The Theoretical handbook

Project MOVE BEYOND No. ID 2019-1-NL01-KA204-060534

Intellectual Output 1 The triangle Organisation–Location–Guidance, the Interviews, and applied theories on the cultural and physical guidelines

ʻThe European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.ʼ

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Summary 1.

Introduction

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2.

The findings of the previous ESF project MOVE

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2.1.

The triangle composed of Organisation, Location and Guidance

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2.1.1.

Organisation

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2.1.2.

Location

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2.1.3.

Guidance

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2.2.

The Agora model

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2.3.

Social Cognition

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2.4.

21st-Century Skills

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3. Interviews 3.1.

3.2.

3.3.

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Introduction

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Partners' goals

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The organisation

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3.3.1.

Organisation and engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic

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3.4.

Guidance

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3.5.

Location

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4. Applied theories on the cultural and physical guidelines

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4.1. John Dewey

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4.2. Arthur Efland

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4.3.

Lev Vygotsky

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4.4.

Howard Gardner

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4.5.

David Kolb

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4.6.

George Hein

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5.

5.1.

Practical application in a training (Van Eeckhaut et al., 2013) The three conditions for creating a stimulating learning environment

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5.2. The five instruments to achieve the basic conditions

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5.3. Variation in security/freedom/challenge of assignments

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5.4.

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Present tasks from a supporting approach

5.5. Organising participation

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5.6.

Respond competently to defiant behaviour

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5.8.

Requirements for effective positive feedback

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5.9.

Requirements for effective negative feedback

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6.

References

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1. Introduction

Why focus on cultural and physical activities to supplement educational and reintegration services? Because those activities move us and make us think and discover new worlds. At the same time, they ensure cohesion between the various groups, encourage meetings, provide solidarity, and make issues or problems visible and debatable. We are used to training our brains and learning skills by using classical schooling and reintegration methods. Art and sport are more flexible, have many different training methods and practices, and rely on 21st-century skills. Participation in cultural or physical activities contributes to social involvement and personal growth. It has a personal element, affects you emotionally, and increases creativity, self-development, resilience and endurance.

Art and Sport are brilliant ‘schools’ for 21st-century skills This handbook forms the theoretical basis on which the cultural and physical guidelines are built in the project MOVE Beyond. The starting point is the findings from the final report of the previous ESF project MOVE. This report describes various best European practices in which young people are guided, trained and coached through cultural and physical activities. These activities from the field of Sport support and motivate youngsters in a playful, safe and informal way. Activities in the field of Art increase curiosity, critical 3

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thinking, and new ways to see the world – not for their recreational or sporting function but for their social and educational function in the broadest sense of the word.

The findings distilled from the project MOVE, namely the triangle guidance, location and organisation, the Agora model, and Social Cognition, have prompted us to elaborate these activities in the project MOVE Beyond as building blocks in developing practical cultural and physical training courses/workshops to complement existing educational and reintegration training.

The handbook also comprehends six applied theories on which we base the training courses/workshops, and best practices in the cultural and physical guidelines for trainers, distilling the most essential and applicable elements into practice. Despite the fact that there are many theories about education and learning, we have selected these theories on the belief that learning is an active experiential process in which the learner is central and an active participant in the creation and development of their own knowledge. In this project, we focus on eight 21st-century skills: creativity, critical thinking (and problem solving), communication, collaboration – the four Cs, flexibility, leadership, initiative, and social skills. You will also find an analysis based on the interviews made with each project partner to investigate some aspects emerging from the MOVE Beyond project. Despite the different characteristics of the partner organisations, they have multiple similarities concerning goals, main objective and mission.

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2. The findings of the previous ESF project MOVE 2.1.

The triangle composed of Organisation, Location and Guidance

During the final report of the previous ESF project MOVE, the team who worked on it concluded that creating high-quality theoretical training in Art and Sport is no guarantee for success without being solidly linked with three critical aspects: organisation, location, and guidance. Art and Sport learning spheres are areas that favour the development of transversal competencies, those that are necessary for excluded youth to cope with problems associated with school failure, school dropout, unemployment, or minor crimes. Throughout the MOVE project, we have been able to verify the potentiality of Art and Sport in order to fight against youth exclusion by observing good practices in the three partner countries (The Netherlands, Italy and Portugal).

2.1.1. Organisation The organisation is an essential element for successful training. Management cannot simply tell people that the goal is to be innovative without changing the organisation's structure What this means is that leaders must act in ways that promote and support organisational innovation. Performance management is fundamentally about giving people ownership over their product and over what it is that they're trying to do. So, charismatic leadership, support, freedom for innovation and alternative paths to achieve certain goals and sharing the vision are essential conditions. In fact, the advice for an organisation is ʻtry not to be an organisation’. It is about giving freedom and support to fellow workers to innovate and invest in alternative and innovative ways of working. It is about the will to share the same vision, about charismatic leadership, to concentrate on effective delegation. This is also called ‘shared leadership’. Quite often it includes, for example, different expert teams which have the power to lead different processes that require deeper expertise. This challenges the old management system. To create innovation requires that people engage in exploring new topics, understanding, diagnosing, analysing, modelling, creating, inventing, solving, communicating, and implementing concepts, ideas, insights, and projects.

2.1.2. Location In the project MOVE, we recognised constantly the influence location has on young people's behaviour and the effect it has on learning and training. The different best practices we visited and analysed made use of this effect in various manners. They showed that location characteristics are essential to thinking about education, motivation and tackling early school leaving. In education, there are many studies addressing the topic of learning and educational spaces, and nowadays the educational community agrees on the importance of putting the youngster in the centre of the educational process (De Vitis, 2018; Biondi et al., 2016; Bonwell & Eison, 1991). In order to do that, it is fundamental to transform and adapt spaces around youngsters to encourage learning processes as much as possible.

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⮚ Relation between location and behaviour The physical space and the design of a location have an effect on the thoughts, emotions and behaviour of its ‘residents’. As we will explain in the Agora model, different buildings (spheres) have different purposes. How we behave, feel, talk, and live together within these spheres is reinforced by the architecture and the design: in a church you become quiet, the museum invites you to whisper, and in sports arenas, you are allowed to scream and shout.

Most of the time locations for learning and development are in ‘classical’ classrooms. These locations often show the same design and setup: the teacher in the centre, tables and chairs around the teacher, and most of the time a board or flip-over. For the transfer of knowledge from the teacher/trainer to the student, this setup of course makes sense (Ruijters et. al., 2012), but does not always have the desired effect. In the project MOVE we saw that for youngsters with learning difficulties and at a distance from the labour market, location can have a tremendous effect on their learning abilities and their well-being. Our main proposition in the MOVE Beyond project is that we shift our focus from the work and learning spheres to the sport and cultural spheres. We believe that because of negative experiences these youngsters had within the classical spheres where they should have excelled (school classroom and working place), we should try to develop their skills with different means, in different spheres. Cultural and sports activities are extremely suitable for supporting, guiding, and training young people in a different way. ⮚ Culture, sport and location Activities and interventions from the world of culture and sport call for a different look at the learning environment, design and setup. We can think of space communities where physical space favours exploration, collaboration and reflection. A good location should be a welcoming space capable of being attractive also to less motivated students. The educational areas should have permeability quality (outside-in – inside-out), communicability, luminosity, flexibility–functionality, and so on.

Architectural aspects such as the transferable luminosity between spaces merge with human aspects (social and psychological), such as the sense of security and comfort. These aspects concerning physical space can reveal qualities of beauty in the aesthetic sense, that is, provide pleasant experiences that favour communication and sharing between young people and educators, and, therefore, favour learning. However, according to Judkins (2015), there is also the need to have an unorganised space with potential for improvement (hence imperfect) in order to develop both creativity and the ability to improve and be active.

A learning place deserves explicit attention within the design of ‘training’ locations, especially within the domains of culture and sport. Where do the interventions take place?

What should be the functional design of the specific training location? It means we have to 6

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make explicit choices. Especially for the trainer/teacher, location is of great importance to reach maximum effect.

2.1.3. Guidance With regard to guidance, we refer to the handbook The profile of the trainer (Intellectual Output 4) in which, in addition to the various roles of a trainer, we also describe the most important competencies necessary for building participation and interaction between the trainer and the participants within the objectives of this project. The goal is to translate into practice what we deduce from general indications and to be able to replay the model in specific contexts.

Apart from his competencies and skills, the trainer has to know certain techniques and how to use them in order to inspire, motivate and stimulate his participating audience. The role of the trainer is to reach, guide, trigger, stimulate and support young people, but also to have good communication skills, such as being able to hear, generate new information from previous information, identify communicational distortions, and negotiate, keeping the coherence.

The trainer has also a role as a mediator/facilitator between the different prospects of the participants. Since we suggest involving the audience, the trainer needs skills to mediate and enrich the experiential activities from the participant's point of view.

Another important role of the trainer is to be a learning counsellor, coach tutor and presenter. Experiences lived outside the established scholarship context (in art and sport fields, for example) can lead to unexpected deep conversations, exchange of emotions and thoughts, discovering hidden talents, as a starting (or turning) point for a youngster to take further steps.

In the previous project, we found that different techniques and types of practices developed formal educational context (related to a predetermined curriculum, conducted at a certified educational institution), non-formal educational context (which contains alternative activities that respond more easily to the interests of young people, with greater flexibility and more freedom for discovery and innovation) and informal educational context (with natural and very experiential learning dynamics that can generate grounded and attractive learning activities).

2.2.

The Agora model

The Agora model is a Bildungsmodel, used to prepare young people for a world that is not yet there. The model has been developed by the Dutch philosopher René Gude (2016) in collaboration with the Dutch sociologist Gerard van Stralen, the German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk and the Dutch philosopher Erno Eskens. It takes a practical stand on the fundamental question: Where is humankind? Gude developed it into a practical model, suggesting connecting types of buildings with each different sphere. The somewhat vague 7

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concept of a sphere is transformed into a very concrete place. The same buildings come back in any place at any time and give us a perfect starting point to develop our young people into all-around, engaged citizens.

The trick is to reduce the number of buildings around you. Then maybe the world around you looks less complex.

