
Rana Katerji, a native of Beirut, Lebanon, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences and a Diploma in Comparative Fiqh (Jurisprudence). She is a trainer at Maharat Center for Development and has nearly two decades of experience in youth volunteer work. Rana is dedicated to identifying and guiding young people’s potential towards community service. She is also responsible for the weekly ‘Fazakker’ (Remind) class, which targets young women and discusses religious, legal, and life-related topics in a contemporary and practical manner. The goal of this class is to channel the energies and talents of these young women (aged 18 and above) towards volunteer work.
Meet the Learners
The session targeted 18 female university students and working professionals aged 21-29. These individuals are distinguished by their passion for learning and digging deeper into religious matters. Their consistent weekly attendance is motivated by their personal conviction in the importance of seeking knowledge, drawing closer to Allah, and gaining the companion of religious friends (Alsohba AlSaliha). They face various challenges and desire to share these challenges with a trusted expert in Islamic sciences and with each other, seeking the most appropriate ways to address them. They crave for a supportive and understanding environment, a space where they can openly discuss bold and realistic topics with experienced individuals. These women possess a strong sense of responsibility and untapped potential that requires discovery and employment in volunteer work.
Introduction to the Implementation Story
Taking advantage of the onset of the new Hijri year and the summer season, with its university break and relatively short summer work hours, we highlighted the importance of striving to perform acts of worship and using time effectively. The goal was to prevent participants from falling into the trap of inactivity and aimlessness by discussing the hadith ‘Seven whom Allah will shade in His Shade on a Day when there is no shade except His Shade.’
The learning journey focused on how to invest time in acts of worship and the importance of a correct understanding of the essence of religion, which is to establish a connection with the Creator and to do good to His creation. Through the hadith, we emphasized the qualities that bring one closer to the Creator and highlighted the traits that should be exhibited when dealing with others.
Learning Outcomes
To delve deeper into the core essence of religion, two parallel paths were adopted:
- The first path: Connecting with the Creator through the heart (attachment to mosques), the tongue (remembrance of Allah), and the body (performing acts of worship).
- The second path: Being kind to His creation through charity, brotherhood in faith, chastity, and justice among people.”
Main Learning Outcomes: At the end of this journey, the learner will be able to:
- Attitude Learning Outcomes:
- Feel the essence of religion
- Desire to possess one or more of the seven qualities to be shaded by Allah on a Day when there is no shade but His
- Skills Learning Outcomes:
- Analyze the hadith and derive lessons from it
- Knowledge Learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate understanding that the essence of religion is not limited to worship alone, but also includes being kind to others
- List the seven people who will be shaded by Allah on a Day when there is no shade but His
Parallel Learning Outcomes:
- Attitude Learning Outcomes:
- Appreciate the importance of fostering brotherhood in faith.
Performance Outcomes:
- Apply the teachings of this hadith in daily life.
The Learning Journey
The learning journey consisted of two sessions, one session per week, each lasting two hours (10 to 12 a.m.). I began the first session with an energizer to capture their attention and boost their enthusiasm. A large square was created on the floor using a rope, and the participants played an in-out game within the square, which generated a lot of excitement and a desire to win.
Following this, I conducted a mini-presentation in which we analyzed and explained the hadith. I then opened a discussion, inviting the participants to share the challenges they faced in their lives, particularly those that tested their faith, and their ideas on how to overcome them.
To reinforce the concept of brotherhood in faith, a core theme in the hadith, we conducted an icebreaker activity. The facilitator clapped three times and the participants were asked to move randomly around the room, then clap again to stand and get to know the person facing them. This was repeated twice, and each time, participants were given a specific amount of time to introduce themselves to their partner. Due to their enthusiasm, the icebreaker activity was extended and continued during the break.
The first session concluded with an open-ended question: “Which category of people mentioned in the hadith do you admire to imitate in your daily life?”
In the following week, we revisited the core meanings of the hadith through a linking and summarizing activity. The focus shifted to applying our understanding of the hadith to our daily lives. Participants were divided into groups to create and perform a short sketch that embodied the meaning of the hadith. The sketches were well-received, and each group provided positive feedback to the others. They were encouraged to use this feedback to refine their sketches for a future presentation to a younger age group (15-18). The journey ended on very encouraging comments from the participants.
Applying the Domains of FIRSTedu-ADLX
Throughout this session, I was keen on implementing the 5 domains of FIRSTedu-ADLX Framework.
Focusing on the Learner Behaviors
Individualization: This was achieved through:
- Providing opportunities for all learners to participate in discussions and ensuring that everyone contributed.
- Including latecomers by summarizing what they missed.
Probing and Assessing: This was done through:
- The facilitator verifying the learners’ understanding of the core concepts by asking questions.
- Monitoring group work and providing feedback or intervention as needed.
Trust the Learner: This was demonstrated through:
- The facilitator intentionally guiding discussions to ensure everyone had a chance to share their opinions and experiences.
- Empowering learners to lead certain activities.
