This guide is titled “Education & Programs Guide,” and the first section is called “Overview.” There is a description that says “This document outlines key principles for you to begin thinking about engaging in education, outreach, and programs focused on sexual respect, violence prevention, and peer education. Because there are many ways to do this work, these principles draw on a wide range of disciplines including higher education, organizational studies, pedagogy, and public health. To learn more about various topics, we encourage you to engage the resources included at the end of this document and reach out to staff working in this area.”
The next section is titled “Know your audience” and includes a series of bullet points that read: “How can you best meet people where they are? What language is best? (pro-tip: avoid jargon) How might environmental factors (e.g. location, time, culture) affect learning?” Then there is a small paragraph that says: ‘Meet people where they are’ is a strategy that involves having some degree of understanding of the experiences and daily lives of your audience. Common values, accessible language (e.g. avoid jargon), and logistics (e.g. environment/location, time) all factor into the conditions in which education and programming occur. While these factors are mostly outward facing from the vantage point of the educator, it is equally important to consider how you affect conditions.”
The section after that is called “Know yourself” and the bullet points in this section say: “What does it mean for you to do this work? What baggage, consciously or unconsciously, might you be bringing to the table? What can help you see beyond the limitations of your own perspective?” Then there is a short paragraph that says “Thinking through these questions, and understanding that those answers can shift over time, will help mitigate some of the risks of undertaking this work, such as but not limited to burning-out, re-traumatizing for yourself, and/or inadvertently causing harm or spreading misinformation to others.”
The third guideline section is titled “Less is more,” and includes three bullet points that read: “What are the primary points you wish to communicate? (pro-tip: less is more, so 1-3 points max). How does each part of your program relate back to these points? How can you best be sure you are communicating what you intend? Related, might there be anything you are communicating unintentionally?” After the bullet points are a few sentences that say “Whether you are giving a workshop, teaching a class, or delivering a presentation, it can be easy to overwhelm the audience with too much information. Understanding that less is more mitigates this risk. To do so, identify 1-3 learning objectives for your audience. Once these are clear, consider how best to communicate these objectives.”
The next section is labeled “Positive framing” and includes bullet points asking “How are you framing the content of your program? How can it be inclusive from life experiences and perspectives that might differ from your own? How can you improve conditions for learning?” Then there is a paragraph that reads “Utilizing a positive framing when we talk about topics related to sexual respect both normalizes these topics and sets up how best you can communicate your learning objectives in a respectul, affirming manner. It is equally important to acknowledge that each of us come to these topics from a wide variety of backgrounds.”
The fifth and final guideline is called “Psychological safety” and this section’s bulleted questions are “How can you set conditions for mutual respect between individuals? Is there an environment where differing viewpoints can be expressed and heard? How do you respond to viewpoints, positions, or perspectives that differ from your own?” The short paragraph for this section says “Psychological safety represents a group dynamic where individuals feel comfortable and affirmed to express their ideas, positions, and thoughts without admonishment or condemnation from peers. Research has indicated it as either one of or the most important facet of a successful group dynamic. Because we live in a polarized era and in light of the complex, sensitive, and political nature of sex in our society, psychological safety should be a vital goal for any engagement on topics related to sexual repsect, violence prevention, etc…”
The final part to this guideline sheet is labeled as “Resources for further education” and includes the following resources, cited on the worksheet.
National Sexual Violence Resource Center. (2015). 10 Principles of Effective Prevention Messaging. Retrieved from https://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/2015-05/publications_bulletin_10-principles-for-effective-preventi on-messaging.pdf.
Nation, M., Crusto, C. Wandersman, A. Kumpfer K. L., Seybolt, D., Morrissey-Kane, E. & Davino, K. (2003). What works in prevention: Principles of effective prevention programs. American Psychologist, 58(6-7), 449-456. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5261860_What_Works_in_Prevention_Principles_of_Effective_P revention_Programs.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2019). A Guide to SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/20190620-samhsa-strategic-prevention-framework-guide.pdf.
Kilmartin, C., & Berkowitz, A. D. (2001). Critical Elements of Sexual-Assault Prevention and Risk-Reduction Programs for Men and Women. In Sexual Assault in Context: Teaching College Men about Gender (pp. 75-96). Essay, Learning Publications, Inc. https://xyonline.net/sites/xyonline.net/files/Berkowitz%2C%20Critical%20elements%20of%20sexual-assa ult%20prevention_0.pdf.
Perkinson, L. Freire, K.E., & Stocking, M. (2017). Using Essential Elements to Select, Adapt, and Evaluate Violence Prevention Approaches. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/adaptationguidance.pdf.
Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M. C., & Norman, M. K. (2010). How learning works: seven research-based principles for smart teaching. Jossey-Bass.
Duhigg, C. (Feb 25, 2016). What Google learned from its quest to build the perfect team. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/magazine/what-google-learned-from-its-quest-to-build-the-perfect-te am.html?smid=pl-share.
Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly. Vol. 44(2), 350-383. Retrieved from https://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Group_Performance/Edmondson%20Psyc hological%20safety.pdf.
Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: an integrated approach to designing college courses. Jossey-Bass.
Google. (n.b.). Guide: understand team effectiveness. Re:work. Retrieved from https://rework.withgoogle.com/print/guides/5721312655835136/.
Khan, W. (1990). Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disengagement at work. Academy of Management Journal. Vol. 33(4), 692-724. Retrieved from https://www.talenteck.com/academic/Kahn-1990.pdf.
Laba, K. & Geldenhuys, M. (2016). Psychological availability and work engagement: the moderating role of sex and race. Journal of Psychology in Africa. Vol. 26(2), 107-112. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14330237.2016.1163888.
Lang, J. M. (2016). Small teaching: everyday lessons from the science of learning. Jossey-Bass