Try to minimise the buildings around you to their primary function. Then you will see there are only four kinds of facilities where you can live: these are private houses (where you live in with your family, or the private sphere), companies and shops (commercial buildings, or privatised sphere), public buildings (libraries and hospitals, for example, or public sphere) and political buildings (town hall, parliament, or political sphere). Within these four spheres, you can play four roles: the family person, the entrepreneur/employee, the engaged resident, or the political citizen.

Four more types of buildings surround the agora, in which we usually spend less time and where we train ourselves to be successful in the four spheres mentioned above: in schools, we teach ourselves to take on a critical view by using science and philosophy; in religious buildings, we search for the meaning of life and universal values; in the theatres and museums, we train our imagination and empathy and in sports arenas, we train our perseverance, competition and sportsmanship. All this takes place within the ecosphere, which is nature. ⮚ Why the Agora model?

The Agora model gives us a starting point from which we can look at the roles we (can) play in life and the places where we train ourselves to adapt and become successful within those roles. There are four training spheres: the religious sphere, the philosophical (school) sphere, the art sphere, and the sport sphere. In our lives, we take on different roles and, most of the time, we play parts in other spheres within the Agora model. ⮚ Inventio When you engage in different spheres, you do what the Romans called inventio. It derives from the word invenire which means ‘to discover’. You enter a sphere and therefore discover how it works, becoming aware that you will need to adjust a little to fit in, but not as much as you would expect to. This way, you will lose your rough edges and become 8

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erudite and civilised. You build character because you practice how to engage in those different spheres and learn how to play different roles. On the other hand, if you stay in one place, one sphere, looking at the world only from a single perspective, there is the risk of becoming alienated from the world itself and becoming narrow-minded. It can take on the shape of reductionism. It can make you persistent but also immobile. You become stuck, lose your flexibility, and cannot get out to discover the world anymore. ⮚ Target group and the Agora model For young adults from 16 to 27 years old, who can drop out of school and have no appropriate minimum qualification nor the prospect of work in their municipality/region, these experiences within the training spheres could be negative. Young people who cannot keep up at school, are not interested in sport, and do not have supportive families risk not having the opportunity to develop themselves within the different spheres. Often, they are stuck in the private sphere of their homes and families, and only have the values and morals (life skills) that their parents taught them. They are not appropriately prepared for the outside world. They are not flexible enough to play the different roles society expects.

Consequently, this withholds them from successfully getting or holding a job and becoming (economically and) personally independent. Because of youngsters' negative experiences within the usual sphere of school, we should not try to engage them and motivate them using the same failing principles that did not work for them the first time. To reintegrate young people, we have to look at other training programmes (training spheres) to push their boundaries and bring them out of their comfort zone, considering their interests.

Places they are unfamiliar with offer a chance to discover new qualities and ambitions and experience success. With these successes, we can teach them new skills, give them new insights, and prepare them to reintegrate successfully into society and the labour market. ⮚ Art and Sport For this project, we chose to focus on the two training spheres that are often overlooked or given less attention: art and sport. Art and sport are more flexible and have many different training methods and practices to develop personal satisfaction, motivation and individual success. They rely on other skills. This project, therefore, looks at these Agora spheres for inspiration and wants to copy the training programmes used in art and sport to try to motivate and engage young people from a different perspective.

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What we should remember: ⮚ The Agora model is a Bildungsmodel. It categorises the buildings in our world, teaching us there are only eight types of buildings. These buildings come back in any place at any time and give us a perfect starting point to develop our young people into all-around, engaged and committed citizens. ⮚ The eight buildings are called spheres. There are four living spheres (public, private, political and privatised) and four training spheres (art, sport, religion and philosophy). ⮚ The Agora model and the eight different spheres give us a starting point from which we can look at the roles we (can) play in life and the places where we train ourselves to adapt and become successful within those roles. ⮚ Young people in our target group often have bad experiences within the spheres they ought to engage in successfully (especially concerning work or privatised spheres, and school or philosophical spheres). ⮚ Within these two spheres, this project looks for tools, methods, and examples of best practices from cultural and physical training programmes that we can then apply and adapt to motivate and engage young people from a different perspective.

2.3. Social Cognition What Is Social Cognition?

Social cognition focuses on how people process, store, and apply information about other people and social situations. It focuses on the role that cognitive processes play in our social interactions (Cherry, 2020). The way we think about others plays a major role in how we think, feel, and interact with the world around us. It involves: ● The processes involved in perceiving other people and how we come to know about the people in the world around us. ● The study of the mental processes that are involved in perceiving, remembering, thinking about, and attending to the other people in our social world. ● The reasons we attend to certain information about the social world, how this information is stored in memory, and how it is then used to interact with other people.

Development Social cognition develops in childhood and adolescence. As children grow, they become more aware not only of their own feelings, thoughts, and motives but also of the emotions and mental states of others. Children become more adept at understanding how others feel, learning how to respond in social situations, engaging in prosocial behaviours, and taking the perspective of others. While there are many different theories that look at how social cognition develops, one of the most popular focuses on the work of the psychologist Jean Piaget (1952; 1959). According to Piaget, a child's cognitive development goes through a series of stages. During the earliest stages of development, children are very egocentric.

They see the world from their own perspective and struggle to think about how other 10

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people may view the world (Piaget, 2015). As children grow older, children become increasingly adept at perspective-taking and have an increased ability to think about how and why people act the way they do in social situations.

More recently, research has provided evidence that children develop the ability to think about the perspectives of other people at an earlier age than Piaget previously believed.

Even young pre-schoolers exhibit some ability to think about how other people might view a situation. One of the most important developments in the early emergence of social cognition is the growth of a theory of mind. A theory of mind refers to a person's ability to understand and think about the mental states of other people. It is the emergence of a theory of mind that is critical to being able to consider the thoughts, motives, desires, needs, feelings, and experiences that other people may have. Being able to think about how these mental states can influence how people act is critical to forming social impressions and explaining how and why people do the things that they do.

Cultural differences Social psychologists have also found that there are often important cultural differences in social cognition. When looking at a social situation, any two people may have wildly different interpretations. Each person brings a unique background of experiences, knowledge, social influences, feelings, and cultural variations. Some researchers have found that there are also collective, cultural influences that can affect how people interpret social situations. The same social behaviour in one cultural setting may have a very different meaning and interpretation if it was to take place or be observed in another culture. As people interpret behaviour, extract meaning from the interaction, and then act based upon their beliefs about the situation, they are then further reinforcing and reproducing the cultural norms that influence their social cognitions.

Important questions to consider in our contact with others ● How do we develop attitudes? What role do these attitudes play in our social lives? ● How do we interpret other people's feelings and emotions? How do we figure out what they are thinking or feeling? What cues or indicators do we use to make these assumptions? ● How is self-concept formed and how does it influence our relationships with others? ● What influence do our thoughts have on our feelings? ● What mental processes influence our perception; how do we form impressions of other people?

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What we should remember:

⮚ Don't assume a priori that people are not willing to participate or are just playing around.

Maybe they just cannot do that particular activity or have different perceptions.

⮚ Ask Open-Ended Questions. ⮚ Layer information. ⮚ Incorporate different kinds of activities (involving other learning styles, like writing, drawing, taking a pose or gesture of a particular figure in an artwork, etc.) to make room for responses you might not get through conversation alone.

⮚ ⮚ ⮚ ⮚ ⮚ ⮚ ⮚

Make connections (between information and ideas, personal experiences).

Reflect on and synthesise the ideas.

Realise that there is a difference between unwillingness and ignorance.

Be aware of cultural differences.

First listen carefully and repeat what you hear before judging.

Don't let your expectations guide your behaviour.

Watch out for possible deception of first impressions.

2.4. 21st-Century Skills

There are certain skills, abilities, and learning dispositions that have been identified by educators, business leaders, academics, and governmental agencies as being required for achieving success in 21st-century society and workplaces. New standards for what students should be able to do are slowly replacing the basic skills and knowledge expectations of the past. To meet this challenge, schools, non-formal and informal education need to be transformed to enable youngsters to acquire flexible problem solving, collaboration and communication skills, and in general, all those skills that will be used to be successful in work and life. Among the main objectives of education in the 21st century, there is the formation of creative, innovative, and effective graduates in order to allow youngsters to be active in the era of globalisation. With this, in the present century, youngsters are expected to master the 21st-century skills, which can be organised into three categories: learning skills, literacy skills and life skills.

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We will focus only on learning and life skills in this project. Within the learning skills, also called ways of thinking and ways of working (Binkley et al., 2012), we will limit ourselves to four areas: critical thinking (and problem solving), communication, collaboration, and creativity (Aslamiah et al., 2021): 1. Critical thinking (and problem solving): It is one of the learning skills essential to be developed during the education process. This skill is related to the ability to observe and find solutions, analyse problems from different perspectives, and find solutions through logical thinking. This is important in order to be able to make the right decision. In fact, youngsters will be able to express, analyse and solve problems.

2. Communication: These skills are important in order to interpret and express new thoughts and ideas, both orally and in writing. Good communication skills will support cooperation, negotiations and people's interactions.

3. Collaboration: They can be described as skills to work together by showing mutual respect, and making decisions needed to achieve common goals. Collaboration skills can be demonstrated by the attitude to help each other.

4. Creativity: It is the ability to find new solutions for every problem, to think outside the box, to be innovative. Creativity is related to several other skills, such as critical thinking, making decisions and solving problems, communication, and collaboration.

Within the life skills also called ‘living in the World’ (Binkley et al., 2012), we will concentrate on the following skills: flexibility, leadership, initiative, and social skills. These skills are intangible and related to everyday life, both from a personal and professional point of view: 5. Flexibility: It is the expression of someone's ability to adapt to changing circumstances, deviating from plans as needed. It is one of the most challenging qualities to learn for young people because it is based on two uncomfortable ideas: ʻYour way is not always the best’ and ʻYou have to know and admit when you are wrong’.

6. Leadership: It is someone's desire for setting goals, motivating a team to accomplish a goal and walking them through the steps required, and achieving those goals collaboratively.

