NAP Connections Zoom Study Group Graduates Four New RPs Dorothy Gordon, RP

Zoom Study Group Graduates Four New RPs

By Dorothy L. Gordon, RP

The Ohio Association of Parliamentarians (OAP) Registered Parliamentarian (RP) Zoom study group was organized to learn Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 11th Edition (RONR), in an in-depth online collaborative format. As an educator of 33 years, I know what the academic research reports say about properly structured study groups, and how effectively participants of these groups learn. I was motivated to be at least one of the people to network with Patricia A. Koch, PRP, to look into a teleconferencing format to lead a group of individuals who had a desire to pursue RP status in a distance-learning format.

An OAP email invitation arrived in my inbox to explain a new endeavor, and to invite anyone interested in learning to become an RP. The email stated Patricia Koch would be the PRP mentor. Through trial and error, four willing participants decided to diligently connect as a Zoom group and become accountable to each other and to our mentor. Patricia Koch, William Lavezzi, Nancy Terpening, Bryon Baxter, and Dorothy Gordon all come from different areas of the state of Ohio.

The Zoom interactive platform was significantly helpful to the group’s learning, and has many advantages. The Zoom group learning format allowed each of us to interact with video and audio. The participant materials came from the National Association of Parliamentarians: In Order Study Guide for the NAP Registration Examination, arranged by Nylanne Scheidegger, PRP. The manual divides parliamentary topics into five succinct parts. This book arrangement accommodates different learning styles. Our mentor provided us with the opportunity to learn, and eventually to own the information.

As we would repeat the questions from the manual for discussion, we would break down information into bite sized pieces (chunk) to facilitate learning. Our eyes would look down and up at the computer screen (scan, or eye-gaze) to focus on the text and participant faces. We found ourselves putting the subject matter into our own words while we continued to give eye contact to our cohorts. Eye-gaze research explains that by scanning and putting information into one’s own words helps learners to make the information their own. This significantly helps foster deeper understanding. As a bonus, each session was recorded, to be available for playback or download. This allowed group members or others throughout the state, to have access to the recordings as a learning tool.

Everyone in the group valued our discussions and explanations, as well as how we were digging deeper into RONR parliamentary concepts. Our mentor challenged the group to ask “Why?” to most of the questions in the RP Study Guide. No question was too small to ask, or answer. Our mentor provided clear, concise, and well thought out topics for instruction, and provided scenarios that could, or could not, be applicable to the principles of parliamentary procedures.

This Zoom format provides for uninterrupted and convenient sessions. We were able to meet in the comfort of our homes, while miles apart. Furthermore, this study group built comradery among the participants, allowed different perspectives among group members, fostered communication skills, provided crucial feedback, support, and encouragement, and allowed each of us to learn from each other, and develop friendships through the process.

This RP study group started on March 4, 2019, and continued to March 30, 2020, for a wrap-up session. A total of 37 sessions were held. Our meeting dates typically consisted of two days per week, a Monday and Thursday, or Monday and Wednesday. Meetings shifted over time to accommodate the five founding members’ schedules. The study group allocated one hour and thirty minutes for each session.

The group decided to cover the RP Study Guide Part Five, Four, Three, Two, and One, respectively. Three of the four participants took their RP Exams on each section. The other member took all parts of the RP Exam at once. The four participants from this one-of-a-kind, OAP Zoom RP study group, have each successfully passed the Registered Parliamentarian Examination and are now proud Registered Parliamentarians in the state of Ohio.

A ripple effect was created and enhanced NAP, OAP, our Miami Valley Unit study group, and future RP Zoom study group participants. Two of our members were trained to become OAP Zoom hosts to conduct these online Zoom sessions. William Lavezzi, OAP Webmaster/Social Media Chair, the first host for the group, trained RP study group participants Nancy Terpening and Dorothy Gordon. Some of the subjects covered in the Zoom host training included how to host a Zoom session, writing invites to join a meeting, how to end a session, and problem-solving technical issues.

Dorothy L. Gordon, MEd, RP, is a retired Ohio K-12 Teacher of 33 years, a 2019 50th OAP Annual Session presenter, and PQC Study Group member. She is a 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training student, Health Coach, and a member of the Prince Hall Masonic Medical Team of Ohio, who presents on wellness related topics. She is a Master Gardener with the state of Ohio.