Interacting within Positive Group Dynamics
Social Event: This was achieved through:
- Breaking the ice with an energizer activity.
- Maintaining a safe and friendly atmosphere, as if it were a gathering among friends.
Positive Spirit: This principle was applied by:
- Focusing on cultivating positivity while discussing the hadith or providing feedback.
Attention and Motivation: This was accomplished through:
- Conducting energizer and ice breaker activities to foster a sense of friendship and connecting these activities to the hadith.
- Varying activities, group formations, and patterns of interaction.
Reviewing Activities within RAR Model
I applied the RAR model with its three stages (Readiness Increase, Activity Facilitation, Reviewing Actively) to all learning activities. Let me share an example based on the “sketch” activity.
Readiness Increase: I divided the participants into two groups to create a sketch that embodied the meaning of the hadith and its reflection on our reality. The seating arrangement was organized, the participants were informed about the nature of the activity and its duration, and clear instructions were given. 20 minutes were allocated for writing the sketch, and 10 minutes for rehearsal.
Activity Facilitation: I ensured that the activity aligned with the learning outcomes by moving among the learners, providing guidance and feedback as needed. I also took notes and recorded questions for future reference or use in other activities.
Reviewing Actively: This was done by inviting learners to share what they had done during the activity and what they had learned from it. Additionally, they were encouraged to share how they could apply their learning in their future lives.
Sequencing within the Session Flow
As previously mentioned, the journey consisted of two sessions, each with its own set of activities. To ensure a smooth flow throughout both sessions and the entire journey, I diversified the activities and arranged them in a way that aligned with the energy level (Structuring and Sequencing) required for each activity. I used experience activities (energizers, linking and summarizing, closures on the WhatsApp group after the second session…) in addition to learning activities that required both individual and group work. I also repeated the core concepts in various ways (discussions, activities, questions, mini-presentations), applying the principle of “Repetition without Boredom”. As for applying the principle of “Linking and Summarizing,” we would refer back to the whiteboard from time to time to summarize what we had done and learned throughout the journey.
Transforming Learning into Performance
Reflection on Reality: This was accomplished through…
- Creating a sketch that embodied the concepts and reflected them in real-life scenarios.
- Drawing examples from the learners’ own experiences.
Practicing and eXperiencing: This was achieved by…
- Supporting the learners throughout the journey, listening to the challenges they faced, and suggesting practical solutions.
Continuity and Follow-up: This was done by adding the learners to the “Fazakkir” (Remind) group and sending them videos that reinforced the meaning of the hadith after the journey concluded. Additionally, the learners were encouraged to share how they applied what they had learned during the journey.
Impact of Applying FIRSTedu-ADLX Framework on the Facilitator
I was able to:
- Learn various methods to facilitate sessions in an engaging way;
- Understand the importance of connecting information to real-life experiences to reinforce learning;
- Gain more confidence in managing accompanying activities and using them to motivate learners and boost their self-confidence;
- Recognize the importance of learners having an Active Deep Learner eXperience for effective and sustainable learning;
- See that it is essential for facilitators to understand the concept of Learner eXperience and apply it in their daily lives, especially in today’s fast-paced world, otherwise the facilitator will be on one path and the learner on another, and the impact, if any, will be weak;
- Understand that although a teacher may be an expert in many educational theories, it is not easy to apply them correctly and effectively unless they are framed within clear, practical, and sequential steps, which is what FIRST Framework provided.
The weekly meeting that I was responsible for has become very dynamic. It has become interesting and more enjoyable, far from boring, because we carry out various activities to achieve learning outcomes. Learners are now enthusiastic about attending because they realize that each meeting is different from the last.
Impact of Applying FIRSTedu-ADLX Framework on the Learners
I will share with you the feedback of some of the learners:
- “And upon you be peace, today’s activity was very interactive and really nice. I felt like I achieved something, even if it was small. May Allah reward you for all your goodness.”
- “May Allah reward you for your goodness, it was really nice today, and the hadith is more ingrained in this way than just by teaching. “
- “I really liked the icebreaker activity because I got to know the girls better. Thank you very much.”
- “We always want activities like this.”
The application of this framework significantly impacted the learners, which was evident in their active participation and enthusiasm for the learning process. The journey was exciting and engaging, far from being boring or directive. The impact of applying “Transforming Learning into Performance” domain was particularly noticeable in their eagerness to apply and experience what they learned. They realized the importance of these concepts through their own interaction and active participation in the learning activities.
I share with you some pictures from the journey we took
In conclusion,
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the organizers of the FIRST journey. It has been an incredibly enriching experience, providing us with invaluable insights into enhancing our facilitation skills and equipping us with the essential tools to create a lasting impact on our learners.
I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us in this eXperience. We have learned so much from each other, particularly from the positive spirit, unwavering support, and seamless flow of activities and concepts that characterized this experience. I would like to thank Maharat Center for consistently striving to offer exceptional programs to its community.
We humbly ask Allah that we achieve a positive, deep, sustainable, scalable and accepted impact.