7. Initiative: It involves starting projects, strategies, and plans on one's own. This is one of the hardest skills to learn and practise. Initiative often means working on projects outside of regular school hours.

8. Social skills: These skills mean meeting and networking with others for mutual benefit. If applied properly, these types of skills are excellent tools for forging longlasting relationships. Since the rise of digital instruments and instant communications 13

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has changed the nature of human interaction, today's young people possess a wide range of social skills that need to be guided properly in an educational setting.

What we should remember: ⮚ For success in 21st-century society and workplaces, 21st-century skills have been identified as required. These abilities can be organised into three categories: learning, literacy and life skills. ⮚ The scientific literature on the subject provides useful tools for assessing the skills of young adults with respect to the three categories identified, in order to encourage them to achieve the objectives necessary in the globalised world of the 21st century (Binkley et. Al., 2012).

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3. Interviews

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3.1. Introduction This document presents the analysis of partners' interviews. The intent is to include the practices implemented in the partner organisations within a more general theoretical framework, which was identified during the MOVE project and which is considered to be the basis of the MOVE Beyond project. With the interviews, we have gathered points of view, experiences, and expectations of each organisation which is part of the project, and we have addressed three issues: their main goals, their characteristics, and location.

We first analyse how the partners deal with the target population, how they contact young people and what programmes they prepare for them. In fact, we are interested in knowing the processes implemented and the emerging good practices.

From the point of view of the organisation, we have deepened the main strength of each of them and the challenges they desire to work on during the MOVE Beyond project. We have explored the type of professionals involved, in order to work with the target population, but also the activities put in place with the aim of reinforcing the professionals' knowledge and abilities. We are interested in the detection of professional experiences that could be useful to share among European partners.

Concerning the second topic of interest, we analyse the concept of guidance and how it is used in each organisation. We have investigated the abilities that should have a good mentor or tutor in order to involve youngsters with social exclusion issues. Based on that, we have asked the respondents to identify the basic conditions that allow the mentors or tutors to carry on their work in the best possible way. We have also started a reflection on the specific characteristics those conditions should have.

Finally, the third topic analysed is connected with the location, which emerged as a very important element for the successful overcoming of difficulties. For this reason, we have investigated in which places partners carry out the activities with young people at disadvantage, and we have asked them the main characteristics that the training location should have.

We also discuss the possibility that the location could influence the achievement of the goals set, gathering experiences on the locations used to work with the target population.

Finally, we reflect on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the way we need to rethink places (physical and virtual) that could welcome the target population.

The analysis of qualitative data was carried out with MAXQDA software through a four-step phase characterised by basic coding (first general coding that allows emerging new dimensions and categories); fine coding (development of data-driven subcategories); hierarchization and merging of overlapping codes or categories; analysis after completing coding (visual tools, maps).

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3.2. Partners' goals The interviews were conducted in order to investigate some aspects emerging from the MOVE Beyond project. First of all, we were interested in acknowledging the activities carried out by our partners with the target population (young people between 16 and 27 years old at drop-out and social exclusion risk). We interviewed each project partner, and when possible, more than one representative for each organisation. Despite the different characteristics of the partner organisations, they have multiple similarities concerning goals, main objective and mission. The analysis brought out four main goals mentioned by the partners: Facilitating the transition to the labour market: — We work with unemployed people, people who has problems to enter the labour market and most of them they have not such a high educational level, they had multilevel problems.

— With our courses we prepare for the job market and first of all we give them linguistic competences (how to write a proper cv, recommendation letter).

Social inclusion: — The goal is to bring people to be active in society, also people who can't work because of their disabilities, they must do social activities, to be part of our society.

Facing educational poverty: — We develop projects in places that are at risk of educational poverty because they are far from the places of production and promotion of culture or lifelong learning.

— We start projects aimed at supporting the study and contrasting educational poverty.

— Our goal? Let no one get lost, start meaningful paths that awaken young people from a situation that until then seemed absolutely doomed to failure.

Guidance and support: — Very often there's no need for guidance or counselling, but sometimes they need more support … help to understand what should be done in the near future … You are here, you want to improve yourself, you want to find your way to the labour market and what we try to find out is what are your capacities and competences, so that you have a better chance to enter the labour market.

— We offer counselling, guidance, help for having their own apartment … guidance and counselling.

The red thread that connects the organisations involved in the MOVE Beyond project crosses the transition path from education to the labour market. Social and educational inclusion are starting points for a smooth transition, and the organisations involved in the project experiment with different strategies in order to face the weakest transitions.

Contacts with the target population take place in a differentiated manner according to the characteristics of the organisations.

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The partners interviewed mostly stated that they come into contact with young people thanks to the synergies established with the schools: — Each action, each project has its own purpose and objective aimed at the target population, we share the project with school managers and with the representatives of the local schools …

Working together for us means not offering additional spaces unrelated to the rest, but integrating what the young people do every day in their path.

Besides that, a good contact channel is the provision of social services (guidance in order to find a job, educational inclusion, economical support): — First of all, they have to come to us because they need money, then we judge if they have right to receive the money (it depends on certain criteria).

— The other type of reporting occurs through social workers, especially for projects aimed at the civic integration seekers, for people that are in a situation of social disadvantage, the communication comes to us directly from the social workers who contact us because we are a known reality and we can provide this type of support.

Other synergies mentioned by partners are with associations, families, and reception centres for migrants. Talking about tools, partners have a specific division that is in charge of the communication (social media, press, blog) with the aim of reaching a wide audience of possible beneficiaries of the services.

Finally, some organisations get in touch with the target population by ‘going out on the field’: — We have our outreach work going to the streets to meet youngsters and to get in contact with them … Trying to motivate them to get some help to go further …

— When we establish a contact in the street, workers say to youngest: you can call me! So, it's quite easy, they don't need to make bureaucratic processes, they can just call me or write an email or come and visit us … I think it's very easy way to contact the person you have been talking to.

During the previous stage of the MOVE Beyond project (called MOVE), we found three specific areas impacting on young people's education, job opportunities and social transition: location, guidance, and the organisation's characteristics. Precisely for this reason, we decided to interview the partners about their experience in these three areas, about the strengths and challenges they face to reach and keep the target population engaged. Given the specific historical period within which the project is taking place (during the COVID-19 pandemic), we have also investigated the strategies implemented by the organisations to keep the most vulnerable youngsters engaged, despite the social and physical distance imposed.

3.3. The organisation

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Interviewees have been stimulated to express their impressions concerning the strengths of their organisation from the management point of view, and we can distinguish two main dimensions: professional training need and autonomy. Among the professional figures who relate to young people with a socio-educational disadvantage, the partners indicated more traditional working figures: pedagogists, psychologists, educators; but also specific professionals able to face multilevel problems: counsellors, coaches, peer-educators, art field professionals.

— With vulnerable youngest, we try to have a peer educator, an educator who, by age, experience, origin, is sympathetic to the children who participate in the training activity.

— My organization has coaches who guide those youngest back to the labour market or back to school.

— We work with museum educators … people with knowledge about art but who have based their work on the relationship with the public. The main role of the museum educator is to be able to take an artwork and make its relationship with the public meaningful.

— Giving them some coaching services … now also online … sometimes they have problems with finding a way, like the labour market, like the field of study … So, they need some help with coaching.

In addition to the professionals employed by the organisations, partners indicated some professions as an added value for working with vulnerable young people: — We need to work with people with different eyes, looking from different perspectives (musicians, artists), they can fill the gap and our blind spots.

— People who know about biology culture who are in connection with the land, and artists are mostly connected with the project itself …

One partner mentioned a very interesting project, which would be to involve young people during the project planning process: — Co-planning, if I had resources I would pay the beneficiaries, introducing them in the planning, favoring their point of view … for now, we have co-designed with teachers but for activities aimed at young people … instead … I would like to co-design with the target population … also for hiring them: If you participate, I will pay you!

Related to the organisations' strengths, the interviews mentioned the ability to understand and support the professionals' training needs: — The organization gives us the possibility to explore and be creative … They give money to each project manager to develop different kinds of activities, hire people, and external contracts.

In fact, it is very important for the workers' well-being to have a supportive organisation behind them, able to understand their needs and wishes. Besides that, the ability of the organisation to identify the training needs of employees is also important, because working with young people with multilevel problems implies continuous updates and specialisations on complex issues: 19

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— We need motivational conversation, extra support for coaches who need to tackle various problems.

— I have planned about 20 different training sessions for workers, and they are all related to our strategy … I think that it's really important to offer a chance for the staff who have training because it gives them new ideas and inspires them to try.

Not all partners involved in the interviews have the opportunity to experiment with lifelong learning. The setting of the organisations is more based on an ‘up-to-you’ training method, based on workers' demand and initiative, especially for partners from southern and eastern Europe: — There is no structured plan let's say … a part of this activity is delegated to moments of training together.

From the interviews, the dimension of autonomy emerged predominantly as input for creativity, problem solving, and flexibility in the management of problems: — Every staff member is self-responsible and that means that we gave space to each worker, and they have the possibility to make their own decisions. when you give them space, also for their own creativity and their own possibilities to risk … then you see that self-responsibility is growing from itself.

Furthermore, autonomy also means the ability to make decisions and explore new possibilities. Several partners mentioned the skill to build a network as a strength of their organisation: — We have a good national and international network.

— Over time, most of our projects have developed online, involving other schools, associations, local authorities, and institutions.

— It is necessary to have a big network of companies to be informed what's happening down … and I tried to translate this to transfer that knowledge to schools … that is why I also have lots of contact with career counsellors in schools because they need to inform students what are important developments on the labour market and how they can prepare those students in the best way.

The network they talk about is a very complex structure that involves actors working in the same field as organisations such as schools, companies, local and non-profit associations.

This network is very important to involve different kinds of professionals, in order to address youth disadvantage. When a single element of the chain is missing, the effectiveness of the actions implemented is less strong. Cooperation and co-planning are the words most used by partners describing their own reference network; these are essential elements for achieving the objectives set.

Finally, flexibility also means being able to react rapidly to multiple problems or unexpected events. During the COVID-19 pandemic, each organisation had to activate new strategies to cope with unusual ways of working and to be able to get in touch with the most 20

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vulnerable young people. We asked each partner which policies they implemented during the pandemic and how they became resilient actors in such a complex period.

