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1.6
Understanding Values in Context
Submitted by Lori Britt
This activity highlights how the ordering of values can change according to context. Often, discussion groups are not in conflict over the existence of specific values, but they are in tension about how these values are ordered differently for different discussants.
Learning Goals
Understand how we rank and order values based on the context or issue.
Understand that we sometimes have very different interpretations of a value.
Instructions
Set Up: Prepare for the Activity
As the facilitator, select approximately ten values. Each value will be written on a slip of paper. Provide each participant with a set of common values written on small slips of paper. Sample values include: Security, Community, Prosperity, Responsibility, Inclusion, Equality, Tradition, Opportunity, Justice, Freedom, Innovation.
The facilitator should select values that are relevant for the discussion group.
Begin by introducing the learning goals of this activity.
Step One: Individually Identify and Rank Top 5 Values (5 min)
Distribute the sets of values to each participant. Ask them to rank these values by moving around the slips of paper. Their most important values should be at the top.
Ask them to identify their top five values. They will use these five slips of paper for the next steps of this activity.
Step Two: Share and Define Values (10 min)
Ask volunteers to name their top values. Once a few participants have shared their top values and some common themes emerge, invite participants to discuss how they defined these values. This can be done in small groups, if needed. The goal is to acknowledge that common values are often interpreted differently.
Step Three: Rank and Define Values in Response to Particular Issues (20 min)
The facilitator will Introduce a series of issues, such as: Gun Legislation, Loan Forgiveness, Vaccination, the Death Penalty.
For each topic, ask participants to re-sort their values. Discuss:
Did your top values shift? When? Why?
Did you reinterpret what any of the values meant in the context of a particular issue?
Step Four: Debrief as as Full Group (10 min)
Discuss:
How can understanding that many people share similar values but prioritize them differently help us work together in groups?
How might collaborative groups explore and find common values?
TIME
45
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 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
RT
January 16, 2023 at 5:26:09 PM
This activity helps develop a skill that is useful in many contexts, including in the classroom, workplace, community and even at home.
RT
January 12, 2023 at 10:17:13 PM
This activitiy can be modified or used as is in helping STEM students and science & technology professionals in identifying the unintended consequences and uses of any new scientific or technological developments or tools, such as AI models, etc.
Shannon Wheatley Hartman
December 7, 2022 at 2:03:49 PM
I am waiting for someone to try this activity out and share it back with us. This is probably one of the most ambitious activities in the toolkit. I really love it but I have not had the opportunity to try it out with a group. Please someone try this and share back!
Shannon Wheatley Hartman
December 7, 2022 at 2:01:33 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 1:59:07 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 1:54:13 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 1:52:01 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 1:49:22 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 1:46:46 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 1:43:42 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).