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1.2
Developing Collaborative Perspective
Submitted by Lori Britt
This activity opens up the conversation and makes visible the need to gain a broader perspective of issues in order to effectively explore and address them. What we individually know and experience is important, what we can’t see is just as important in understanding a complex issue.
Learning Goals
Acknowledge the limitations of individual vantage points and develop appreciation for the perspectives of others.
Instructions
Set Up: Prepare for the Activity
As the facilitator, bring a puzzle with large pieces (preferably under 50 pieces).
Organize participants into small groups (5-6 ppl).
Begin by introducing the learning goals of this activity.
Step One: Individually Reflect on a Puzzle Piece (5 min)
In small groups (5-6 ppl), a puzzle piece will be given to each participant. Use pieces from a puzzle with a recognizable image but large enough that any one piece will only have a fraction of the total image.
Instruct participants to not show the puzzle piece to anyone else.
Invite participants to reflect on their piece. Prompt:
Look at your individual puzzle pieces and write down what you think the image may be.
Step Two: Describe and Discuss Puzzle Pieces (10 min)
Members of each group will describe and discuss their puzzle pieces, but without showing them to one another. Invite participants to be descriptive. Participants can ask questions about others’ puzzle pieces. The group will start to identify what the puzzle image might be based only on descriptions.
Step Three: Groups Offer Guesses (5 min)
Next, invite participants to show pieces to others in their small group and look at them all together. Discuss what they can now see and as a small group.
Invite each group to put forth guesses of what the overall image might be.
Step Four: Debrief as a Full Group (15 min)
Hold up or show the image of the completed puzzle. Discuss:
How did descriptions of other people’s puzzle pieces alter your initial views of what the picture might be?
Could you understand what each person was describing or did you have to ask clarifying questions?
How did your perspective change when you saw others’ puzzle pieces?
After being shown the full image, what were you not able to see that would have helped you identify the image?
Twist: How does this puzzle activity relate to situations that you experience at work, class, or you see nationally where people intentionally use misinformation?
Twist: What happens to the power of the group when one person is deliberately trying to mislead others?
TIME
35
min
MODULE
Introduction to Collaborative Discussion
This activity can be completed by any discussion group.
This activity can be used to support facilitation skills. See Sample Facilitation Certificate Program Design to illustrate sample sequencing.
This activity might be considered high energy or more playful than other activities.
This activity is best implemented with in-person learning groups, requiring hands-on techniques that may not be easily replicated online.
Tell us what you think. Rate and review this activity:
Have any helpful suggestions or modifications for this activity?
Share them in the comments below!
0 Comments
Shannon Wheatley Hartman
December 7, 2022 at 7:01:33 PM
Another all time favorite. I really recommend this activity when you are trying to think about the complexity of a social topic and who/what is impacted by it. It pairs well with the Divergent Thinking/Surround the Topic activity. This activity also includes a really helpful worksheet for capturing types of stakeholders.
Shannon Wheatley Hartman
December 7, 2022 at 6:59:07 PM
I really like this activity. It is a fun way to figure out what matters most to us as a group. For example, if you need to figure out the theme for a discussion series or a topic for a group project, try out this activity. It helps participants to reflect on their own civic passion but also negotiate together the civic passions of the group. It could be paired with the value activities in Module One.
Shannon Wheatley Hartman
December 7, 2022 at 6:54:13 PM
I the process in this activity ("surround the topic") a lot. It is particularly useful as facilitation preparation. It also helps with generative thinking.
Shannon Wheatley Hartman
December 7, 2022 at 6:52:01 PM
This is an all time favorite. Use it as a warm-up activity or whenever you have a group that feels stuck and can't think of new ways of engaging a topic or problem.
Shannon Wheatley Hartman
December 7, 2022 at 6:49:22 PM
Similar to the previous activity (1.7 Taking Inventory of CD Skills), this activity includes a google survey that participants can complete at the beginning of a program or class. Instructors or facilitators can use this information to then tailor future activities to best fits the discussion needs of their group.
Shannon Wheatley Hartman
December 7, 2022 at 6:46:46 PM
Use this as pre-class or pre-workshop preparation! These self-evaluations will help teachers or facilitators to better understand the starting point of each participant and an aggregate view of the group. The survey results are shared only with the instructor/facilitator. This is a really helpful resource (and you can modify the survey to fit your needs).
Shannon Wheatley Hartman
December 7, 2022 at 6:43:42 PM
This activity and the previous (1.5 Understanding Values) are great for difficult conversations. I would use this as the prep work before diving into potentially tricky conversations. It helps participants to look for the values that inform opinions (and not just dismiss ideas that they don't like).
Shannon Wheatley Hartman
December 7, 2022 at 6:41:01 PM
This is also known as "Identity Pie." It's a great warm up and way for participants to get to know one another. I would use this early in a group setting to help build connection.
Shannon Wheatley Hartman
December 7, 2022 at 6:39:24 PM
I think we all know that creating guidelines is important. I introduce activity 1.1 What is Collaborative Learning? first and then use the positive and negative attributes that they generate to help form our group guidelines.
Shannon Wheatley Hartman
December 7, 2022 at 6:36:43 PM
I always recommend that folks start off with this activity and pair it with 1.3 Creating Guidelines. It is a great way to set the tone and emphasize the importance of collaborative discussion.