3.3.1. Organisation and engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed the revision and questioning of consolidated strategies in order to continue working with the most disadvantaged young people, in new spaces and with new tools. It is very interesting to have a look at the visual map (see Figure 1) aimed at describing what partners experimented during this period. The thickness of the lines indicates the frequency of the responses in the specified dimensions. At first glance it is possible to observe that the first strategy is the contact (with every possible tool).

Organisations started contacting youngsters using their digital tools: — We keep the communication even from the phone.

— We created a Facebook group, we keep contact with WhatsApp (they are youngsters, don't call them! but only WhatsApp messages); we open a platform that young people use for hanging out and talking … it's a way to keep in touch.

— The ways we communicate with young people have changed a lot. We have completely abandoned ourselves with respect to privacy … Phone calls, WhatsApp (it is not a tool that was usually used) in the same way for Facebook. Until this year, the profiles (IG, Facebook) of the teachers were private, they were not to be shared with the students. But this year it was different … we relied on everything we could use as a communication channel.

— On our website, where we gave official communication of our presence, you will find: surname and personal telephone numbers … Maybe someday we will change the numbers [laugh] but we had to be there!

Privacy seems to be a big challenge for the organisations involved, but this aspect is connected again with flexibility. The less flexible the organisation is, the more difficult it is to overcome spatial limits to meet the needs of young people. The interviewees told us that, while at the beginning of the health emergency they were not prepared and needed three weeks to restart the activities, in November 2020, when the situation worsened again, ʻthe day before we were in attendance, the day after onlineʼ. They have proven to be contextual and responsive to what is actually useful for vulnerable youngsters: to be present.

Unfortunately, despite the effort, it was not possible to maintain contact with everyone.

Each European project partner experienced the frustration caused by the consciousness of having left someone behind, especially in the initial phase of the pandemic: — Some young people don't have good internet connection … we have families with 5 or 6 children and one computer … so it's really hard now, especially now when they had lessons online … they had problems to participate at school.

— We already know that we have lost some more vulnerable young people (migrants living with many people at home, often they don't have laptops/ good connections …).

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However, with the persistence of the emergency, transversal actions were implemented to identify the problems and, where possible, specific actions were taken to provide digital tools.

One of the most important challenge for professionals working with vulnerable youngsters is facing the impossibility of physically getting them out of their comfort zone. This element is particularly evident when using art and sport as specific tools to involve young people: — For people who attend the spaces of Palazzo Strozzi in order to have the excuse to leave their home, it is not the same thing to do online activities … Their interest is not so much talking about art, but taking the bus, coming to Palazzo Strozzi and spending half a day with different people from those who see normally.

But even if it was not possible to physically move them, one of the strategies applied was using the artistic experience to share and express the emotions of young people: — I start to work with natural elements … For example: What you can see like a natural element from your room or out of that …? or: Drawn an element of your family … thinks connected with their new reality and makes them be aware about what they are leaving and not think so much about ‘I can't go out’ but ‘Let's see where we are and what we can do’.

But some interesting experiences told us that for specific vulnerable groups it has been possible to maintain contact and go on with the activities: — We also had the possibility to reach some youngest in an easy way, for this reason, we will continue with online services even after the pandemic. We need more digital services aside from face-to-face services … Especially referring to special youngsters (HC, physical or emotional issues) … for someone it can be a big step going to the youth club because they don't know anyone but it's easy to log in with a computer.

A final reflection is dedicated to space. The pandemic has forced us to look for spaces of possibility where we were not looking before: open-air protected situations in which we can work well even in this context. Several partners told us that their relation with ‘educational’ space has changed: — During the summer we organized a summer camp, which we had never imagined doing prepandemic … working outdoors … we have always refused to do summer camps because they are moments in which the expectation is very clear: to have fun! And we are not just entertainment … this year we did it and I personally realized the potential and I want to repeat the experience … planning very well, with the artists …

— We can also think of organizing open-air activities … outdoor activities. Also, with the target group, we can go to parks for our training …

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Figure 1: Visual map of the strategies and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

3.4. Guidance What are the characteristics that make tutors' work with vulnerable youngsters effective?

This is the question we asked the project partners in order to investigate an essential aspect of youngsters' engagement: guidance. One of the most cited characteristics is experience, with respect to the target population: — [The tutor] has to have experience in dealing with youngsters.

— If you don't have experience with this target group, you'll need months to learn, but you can learn specific activities.

Partners also talk about the importance of vision: — With young people, it is important not only to see what is now, but also will be, the ability to make people abstract from their situation, alternatives exist!

This characteristic is strictly connected with empathy, described as ‘the ability to live the moment together with the youngest’: — I think the trainers should be emphatic because sometimes trainers feel too smart and what they say it's the only truth, but trainers working with vulnerable young people … They should think about this group, they should think how hard it is to do simple things … you need to be emphatic.

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— We always need to start our relationship with young people asking them: How are you? How do you feel?

A good mentor must also be able to make individual plans, in order to answer specific needs (both educational and work needs): — Young people participate in individual interviews, in which they bring out their needs …

Thanks to this work of taking charge, there can be a redirection of the youngest with respect to what he wants.

— The activities are conceived and organized starting from the needs of the beneficiary, in terms of schedules, time and space in which to carry out the activities.

— For everyone we made an individual lesson program … for all our students I make individual programs.

During the interviews also emerged the importance to be creative. In fact, a good mentor must also be able to solve problems easily and to find new tools in order to answer emerging needs. The ability to listen is another expression used by partners to describe mentors' strengths: — What do you want? … If we ask that, it can open the routes … the youngest can really feel ‘I'm in charge here and they're helping me with the issues I have’.

— Which is your dream? How can we go closer to that?

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Too often, the tendency is to transmit (transversal) skills without listening to young people's needs. Everyone has their own values, and mentors must be open to understanding other points of view without judgement.

Figure 2: Visual map of features that a good tutor or counsellor should have

3.5. Location The concept of location also contains the methodology used in the place; it is not only a shell but also the soul that is contained in it. The partners interviewed are very aware of the importance of educational space. In fact, they told us about the characteristics it should have, as well as the setting and the value: — The place has a strong value for vulnerable youngsters, but also for families and stakeholders. If families perceive the solidity of the place, they willingly entrust them … if the young one perceives the welcome, they attend more lessons … If the stakeholders perceive the value of the place, they will be more willing to support it. These three aspects must be read all together … without one of these, everything is lost. If young people don't want to attend, if the families do not recognize the location as their place and if stakeholders do not recognize the

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place as a model that can be replicated, they will not attend, support their children to attend lessons and give funding.

— The care of space is necessary to take care of people's experience.

— The creation of the materials, the arrangement of the space … it took me a long time to understand this, but the preparation of a place where you enter and often there is an almost ceremonial dimension … If the space is well prepared it allows the conductor to activity not to be preponderant … if you have to replace the inadequacy of space with a lot of information, solicitations, you don't work on the emancipation of the participant in the activity. On the other hand, if you prepare the space well, you allow serenity and give greater freedom by welcoming individual action.

With respect to the characteristics that locations should have, the most important is safety.

A good location must be a safe and inviting place. The young ones must be able to express their vulnerability. It is also important to rethink locations after the pandemic: — The place has to be large enough to give the possibility of getting the distance from each other … since my relation with young adult has to do with art, the place has to have a good natural light.

— When we choose a room where people don't feel comfortable … if there's not enough space for everybody for feel good, can compromise the atmosphere of the workshop …

— If you enhance the space you enhance the experience and if it has value, you participate in a more immersive context. The place is even more important if we work with people who are used to living in contexts without care.

Finally, an interesting category that emerged from interviews is called ‘outside-in – inside-out’: it is very important to make the space permeable, to let people live in environments to which they do not usually have access. It is also very important to take the activities for young people out of the organisation but also to bring them into organisations (museum, municipality, school, enterprises). In fact, sometimes it is better to remove young people from their contexts (and give them new perspectives); other times can be more suitable to approach them within their familiar and safe places. Therefore, the concept of permeability is connected to accessibility. For instance, to make art accessible by taking it out of museums, but also to bring young people to live in new spaces, far from home, in order to create new experiences and get them out of their comfort zone. Making spaces accessible and permeable also favours the encounter between different territorial realities: schools and companies (in order to favour the transition to the labour market), but also schools and art (concerts and theatre) to sow possibilities and inputs for experimentation among the most vulnerable young people. The enhancement of skills cannot pass only through formal education but must follow less traditional paths, to bring out potential and passions that are often hidden: — Now we wait for people to come to our location but what we don't do is go outside … I would like to involve people, preparing concert/cooking sessions with the youngest, inviting entrepreneurs, also in a playful way.

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— I would like to involve youngsters in the creation of the building spaces (colors, murals …), to make the spaces welcoming, suitable for young people and to reduce the distance between the inside and the outside … the space should not be formal, but the beneficiaries must be at ease.

— I would like to create a workshop for vulnerable youngsters, but also open to the community … artists and citizens can work together in order to create something that is a contribution for the region.

— When we bring our activities outside the organization, we try to bring out beauty, as the value of taking care of others, which is what we try to do every day.

Figure 3: Visual map of features that a good location should have in order to develop effective activities with the target population

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4. Applied theories on the cultural and physical guidelines 4.1. John Dewey John Dewey was an American philosopher, psychologist and educational reformer whose ideas have been influential in education and social reform. Although Dewey is known best for his publications about education, he also wrote about many other topics, including epistemology, metaphysics, aesthetics, art, logic, social theory, and ethics. Concerning his ideas about art and physical activities: ● art is found instantly through the senses, and children develop a relationship that influences emotion through the expression of art; ● art gives children the ability to actively use their imagination by taking simple, subconscious experiences and applying them through artistic expression – every single experience counts in art; ● knowledge of how the world is constructed and how one must live and the ability to effectively use that knowledge are fostered through physical activity; ● physical education teaches individuals what they and others want and it allows an individual to grow in various settings. ʻThe learner is not a blank slate upon which ideas are to be written nor is his or her mind a cabinet into which facts are to be filed away … In his view education always reflects the circumstances of the times and students involved, it should evolve as these elements change.ʼ (Hickman et al., 2009, p.26) In his book Art as Experience, Dewey (1980) expanded ideas on art and education, focusing on individuality and community. ● He argues that art is a language, essential to the social development of human beings. Instead of a repeating activity, art constructs and reveals creativity. ● In order to achieve individuality and community in art, Dewey states that no work of art is created by only one element.

