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2.1
Promoting Curiosity
Submitted by Jack Byrd, Jr.
This activity illustrates how curiosity can be enhanced by the use of prompts to exercise the mind. These prompts are designed to explore dimensions of an issue which may not be evident upon initial review.
Learning Goals
Practice using curiosity prompts to expand how we see an issue.
Understand the value of reframing narratives of problems into narratives of possibility.
Instructions
Set Up: Prepare for the Activity
Organize participants into pairs or small groups (3-5 ppl).
Begin by introducing the learning goals of this activity.
Step One: Introduce Curiosity Prompts (10 min)
Developing curiosity requires a mental workout similar to the physical workout that many people follow. The practice of being curious is a daily activity. The basic building blocks to becoming curious are to keep these 4 prompts in mind and use them in thinking about everyday encounters:
What if…
Think about…
Can we imagine…
Why is that true?
In small groups, try out these prompts on a familiar topic. This may be a topic relevant to your class or community.
Provide an article or headline and then invite each group to use the first curiosity prompt to explore the topic. Each group should identify a recorder who will capture “What if…” statements.
Encourage the groups not to discuss or critique contributions. Instead, the goal is to generate a broad list of “What if…” possibilities on the topic.
Step Two: Practice Curiosity Prompts (20 min)
Develop similar bulleted lists for the other three curiosity prompts. Again, suspend critical judgment. If time is limited, select only one or two curiosity prompts.
Step Three: Develop Curiosity Questions (20 min)
Once the lists are complete, ask participants to develop curiosity questions that combine similar items from each of the lists. The curiosity question would expand possibilities. It may begin with “Would it be possible to…” or “Wouldn’t it be amazing if…”
Invite the groups to create at least three curiosity questions.
Step Four: Debrief as a Full Group (10 min)
Reconvene as a large group and invite each small group to share one curiosity question. Discuss:
What common themes are emerging across our lists or curiosity questions?
Which curiosity prompt was most helpful in thinking about the issue in new ways? Why?
How important was working with others for this activity? Would you have had equal results if completed alone? How important are others in promoting curiosity?
TIME
60
min
MODULE
Creative Collaboration
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 can be easily modified to serve as an introductory exercise and completed in less than 10 minutes.
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0 Comments
YD
December 3, 2022 at 2:39:23 AM
Activity 5.4 uses the fun method of role playing and builds on other activities to help participants develop questions and practice gathering information to collaborate effectively with communities as partners. This activity involves working together in small groups and as a large group. It also includes multiple additional resources for participants to continue learning methods and skills to build community partnerships.
YD
December 3, 2022 at 2:39:00 AM
Activity 1.8 provides a very useful survey to gather information on and help support participants' different discussion styles and needs, exploring various areas like preferences for group size, ways of participating in discussions, any fears relating to discussions, etc.
YD
December 3, 2022 at 2:34:46 AM
Activity 5.8 further explores direct democracy by proposing the idea of "legislative juries" to improve the current initiative process through collaboration and deliberation. This activity uses role playing to have participants practice deliberation as part of a mock legislative jury to craft ballot initiatives on a given issue.
YD
December 3, 2022 at 2:27:35 AM
Activity 5.7 uses a fun and tactile activity like building LEGOs to explore the effects of coming together to colloborate and discuss, while also participating together in another physical activity.
YD
December 3, 2022 at 2:22:49 AM
Activity 5.6 uses memes and futuristic zombie scenarios to develop ways to change people's minds, while exploring various aspects of the methods used to change minds, like assumptions behind ideas, sticking to the facts versus stretching the truth, appealing to emotions etc.
YD
December 3, 2022 at 2:16:44 AM
Activity 5.5 uses a fun and visual/craft activity to help participants explore the many different types of knowledge, how they are valued, and the role/importance of each type of knowledge in their own lives.
YD
December 3, 2022 at 2:11:54 AM
Activity 5.3 gives participants to use writing, drawing, and/or speaking to share and discuss the various communities they belong to and/or feel excluded from, the various aspects that define community, as well as the practices of inclusion or exclusion and power distribution in these communities.
YD
December 3, 2022 at 2:07:26 AM
Activity 5.2 introduces four categories of stakeholders and multiple prompts to help participants work together in small and large groups to create comprehensive list of stakeholders, including those who are marginalized or not as obvious, for a given issue.
YD
December 3, 2022 at 2:04:00 AM
Activity 5.1 uses gamification by having participants play the Civics Topics Sweet Sixteen Competition to identify their issues they are passionate about both as individuals and as a group.
YD
December 3, 2022 at 2:01:34 AM
Activity 4.9 uses both lighthearted and serious characters, topics, and dialogue to help participants practice viewing an issue from the perspective of multiple people/characters and explain their thought processes and rationale for the choices they think these people will make in a given situation.