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1.3
Anticipating Conflict and Forming Group Guidelines
Submitted By Shannon Wheatley Hartman
This activity empowers group members to anticipate potential conflict in group discussions and create guidelines that will address these concerns and bring out the best characteristics of the group.
Learning Goals
Anticipate group dynamics with a specific focus on potential group conflict.
Work together as a group to establish guiding principles.
Instructions
Set Up: Prepare for the Activity
Organize the participants into pairs or small groups (5-6 ppl).
If the group completed Activity 1.1 What is Collaborative Learning?, then use the lists of positive and negative attributes as a starting point for this activity.
Begin by introducing the learning goals of this activity.
Step One: Generate Lists of Positive & Negative Attributes (10 min)
Invite participants to think back to a time when they were working with others on a project. In pairs or small groups, ask them to generate a written list of both positive and negative traits that they associate with collaboration. Do not debate or discuss the validity of contributions. Generate broad lists. Prompts:
What made the collaboration work well? Ex: clear communication, shared goals, feelings of inclusion or trust.
What made the collaboration challenging? Ex: dominating personalities, power dynamics, no follow through of tasks.
Step Two: Prioritize Attributes (10 min)
In pairs or small groups, ask participants to discuss which of the negative attributes they are most concerned about. Prompt:
Which negative attributes are most likely to occur in our discussions or with our particular collaboration? Select the top three concerns or negative attributes.
When finished, repeat this process but focus on positive attributes. Again, ask participants to reflect on this particular group and decide which positive traits would be most helpful. Prompt:
Which positive attributes would benefit our discussions the most? Select the top three positive traits or attributes.
Step Three: Discuss as a Full Group (10 min)
Regroup as a whole and invite each small group to share their top three positive and negative attributes. Discuss:
Where do we see overlap or common themes?
As we review our consolidated lists, what might be missing?
What are the top five positive or negative traits for our group as a whole?
Step Four: Craft Guiding Principles (20 min)
Once the group has identified approximately their top five traits (positive or negative), create a space where they can craft sample guidelines that reflect these traits. This could be done on a white board or shared google document. For example:
If the concern is “negativity,” then the guideline might be “Bring your positive attitude and energy. Have fun!”
If the concern is “dominating personalities,” then the guideline might be “Make room for everyone to be heard. Listen to understand.”
If the positive trait is trust, then the guideline might be “Respect our community. Critique ideas, not people.”
Step Five: Debrief as a Full Group (10 min)
Discuss:
How often should we revisit this list?
What should be our process if someone violates our stated principles?
When are guidelines limiting and/or unproductive?
How might we adjust in anticipation to these concerns?
TIME
60
min
MODULE
Introduction to Collaborative Discussion
This activity can be completed by any discussion group.
This activity can be easily modified for asynchronous learning. See Sample Asynchronous Certificate Program Design to illustrate sample sequencing.
This activity can be used to support facilitation skills. See Sample Facilitation Certificate Program Design to illustrate sample sequencing.
This activity is suitable for professional or more formal learning environments.
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0 Comments
YD
November 29, 2022 at 6:21:35 AM
Activity 3.6 in an innovative activity that encourages detailed thinking about and evaluation of proposed solutions by thinking of not just the intended, but also unintended consequences.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 6:15:22 AM
Activity 3.5 uses visual aids and worksheets to explore a topic in detail from multiple angles. Pretending you are an alien to look at an issue from new perspectives is fun!
YD
November 29, 2022 at 6:11:26 AM
Activity 3.4 uses detailed prompts and twists to encourage participants to move beyond binary thinking, which allows to them to recognize the grey areas of decision-making.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 6:07:44 AM
Activity 3.3 uses visual methods to uncover assumptions and biases, as well as help practice "suspending" these assumptions during a discussion.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 6:05:57 AM
Activity 3.2 uses visual cues to easily bring awareness to the emotions of participants in a discussion and help them understand the changing flow and impact of emotions in a discussion..
YD
November 29, 2022 at 5:59:34 AM
Activity 3.1 offers a very detailed step-by-step process to evaluate your thinking in real time while discussing an issue.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 2:20:17 AM
Activity 2.8 is a fun and engaging activity that helps develop a positive, hopeful and empowering way of thinking by using an innovative method to break free of constraints on imagination and recognize the potential that exists in the present situation, which could lead to the ideal future or solution. It also offers a method to imagine the actionable steps on a pathway from the present to that future.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 2:13:29 AM
Activity 2.7 uses metaphors to explore the place of imagination and humor in exploring difficult or unfamiliar topics.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 2:10:50 AM
Activity 2.6 is another fun activity that encourages flexible thinking and a method of communication built on validation and respect, resulting in an environment of collaboration.
YD
November 29, 2022 at 2:02:30 AM
Activity 2.5 is fun activity that helps you let loose and unleash your playful side to help demonstrate how play is very useful to broadening perspectives.