Instead, many factors of a work of art are related to each other, and it is important that these factors work in unison to create an aesthetic experience. ● Dewey describes this aesthetic experience as ʻemotionally intuited’, ʻimpressive’, and ʻimmediately experienced’. These qualities are only felt, not seen. Aesthetic experience must include a ʻmedium’, which links the artist's mind and materials. Dewey criticised theories of art that fail to take into account this medium because the medium enhances the first experience and develops the language of art. ● Individuality itself is originally a potentiality and is realised only in interaction with surrounding conditions. In this process of intercourse, native capacities, which contain an element of uniqueness, are transformed and become a self.

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What we should remember: ➢ The media has often a negative contribution to the way youngsters value things – they have determining values and perspectives based on the media's opinions on how we should live our lives. Therefore, art education should help children develop their sense of what a value is and what kind of perspective to live life by instead. ➢ It is important for children to pay attention to their own judgements towards art to develop a productive communication that keeps individuality, think critically as opposed to simply agreeing with everything the other says – expand, question, further the thinking and reconstruct the thoughts, thus making a meaningful conversation. ➢ Be aware of the individuality of your students and accommodate their teaching to the situation.

4.2. Arthur Efland Efland was a leading figure in the field of art education. He embraces an integrated theory of cognition, which holds that each individual constructs his own view of reality in the light of his personal, social, and cultural context. According to this integrated theory, each of us is guided by our own interests and purposes in seeking to understand the world through our experience of it. Yet, we inevitably employ the cognitive tools provided by the culture in which we live, tools ranging from language to a body of scientific knowledge. In principle, therefore, while Efland recognises the crucial influence of cultural context, he does not deny the efficacy of the individual as a thinking and acting being. Efland traces the related emergence of three major traditions in cognitive theory: 1) symbol processing, 2) the sociocultural or situated tradition, and 3) the constructivist tradition. He also lays the foundation for advancing his own modified constructivist theory of learning through the arts (Efland, 2002).

The social Reconstructionist current is the third approach in art education. According to Efland, artistic production was at the service of society's needs, that is, Art had a social role ʻThe understanding of a work of art requires it to be grasped in relation to the social and cultural realms in which it took form and reciprocally helps the learner to comprehend the social and cultural worlds it mirrors.ʼ (Efland, 2002, p. 166) of intervention and could contribute to improving people's quality of life. Everyone had the ability to create. The experience of creation was itself a learning process with others.

Project work is the most explored methodology in the teaching–learning process.

Teamwork is valued, giving importance to the consensual construction of an artistic team proposal. Creativity, critical sense, team spirit are strongly encouraged.

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In his book Art and Cognition, Efland (2002) demonstrates how art contributes to the overall development of the mind. He outlines how the development of artistic interests and skills is an important aspect of cognition and learning, and shows how art helps individuals construct cultural meaning, a crucial part of social communication – a foundation for lifelong learning, including art. He argues that Art should be determined not only by affective or sensorimotor aspects, but that cognitive aspects are also very essential. He explains the cognitive nature of learning in the visual arts – unmasking the intractable perception of art as only emotional, and looks at recent understandings of the mind and intelligence to determine how they bear on questions of the intellectual status of the arts: ● how a cognitively oriented conception of teaching will change the ways that the arts are taught; ● in which ways new developments in cognitive science can be applied to art education; ● how the arts can be used to develop cognitive ability in youngsters.

What we should remember: ➢ Teach youngsters about art through their own experiences (cognitive, affective and sensorimotor), by looking at art from the past and present, at the creative processes of others. ➢ Teach youngsters to think about the role of art, about what is important (analysis and reflection), or what they can or want to make themselves (problem finding). Viewing works of art requires some intellectual ability to extract valuable meaning from a work of art. ➢ Help youngsters learn to develop their own artistic and creative abilities by doing visual research themselves, by learning through experience how to apply their knowledge flexibly. ➢ Encourage imagination: the act or ability to form mental images of that which is not present, or which has not been experienced before. It is also the act or ability to create new ideas or images by combining and reorganising previous experiences.

4.3. Lev Vygotsky Lev Vygotsky (1896–1934) was a Russian psychologist and social constructivist whose sociocultural theory emphasises the importance of culture and interaction in the development of cognitive abilities. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory views human development as a socially mediated process in which children acquire their cultural values, beliefs, and problem-solving strategies through collaborative dialogues with more knowledgeable members of society (Daniels, 2017). He believed that a person has not only a set of abilities but also a set of potential abilities that can be realised if given the proper guidance from others. Vygotsky developed theories on teaching that have been adopted by educators today.

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‘Learning is more than the acquisition of the ability to think; it is the acquisition of many specialized abilities for thinking about a variety of things.ʼ (Jing et al., 2019, p. 85).

Vygotsky's best-known concept is the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), a key construct in Lev Vygotsky's theory of learning and development (Vygotsky, 1978).

The Zone of Proximal Development is defined as the space between what a learner can do without assistance and what a learner can do with adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable and skilled peers. The term ‘proximal’ refers to those skills that the learner is ‘close’ to mastering. It is a theory where a teacher or a peer with more relevant skills helps the learner reach their full potential. A good teacher or moreZone Of Proximal Development (ZPD) knowledgeable-other (MKO) identifies a learner's ZPD - SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY and helps them stretch beyond it. Then the MKO gradually

BY VYGOTSKY - GROUP: withdraws support until the learner can perform the task MOCKINGJAY (google.com) unaided. Other psychologists have applied the metaphor of scaffolds (the temporary platforms on which construction workers stand) to Vygotsky's theory. Scaffolding is the temporary support that an MKO gives a learner to do a task.

Everyone has hidden potential that can be reached with proper support, and one should never ‘judge the book by its cover’. It is important to note that the terms cooperative learning, scaffolding and guided learning all have the same meaning within the literature.

What we should remember: ⮚ In order to develop the ZPD, the trainer should consider/elicit the previous knowledge from the learners. ⮚ Art and physical activity help young people to reach their full potential, their ZPD. ⮚ Assign tasks that students cannot do on their own but which they can do with assistance and provide an environment that enables students to do harder tasks than would otherwise be possible. Art and sport settings are good examples of such environments.

4.4. Howard Gardner Howard Gardner is the John H. and Elisabeth A. Hobbs Research Professor of Cognition and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is also an adjunct professor of psychology at Harvard University and senior director of Harvard Project Zero. He has received numerous honours and, in recognition of his contributions to both academic theory and public policy, he has received honorary degrees from 31 colleges and universities. He has been elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the National Academy of Education, and the Londonbased Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce. In 1990, 31

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he was the first American to receive the University of Louisville's Grawemeyer Award in Education.

In his book Multiple Intelligences, Gardner (1996) defines intelligence as the ability to process information, solve problems or create products that are valuable to a particular community or culture. He sees that ability coming back in different areas of human activity. His vision is pluralistic: he tries all kinds of ‘intelligent behaviour’ to provide a place and to take into account the different ways in which people know and can. During his studies, Howard Gardner identified different kinds of intelligence: linguistic intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence (which together make the typical concept of intelligence, measured in conventional tests), spatial intelligence, musical intelligence, physical-aesthetic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence, and then he added the naturalistic intelligence.

1. Linguistic-Verbal intelligence: ⮚ referred to as linguistic intelligence; ⮚ someone who is linguistically strong uses language as a means of understanding the world, solving problems, and making products by asking for explanations, reading, putting words into words; ⮚ you find this intelligence mostly in professions such as writers, poets, journalists.

2. Logical-Mathematical intelligence: ⮚ analytical, logical, ordered and systematic intelligence, in which concepts and ideas are entirely dissected; ⮚ someone who is logically-mathematically strong always wants to know precisely what the situation is; ⮚ it is a necessary intelligence for scientists.

3. ⮚ ⮚ ⮚

Visual-Spatial intelligence: based on the spatial or visual proposals of concepts and ideas; this intelligence can be created by both images and language; it is typical for visual artists, pilots, architects, chess players and surgeons.

4. ⮚ ⮚ ⮚

Musical intelligence: should not necessarily be identified with singing or playing an instrument; it is primarily about feeling and recognising sounds, rhythm, repetition, pattern; it is indispensable for musicians and singers.

5. Bodily-Kinaesthetic intelligence: ⮚ people who are strong in this intelligence (also called tactical-motor intelligence) learn and create by manipulating things, doing things themselves; ⮚ it is essential for dancers, athletes and mechanics.

6. Interpersonal intelligence: ⮚ those who have strong interpersonal intelligence are good at understanding and interacting with other people; 32

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⮚ these individuals are skilled at assessing the emotions, motivations, desires, and intentions of those around them, and are cooperative.

7. Intrapersonal intelligence: ⮚ individuals who are strong in intrapersonal intelligence are good at being aware of their emotional states, feelings, and motivations; ⮚ they tend to enjoy self-reflection and analysis, including daydreaming, exploring relationships with others, and assessing their strengths; ⮚ people like philosophers and writers have this intelligence.

8. Naturalistic intelligence: ⮚ it is characterised by the recognition of broader connections or interconnections; ⮚ individuals who are high in this type of intelligence are more in tune with nature but just as well in society; ⮚ they are often interested in nurturing, exploring the environment, and learning about other species; ⮚ professions like biologists, conservationists, gardeners, farmers have this naturalistic intelligence.

Cherry, Kendra, (2021). Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Verywell mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/gardners-theory-of-multiple-intelligences-2795161

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What we should remember: ⮚ As a trainer, you need to be aware that there are different types of information and different ways of processing information. ⮚ That everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, but they can also evolve. ⮚ Not only do we all learn in a certain way (one by reading, the other by doing, a third by schematising, and so on) but we also express ourselves in different ways: through words, images, schedules, movement, etc. Of course, in a multidisciplinary activity, you will get some choice in this domain, but it is good to have an eye for this in other situations as well.

