DYNAMIC LEARNING
Dynamic learning is an approach to discipleship and community development that meets people where they are through hands-on experience, relational mentoring, and applied practice.
At Resilient Communities, we believe lasting change happens not in a classroom, but in the context of community. Whether you're a leader, a learner, or somewhere in between, dynamic learning offers a path toward growth that is personal, practical, and transformative
3 Reasons Why Dynamic Learning Works
Have you ever communicated a clear vision to a group of people with no lasting results? Are you managing programs that originally were designed for others to run? Do you look around the room and realize the voices of key people have not been heard? If so, you might be experiencing the results of passive learning.
Many of us experience passive forms of learning when we simply listen or read material, apply rote memorization skills, and use out-dated material that lacks any ability for new input. Decades of research show that dynamic learning achieves longer-term outcomes, provides adaptive outlets for change, and leads to greater senses of ownership with both the concepts and their implementation.
How
Dynamic learning impacts teams and communities for the better.
Schedule a free 30-minute demo with one of our coaches.
In-Person Workshops
Every workshop we offer integrates dynamic learning through small group discussions, somatic exercises and real-time application for your team’s needs.
How to Experience Dynamic Learning
Online Training
Through breakout rooms, whiteboards and prompts, your ideas, experiences and application drive the learning and respective outcomes in each of the online training modules we offer.
Embodied Mentoring
The art of processing experiences creates agency. It is why every mentoring group we run draws from the stories and feedback of the participants to generate trauma-safe practices and realistic priorities to heal.
Who
Why Dynamic Learning Matters in Discipleship
The story of Jesus and Peter is perhaps the most powerful example of Jesus’ use of questions to penetrate the heart of a disciple.
It is also worth noting that Jesus provided an environment where people came to him with questions as well. Good, dynamic learning environments make room not only to ask great questions but provide an atmosphere where others will come with questions and self-awareness.
Leadership Development
A leader who leads with dynamic learning is always looking to develop people around them. It leads you to think and plan ahead for developmental questions, opportunities and feedback from the people you are developing. How can they become experts rather than look to you?
Resilience Building
Dynamic learning takes good questions. Good questions leave lots of room for participants to contribute their own ideas and experiences from real life. They start dialogue or keep it going. They ask for a deeper analysis. They consider somatic exercises like body scans and creative prompts to better listen to the parts of their bodies and your own bodies to support well-being and resiliency. How can they better love God, their neighbor and themselves in body, soul and mind?
Community Transformation
In communities, dynamic learning means they see you as championing their development, not just doing your job or accomplishing a program goal. It involves thinking about empowerment from the initial concept. How will you move from directing and coaching to supporting and releasing learners to achieve the results they are looking for that most reflect the ways of the kingdom that Jesus introduced?
Why
Where to Apply Dynamic Learning
Where
Dynamic learning is more about posture than overhauling your stated goals.
Deploying
Programs
For those deploying programs, dynamic learning ensures feedback and ownership is maintained at every level of design, not just evaluation.
Managing
Teams
For those managing teams, dynamic learning involves all members and inspires greater agency in how one leads.
Developing Communities
For those developing communities, dynamic learning supports plans led by community leaders themselves rather than the outsider who may have good intentions but an inability to ever fully grasp the on-the-ground realities.
Trauma
Care
For those working in trauma care, dynamic learning closely mirrors the principles needed for trauma-safe spaces, supporting the work you already do for more effective group therapy and community building skills.
When we Integrate Dynamic Learning
There are four phases of dynamic learning, also known as dialogue education, first conceptualized by Dr. Jane Vella:
Phase 1
Preparatory work with learners that includes discovering their context
Phase 2
Use of a set of principles and practices
A relational framework ensures that all the factors present in a team or community are considered so that the feedback, stated goals and plans for implementation achieve lasting sustainability. We honor the realities present in your life while inviting you to expand what is possible.
Phase 4
Evaluations to determine if the learning objectives were achieved
Content is insufficient without achieving the intended results. Small group exercises, case studies and application in context allows us to know what resonates with you and where we can continue to grow. We are all in the process of becoming who God has created humanity to be. We want you to feel capable and skilled to realize the results you set out to achieve.
Phase 3
A process that ensures dialogue
Appreciation starts with the questions we ask, believing that you possess agency and the capacity to change. Listening and helping you reframe your story supports these ends. We want to be a witness to what God is saying to you, to us and to one another.
Our Adult Learning training module is designed to give you experience in creating and facilitating lessons using adult learning / dynamic learning skills. What is always required for all of our training is fully engaged and active participants.
As we work in community, one of the key things we learn is that often community members learn the most from each other.
When