4.5.

David Kolb

David Kolb is a learning and organisational psychologist who is best known for his research into the different ways in which people learn from their experiences. He is affiliated with the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. His best-known work is Experiential Learning. Experience as The Source of Learning and Development from 1984. He based himself on the work of John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, and Jean Piaget. But he was also inspired by Carl Jung, Paulo Freire, Jerome Bruner, L. S. Vygotsky, and William James.

As the name reveals, the Experiential Learning Theory involves learning from experience.

In his book Experiential Learning, Kolb (1984) clarifies that experiential learning can be defined as a learning process where knowledge results from the combination of grasping and transforming an experience. Kolb suggested that learning requires the acquisition of abstract concepts that can then be applied flexibly in a wide range of situations. Therefore, knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. This is the core of Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory. It includes two parts. The first part details a four-stage cycle that the learning experience follows. According to Kolb, by going through the different stages, learners can convert their experiences into knowledge. The second part focuses on the cognitive processes that occurred for learners to acquire knowledge. The theory highlights how individuals can demonstrate their understanding or learnings when they are able to apply abstract concepts to new situations.

Experiential Learning Cycle

The model describes two ways of grasping knowledge: concrete experiences and abstract conceptualisation. The other two modes, reflective observation and active experimentation help learners transform their experience into knowledge. Each of these stages acts as a foundation for the next stage.

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a. Concrete Experience (CE) At this stage, learners encounter an experience. This could be either a completely new experience or a reimagined one that has already happened. Kolb believed that the key to learning lies in involvement. According to him, it is not enough for learners to just read or watch demonstrations to acquire new knowledge. As such, each learner should actively engage in an experience. This could involve being exposed to a new task or a new way of carrying out a project they are already familiar with. While the experience is usually a personal one, it might also be a shared experience. In this situation, learners acquire knowledge by observing, hearing or reading about someone else's experiences. This kind of social learning comes loaded with benefits. b. Reflective Observation (RO) Concrete experiences are followed by reflective observation. As such, after engaging in an experience, learners should step back to reflect on the task or activity. This stage in the learning cycle allows the learner to ask questions and discuss the experience with others.

For most individuals, this is where seeing and doing transforms into the real-time absorption of new information. In practice, this could mean a situation where a person is shown how to accomplish a goal. They then look at how it could be applied in different circumstances. Communication is vital as it allows learners to identify any discrepancies between their understanding and the experience itself. Discussing the experience with others helps to ease the reflection process by introducing other points of view. At this stage, learners will also try to place the experience alongside other previous experiences to look for patterns or notable differences. c. Abstract Conceptualisation (AC) Reflective observation leads to abstract conceptualisation. In this stage, learners form new ideas or alter their current understanding based on the reflections that arose from the previous stage. Learners move from reflective observation to abstract conceptualisation when they begin to classify concepts and take conclusions from the events that occurred.

As such, abstract conceptualisation gives learners the chance to assess how their new ideas can be applied in the real world. They can do so by interpreting the experience and making comparisons to their current understanding of the concept. When learners return to a task, they can then return with the goal of applying their conclusions to new experiences. In other words, they generate abstract principles that they can apply to future situations. After all, the focus lies in drawing conclusions and learning lessons based on the experience. This shows us that information is a lot easier to retain if it is relevant to our lives and we are given an opportunity to apply it. d. Active Experimentation (AE) The last stage of the cycle involves active experimentation. At this stage, learners apply their new ideas to the world around them. This allows them to see if there are any changes in the next occurrence of the experience. As such, this stage offers an opportunity for learners to test out their new ideas and lessons gathered from the experience. By actively experimenting with different concepts, individuals can learn how to associate what they have experienced with new ideas and innovations. This experimentation results in new concrete experiences that effectively trigger the beginning of the next cycle. After all, life effectively amounts to a series of interlinked experiences.

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4.6. George Hein George Hein is an education theorist, education researcher, chemist, museum educator, and Professor Emeritus at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Alongside an academic and research career, his work in education began as part of the Educational Development Center in the Elementary Science Program, growing from there to programme evaluation and valuation of cultural institutions. In 1972, he founded the Program Evaluation and Research Group (PERG) to evaluate the educational work of museums and arts organizations and has been active in museum education and evaluation ever since. He has systematically elaborated and described the model of a constructivist museum and related ‘learning in museums’ to educational theory. PERG also served as the evaluator for major American national programmes and began major evaluation work for NASA education programs, among other assignments. Hein has had experience as a curriculum developer, science educator, and director of national programmes to facilitate systemic school change.

George Hein theorises a constructivist education that consists of a certain combination of Knowledge theory and Learning theory to be put into practice through pedagogy, called Education Theory. Hein classifies educational theories based on three components: a theory of knowledge (epistemology), a theory of learning, and, deriving from the first two, a theory of teaching (pedagogy). He places theories of knowledge on a continuum ranging from the realist position, that the real world and knowledge of it exist independent of the mind, to the idealist position, that knowledge exists only as constructed by the individual mind (Hein, 1998). Theories of how people learn also are spread along a continuum. At one end is the position that learning occurs by adding information bit by bit to an essentially passive mind. At the other extreme learning is seen as an active mental process resulting in a restructuring of the mind (Hein, 2006). These two parameters are essentially the ‘what and how of learning’. By drawing a diagram with these two continuums at right angles, Hein forms four quadrants, each representing a pair of positions with respect to learning and knowledge that characterises a particular educational theory. He labels the theories as didactic, expository; stimulus–response; 1 Hein's model for educational theories Source: discovery; and constructivism, and for each he Redrawn from Hein (1998). | Download also describes what the most appropriate Scientific Diagram (researchgate.net) pedagogy would be. By this analysis, constructivism is defined as the educational 36

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theory that embraces knowledge as a construction of the mind and learning as an active restructuring of the mind. (See diagram.)

Didactic, Expository ⮚ Knowledge is presented as the truth. ⮚ Content is divided into small parts and presented in a fixed and logical order (from simple to complex). ⮚ The learner has a passive role: he absorbs the knowledge.

Stimulus–Response ⮚ The focus is mainly on training, less on content. ⮚ It is not so much about the transfer of knowledge but a particular behaviour that one wants to create or strengthen. ⮚ The intention is that the learner will develop a specific response to a given stimulus, without claiming that there is a legitimate ground for it. (See also behaviourism.)

Discovery (or Discovery by learning) ⮚ The learning person is actively involved in the learning process. ⮚ It is learning by doing things yourself, by experiences, by dealing with objects, phenomena and people, and reflecting on it. ⮚ The different ways of learning and the importance of experiences in the learning process are recognised. However, the fixed learning content is not abandoned.

Constructivism ⮚ The active participation of the learning person is necessary, and it is not the intention to reach correct conclusions. ⮚ There is no external norm or truth on the subject against which the conventional interpretations must be assessed. ⮚ Content must be meaningful within the experience of the person itself and useful to base actions on. ⮚ Within constructivism, an argument is only wrong if it does not correspond to the existing evidence – e.g. you cannot say that a circle is square. Otherwise, there are not so many misconceptions as there are naive or personal interpretations.

Constructivism theory is based on the idea that students should engage in learning that is relevant to their own lives because it carries deeper meaning and understanding. Students in constructivist-based classrooms become active participants in the learning processes as they construct their own understanding of concepts, rather than having their learning transmitted to them by some other source. A key aspect of constructivist theory is the idea of scaffolding: the support provided to students by a teacher or another student to help extend a student's learning (Hein, 2004).

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There is a model linked closely to constructivism, and which is especially relevant to learning through physical activities (but can be applied to art too). This is called inquiry-based learning. The foundation of inquiry-based learning is that students learn deeply and authentically when being presented with a problem or question in which they work to find the answer (Purichia, 2015). Inquiry-based learning can be used as a basis for the creation of effective learning experiences by posing a skill-based problem for young people to solve (i.e. playing a game, trying to solve a problem together). By providing young people with open-ended, complex, and thoughtful scenarios, they are engaged and are inspired to learn deeply. This helps the group use skills such as problem solving, critical thinking and reflection (i.e. the skills described earlier as 21st-century skills).

As constructivist theory suggests that learning is especially a social construct, it is recommended that the teacher (whether you call them a teacher, facilitator or coach is not important) gives their students opportunities to take control of the learning process and to interact with each other while doing so. Thus, when planning an activity for a group of young people it is vital to acknowledge their specific needs and plan accordingly. Teachers need to think about what young people can potentially become. This requires that the teacher takes into account the past experiences of the group, which is especially important when working with groups of individuals in vulnerable positions. This can then be used as a basis for what they are going to do during the planned activity.

The idea of scaffolding should be implemented so that young people have a chance for reflection and learn to support and rely on each other. This also means that the leader must always be ready to change their plans and react to the needs of the group. Cooperation is not something that can be learnt simply by working in groups in a single session. It is instead by engaging in a series of cooperative events that students learn to be cooperative.

What we should remember: ⮚ If you assume (to the extent possible) that people (young and older) actively learn, and that they have control over their learning process, then a careful balance must be sought between openness and direction. ⮚ It is not the intention to achieve a precise result (or to make a standard) but that everyone learns in the broad sense of the word and develops their knowledge, attitude and skills. ⮚ The essential is that people are motivated and stimulated to enter (and stay) in that learning process and to create a safe and challenging learning environment. ⮚ Starting points, offering a complete learning process, adapting the activity to the needs of learners, and confirming personal results are keywords and require extensive and substantial preparation.

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5.

Practical application in a training (Van Eeckhaut, M., Mooss (2021)

5.1. The three conditions for creating a stimulating learning environment SAFETY ⮚ Create a safe climate. ⮚ Encourage risk, experiment and creativity. ⮚ Remember that there is no standard that the participants must meet. ⮚ Value personal interpretations. ⮚ Dealing with performance anxiety: starting idea and reinforcement. ⮚ Dealing with peer pressure: offering and reinforcing a method. ⮚ Adopt a supportive attitude. ⮚ Present assignments safely. ⮚ Think carefully about performances and the relationship between process and result. ⮚ Work gradually. ⮚ Reflect together with the group and set the course. ⮚ Respond to participants in a safe manner. ⮚ Give positive reinforcement, feedback and discussion. ⮚ Respect group dynamics to the extent possible. ⮚ Leave participants in their familiar groups (not mandatory, depends on the situation). ⮚ Fit yourself into the group dynamic system as a trainer/coach/teacher. ⮚ Create a worry-free environment. ⮚ Be careful with: too much safety, humour, lack of time.

FREEDOM ⮚ Create an atmosphere in which risk, experiment and creativity are valued. ⮚ Provide sufficient openness for individual interpretation of the assignments. ⮚ Stimulate to explore freedom. ⮚ Allow voluntary participation in (parts of) assignments and performances. ⮚ Offer substantive participation. ⮚ Offer practical participation. ⮚ Adopt a democratic leadership style: firm, purposeful, warm, flexible. ⮚ Offer neither too much nor too little help. ⮚ Positive reinforcement of experimentation. ⮚ Ensure rooms that allow many possibilities. ⮚ Provide materials that allow many possibilities. ⮚ Allow enough time. ⮚ Be careful with: too much freedom and giving quieter participants enough attention.

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CHALLENGE ⮚ Push boundaries: push get participants outside their comfort zone. ⮚ Flow: increase challenges as skills develop. ⮚ Observe the principle of gradualness. ⮚ Estimate the initial situation correctly. ⮚ Make good preparation for assignments. ⮚ Adapt assignments to create more or less challenges. ⮚ Monitor the participantsʼ involvement carefully and continuously, adapting the challenges. ⮚ Bear in mind that challenge also lies in reflection. ⮚ Dare to leave loose ends. ⮚ Be careful with: too much challenge (pay attention to all aspects) and too farfetched assignments.

The three basic conditions of security, freedom and challenge do not stand alone but must be always viewed in relation to each other.

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5.2. The five instruments to achieve the basic conditions EMPOWERMENT ● ● ● ● ● ●

Offer fun and successful experience Create a positive climate and a mutually encouraging atmosphere Give plenty of positive feedback (focusing more on the task performed by the person) Have an eye for thought processes Please be cautious with negative feedback Be careful with: feedback that becomes too heavy, not daring to give necessary negative feedback, praise junkies, insecurity among participants as a result of the lack of negative feedback

MODEL-LEARNING ● ● ● ● ● ●

Allows imitation as a start or restart Give examples when presenting the exercises Join in, all repeat the example together Encourage the group to take examples and make them their own Set a good example Be careful with: too few or too many examples, too perfect or enthusiastic examples, too much emphasis on imitation or just disapproval of imitation

INSIGHT (UNDERSTANDING) Offer rationale: what, why and how do we learn?

Explain the assignments sufficiently Foster interim discussions: Provide insight into the activity, what was learnt and your own learning process ● Provide explanations and interpretation + analysable problems and inspiring material ● Create an atmosphere in which the group can easily ask questions ● Be careful with: too little or just too much explanation ● ● ●

STRUCTURE ● ● ● ● ●

Start with achievable, enjoyable assignments for everyone Gradually build up to challenging assignments Keep in touch with the group's experience through interim discussions Make sure your structure not only installs security but also the necessary freedom so that participants can take control of their own learning Be careful with: firmly stick to the prepared structure: a good structure allows for adjustments and improvisation

VARIATION ● ● ● ● ● ●

Offer several leads Vary with types of information Vary with ways to process information, experience and expression Vary with aesthetic frames of reference Create an atmosphere in which participants can and want to learn from each other Be careful with: variation is not an objective, nor a menu where someone can always choose the familiar

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5.3. Variation in security/freedom/challenge of assignments You can influence how difficult or easy an assignment is experienced by varying the content, form, and structural characteristics of those assignments.

VARIATION IN THE OBJECTIVE Cognitive / emotional / social / technical objectives Make sure that you give attention to those four objectives. The challenge of these goals differs per individual. The more technical assignments may come later in the activity.

VARIATION IN THE LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY From less technical to more technical The assignments you give in the beginning must be able to be performed with a minimum of technique. If technical knowledge is necessary for the successful execution of an assignment, you should first practise this separately with the group.

VARIATION IN COMPLEXITY From simple to complex action sequences Assignments that require a sequence of precise actions are more challenging than assignments that require only a simple intervention.

VARIATION IN FUN From playful to more serious Assignments with high entertainment value are safer than assignments where you put the group to work seriously.

VARIATION IN THE SIZE OF THE WORKING GROUP From assignments with the whole group to individual assignments In the beginning, organise more easily group work, and switch only at a later time to more complex forms of collaboration and individual assignments.

VARIATION IN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RESULT From no emphasis to a great emphasis on the individual result The greater the (perceived) importance of a result, the less safe the situation becomes. You can avoid emphasising the result by: ● a comparison to rule out an external norm in advance and to put forward another objective ● a pass-through system, in which the result is worked together so that responsibility is shared ● a fast pace so that the group feels that no one can look properly, which reduces the idea that the results of an assignment really count.

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VARIATION IN THE AUDIENCE From no audience to an attentive audience just for me The tension increases and feels less safe when the group performing the assignment for an audience becomes smaller. The most challenging are individual assignments with the rest of the group as the audience.

You can reduce the idea of being viewed and assessed, among other things, by: ● doing exercises with the whole group at the same time (so that everyone focuses on their own assignment without or hardly any attention to the others) ● keeping the exercise at a high level so that no one has the time to observe and judge the other participants thoroughly.

VARIATION IN THE PREPARATION TIME From little preparation to extensive preparation Pressure increases with the duration of the preparation: those who are given much time to complete an exercise get the feeling that the end result must be good. If the result is disappointing, the frustrating feeling lingers much longer. By working with short exercises following each other in rapid succession, much less importance will be attached to things that do not turn out completely as desired.

VARIATION IN OPENNESS From more to less framed assignments Assignments with fewer guidelines on possible ways to carry out or solve them often pose a greater challenge than assignments in which you as a trainer indicate in which direction the group should be working.

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5.4. Present tasks from a supporting approach EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT AND INDICATE THE SITUATION AS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY ● Briefly explain the purpose of the assignment; ● Present the assignment as an opportunity to learn or to have fun, not as a task that needs to be performed; ● Emphasise that it is about being able to, not having to; it is about the process, not about the product; ● Use phrases like: o You don't have to perform, trying is just as good. o The result does not have to be a finished product, the intention is to allow you to experiment calmly. o Good or bad is not the point here.

EXPLAIN WHAT YOU REQUEST, IN PARTICULAR, OF THE PARTICIPANT ● Provide a concrete framework within which solutions can be sought, while at the same time you keep the possibility open for different solutions. For example, do not say: Get to know the space; but say: Walk around the room and make sure you pass by every corner of the room once. ● Give examples if necessary, but a maximum of one or two, otherwise you limit the options for original solutions from the group. For example, say: Make different geometric figures with your lump of clay, such as a cube or a cylinder. ● State the desired behaviour positively and not in terms of what is not allowed or what is excluded. So, say: Make all kinds of geometric figures; instead of: Don't make obscure shapes. In this way, you prevent participants from becoming afraid to make mistakes.

GIVE A DEMONSTRATION Give a brief demonstration of the type of result you want with the exercise. The demonstration must be good but above all a feasible example for all participants.

SUMMARISE THE EXPLANATION Briefly repeat the instructions one more time. This makes it clear that participants do not always have to understand everything immediately. Use questions such as: Did I explain it clearly?

GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS Do not treat this as just a formality, but really check that there are no more doubts.

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USE A BRIEF, INVITING, HUMOROUS STYLE ● Keep each part of the presentation of the exercise as short and simple as possible to avoid the impression that the exercise is complicated or unclear. ● Use an inviting tone: present the exercise or game as an opportunity to learn, emphasising the different possibilities of completing the assignment. ● With humour you can present yourself as someone who can put the whole thing into perspective and as someone who does not expect super performances. But do it in moderation to be taken seriously.

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5.5. Organising participation SUBSTANTIVE PARTICIPATION ● As a trainer/supervisor you remain responsible for realising the overarching objective of the activity ● You can involve the group as much as possible in terms of content if you are able to have a conversation with them before the start of the activity ● If that is not possible, you can work with a provisional programme within which you provide moments of choice. In the case of short activities, participation will be limited; in the case of longer activities, a little more participation is possible. ● The age of the participants also plays a role Preparatory discussion During the preparatory discussion, you look for a connection between your objectives and approach, and the social environment and desires of the participants.

In that discussion: ● tell about the learning goals you want to achieve; ● explain your working method; ● envisage the artistic disciplines in which you will work; ● let the group tell you which components they find important and appealing.

In addition, you can explore the following elements: ● Why do they find the activity useful? ● What do they want to achieve for themselves? ● What do they want to achieve for their group? ● What do they want to do afterwards with what they have learnt? ● Do they have any further plans?

Such a conversation can easily take an hour. If you add a warm-up, you already completed a whole part of your activity.

A preliminary programme with moments of choice Because a preliminary discussion is rarely possible in practical terms, you can alternatively start with a preliminary programme, in which, for example, you provide enthusiastic tastemakers (appetisers) of programme components that could be discussed further (you can do this during the exploration phase). After this, you will provide a moment of choice in which the group is involved in drawing up the follow-up programme. You can also spread this out over several defining moments. Some tips and points of attention for a smooth running of such defining moments are: .

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● Take your time so that everyone gets enough attention ● Don't push your own programme preference but don't lose sight of your overarching objective ● Choose combined solutions In a vote, the majority gets everything and the minority nothing, while you have to try to give everyone as much as possible. Ask the group to combine the suggested options into one activity. If this does not work, you can formulate some proposals yourself. ● Explain why these conversations are important.

Participants are more motivated when they can choose for themselves. Moreover, by looking for a combined solution, we train our social skills (taking care of our own wishes, listening to those of others, democratic decisions, tolerance, clear communication) and our creative thinking. ● Support the silent participants.

Everyone should feel fully involved. So openly invite more quiet and less influential participants to express their opinion and ask the other participants to pay attention to this. ● Clearly define boundaries.

You can safely point out that certain proposals cannot be realised. It is essential to communicate clearly about this, and not to elaborate on it and give it later a different twist, as this will undermine the credibility. ● Note: defining moments can cause agitation.

Among natural leaders in the group and among participants who want to do everything (for whom choosing means losing), moments of choice may encounter resistance. If the resistance is so great that a moment of choice would disrupt the group too much, it is better to postpone the choice. Then, for example, first work with a system in which everyone in small groups can become acquainted with the different choices you propose to promote group dynamics and participants' affinity with the proposed parts of the programme.

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ORGANISATIONAL PARTICIPATION The longer the activity lasts (such as a course or a project), the more you can give participation on an organisational level, especially with regard to practical arrangements.

A number of these are fixed, such as the location (regarding time for lunch, use of the rooms, etc.), the organisation (regarding course duration, dates, etc.) and the trainer (regarding use of materials, number of participants, etc.). Nevertheless, it is important that you have as many rules as possible drawn up by the group itself so that you do not introduce too many prohibitions and that you apply rules flexibly.

1. Let the group arrange what they can arrange themselves An environment where everything is arranged to the last detail rather creates a passive, wait-and-see attitude. Even though a group discussion takes time, it contributes to an active, initiating attitude.

2. Be careful with prohibitive provisions Too many prohibitions cause a shift from imaginative to docile behaviour.

3. Rules must be able to change Flexibility is important in connection with freedom. For example, breaks should be able to be extended or shortened according to the situation. Flexible rules encourage creative thinking: they encourage the participants to think about what they want, where they stand.

Initially, such flexibility is not self-evident for many of us. You can help by asking questions like: What time do you want to start again this afternoon?

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5.6. Respond competently to defiant behaviour Sometimes you have to deal with resistance, from one or a few participants or even from the entire group. Here are some tips on how to deal with it.

PREVENTION: START INDIRECTLY AND FRIENDLY ● Start with a good introduction, adapting your approach to the style of the group. ● Start with a fun, enjoyable series of exercises that is interesting and engaging for everyone in the group. ● Take on the role of a supporter rather than that of a captain: show that you understand the resistance and opposition of the rebellious participants. ● Unambiguously set boundaries if participants are bothering each other, but also make it clear that you do not want to pressure them to participate. ● Reward the participants – in the beginning especially the rebellious one(s) – when they perform an exercise well, but don't do it too conspicuously or too exaggeratedly, or you will get the opposite effect.

THE VOLUNTARY SEPARATION When the preventive approach doesn't work, you will eventually have to discuss it in some way. You can use the following guidelines for this: ● Show understanding for the resistance/anger of the participants involved ● Don't label them as a nuisance ● Say you don't like this situation either and you want a solution ● Suggest looking for a way out together ● You can propose or ask them the following: o you can give the participants the choice whether or not to participate in an activity (but also ask them not to disturb those who want to do the activity). o let the group select from the activities they do and do not want to do.

With this approach, you create a situation in which the participants involved are given the freedom of choice to leave the group, which eliminates the power struggle they fought with you and gives the others the chance to continue working without their influence.

A SEPARATE SUPERVISOR/TRAINER Another possibility is that a separate supervisor/trainer makes himself available to search for and work on activities that do make sense to the rebellious participants. The activities may or may not be an extension of the original objectives.

EXCLUSION In certain circumstances, you will have no choice but to let go of disruptive participants.

However, if you have made yourself clear and expended efforts to resolve the conflict, there is a real chance that the group will not experience this radical intervention as an infringement of their freedom. On the contrary.

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TRANSVERSAL 1: DIVERSIFYING ● Reinforcing more and less ● Imitation but also freedom ● Insight but also the possibility to take a side road ● Structure as a safe framework, but also a sanctuary ● More and less complexity ● Provide for the preparation, apply during the activity ● Be careful with: losing sight of silent participants, focusing too much on the slowest TRANSVERSAL 2: FLEXIBILITY ● Dare to deviate from your original training plan if the situation calls for it ● Dealing with unforeseen circumstances ● Learn to switch and improvise ● Learn to measure progress against the premise of the participants ● Be careful with: too much flexibility, frustration

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5.8. Requirements for effective positive feedback GENUINE ● Positive feedback is only effective if it is genuine. ● As a facilitator, you will have many opportunities to give feedback, provided you look at the right direction and look for what progress means for each participant. ● By focusing on the participants' own ability to perform, and by being aware of their small steps forward, you automatically get many opportunities to reinforce them. ● Feedback can be verbal or non-verbal and it can also be short and concise.

WELL FORMULATED: SHORT AND CLEAR Effective feedback must be clear and formulated as follows: ● in the first person: describe what you see, think and feel about the event/activity on which you want to give feedback. ● In as concrete a form as possible: you describe the action, attitude or statement that provoked those thoughts or feelings in you, without vague or generalising terms.

PROPERLY TIMED Positive feedback is most effective when it immediately follows the intended event/activity. So do not postpone this until the evaluation meeting after the session. You can repeat the feedback in the evaluation interview.

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5.9. Requirements for effective negative feedback You should only give negative feedback to participants' learning after you have worked with them for quite some time.

START BY MENTIONING WHAT WENT RIGHT The positive feedback is often not heard if you start with negative feedback. Moreover, people are more inclined to listen when the positive aspects are highlighted first.

USE THE FIRST PERSON Present your negative feedback as a personal vision or experience, not something belonging to the participant involved. So say, for example: I don't find it interesting because …; instead of: You are not interesting because …

BE CONCRETE Describe accurately and clearly the concrete event that is involved and which provokes these perceptions, thoughts, feelings in you. So, don't use general or vague terms and don't try to explain your perception with the character, feelings or thoughts of the participant in question. For example: I notice that my attention fades when you move slowly and speak quietly …; and not: You are not doing it expressively enough, or You are too shy, or I want you to be less careful.

GIVE USABLE, MANAGEABLE WORKING POINTS Convert your criticism into a working point, something that the participants can immediately get to work with. Also, give a tip on how they could handle this. Do not give negative feedback on things that the participants will never be able to change or will only be able to change very slowly (their body characteristics, their talent …) For example: You could practise not giving your voice a soft volume when you are at a greater distance; and not: Your voice just isn't strong enough.

LEAVE SPACE TO ANSWER You formulate your feedback as a personal, subjective message; therefore, you need to give the participant space to see it differently. Give them the opportunity to question and answer what you say. If the participant rejects your negative feedback, it is often a sign that they are not ready yet. There is often some uncertainty behind this. In that case, don't insist, but wait.

RAPIDLY Give negative feedback immediately after the event you want to correct; otherwise, your feedback will lose effectiveness.

ONE (WORK) POINT AT A TIME Too much negative feedback is not only unpleasant but also not workable. No one can react spontaneously when they have to focus on three things at the same time. So select one working point and choose it carefully, depending on the objectives of the activity, and in relation to the skills that the participant most needs to make progress in that regard.

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6. References Aslamiah, A., Abbas, E. W., & Mutiani, M. (2021). 21st-century skills and social studies education. The Innovation of Social Studies Journal, 2(2), 82-92. https://doi.org/10.20527/iis.v2i2.3066 Baker, A. C., Jensen, P. J., & Kolb, D. A. (2002). Conversational learning: An experiential approach to knowledge creation. Quorum Books. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241132618_Conversational_learning_An_experie ntial_approach_to_knowledge_creation Binkley, M., Erstad, O., Herman, J., Raizen, S., Ripley, M., Miller-Ricci, M., & Rumble, M. (2012). Defining twenty-first century skills. In P. Griffin, B. McGaw, & E. Care (Eds.), Assessment and teaching of 21st century skills (pp.17-66). Springer Science+Business Media. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2324-5_2 Biondi, G., Borri, S., & Tosi, L. (2016). Dall’aula all’ambiente di apprendimento. Altralinea.

Bonwell, C. C., & Eison, J. A. (1991). Active learning: Creating excitement in the classroom. ASHE-ERIC higher education report No. 1. The George Washington University. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED336049 Cherry, K. (2020, May 30). Social cognition in psychology: The way we think about others. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/social-cognition-2795912 Daniels, H. (2017). Introduction to Vygotsky. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315647654 De Vitis, F. (2018). Il terzo educativo e qualità degli apprendimenti: Investire sul talento. Formazione & Insegnamento: Rivista Internazionale di Scienze dell'Educazione e della Formazione, 16(2), 87-94. https://ojs.pensamultimedia.it/index.php/siref/article/view/3030/2653 De Meester, C., Lamonica, V., Nogueira, A., & Van Der Veer, B. (2019). Final report Move project 2017-2019. https://www.flipsnack.com/movebeyond/end-report-esf-project-move-20172019/full-view Dewey, J. (1980). Art as experience. Perigee Books. (Original work published 1934) Efland, A. (2002). Art and cognition: Integrating the visual arts in the curriculum. Teachers College Press.

Gardner, H. (1996). Multiple intelligences. In G. Durbin (Ed.). Developing museum exhibitions for lifelong learning. The Stationery Office.

Gardner, H. (2008). Multiple intelligences: New horizons in theory and practice. Hachette UK. Gude, R. (2016). Het Agoramodel:De wereld is eenvoudiger dan je denkt. ISVW Uitgevers.

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Curator: The Museum Journal, 49(2), pp. 181-203. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.21516952.2006.tb00211.x Hickman, L. A., Neubert, S., & Reich, K. (Eds.). (2009). John Dewey between pragmatism and constructivism. Fordham University Press. https://doi.org/10.5422/fso/9780823230181.001.0001 Jing, Q., Rosenzweig, M. R., d'Ydewalle, G., Zhang, H., Chen, H. C., & Zhang, K. (Eds.). (2019). Progress in psychological science around the world. Volume 2: Social and applied issues: Proceedings of the 28th International Congress of Psychology. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315793184 Judkins, R. (2015). The art of creative thinking. Sceptre Hachette UK. Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning. Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall. http://www.learningfromexperience.com/images/uploads/process-of-experientiallearning.pdf Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. International Universities Press.

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