ACTIVE REVIEWING TIPS
for Dynamic Experiential Learning

ARCHIVES   FREE Subscription   CONTENTS of this issue

Active Reviewing Tips 2.8   how to review a lot in a short time Millennium Madness - how to review a lot in a short time! Websites for Creative Thinking Strategies for Creative and Responsive Reviewing How to Transfer Learning - Workshops UK and Worldwide More Speed Reviewing Techniques 'Discussion List' Survey Results NEW Survey on 'Interactivity' 5 Ways to Say Thank You

Active Reviewing Tips for Dynamic Experiential Learning http://reviewing.co.uk   Active Reviewing Tips 2.8  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ISSN 1465-8046   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A C T I V E . R E V I E W I N G . T I P S ~ ~ FOR DYNAMIC EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ~ ~ the free monthly newsletter associated with the ~ ~ 'GUIDE TO ACTIVE REVIEWING' http://reviewing.co.uk ~ ~ Editor: Roger Greenaway roger@reviewing.co.uk ~ ~ Vol. 2.8 August 1999 ~ ~ MILLENNIUM MADNESS: TOO MUCH TO REVIEW? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   WELCOME to new readers. Past issues are available at http://reviewing.co.uk/archives/   This issue is full of contrast - it is both 'lighter' and 'heavier' than previous issues. It is still very practical. I hope you like it - and use it too! The main themes are 'speed' and 'creativity' - and a bit about partying!   My prices are increasing next year. So if you need an incentive to make an enquiry about my training services, now is a good time to make one! NB Price increases do not apply to contracts agreed before December 15th. This offer also applies to organisations hosting the 'How to Transfer Learning' open workshops. See ~ 9 ~.   [End of commercial ... on with the fun.] CONTENTS (TOP) ~ 1 ~ MILLENNIUM MADNESS   (you can't escape from it, even here)   IDEAS FOR REVIEWING A LOT IN A SHORT TIME!   You might have noticed a request on the TOOLS FOR CHANGE page at reviewing.co.uk for ideas about reviewing the millennium. This piece of craziness is about to be re-launched right here in front of your eyes!   HOW ON EARTH CAN YOU REVIEW 1,000 YEARS? DOES ANYONE REALLY WANT TO?   Below this introduction you will find a list of 10 'whacky' ideas for your end of millennium party.   But this is just the start of a creative thinking exercise ... which ends up exactly where you want it to - with even more 'active reviewing tips'!   If you are NOT looking for party ideas :-( and if you DON'T have the luxury to spend time developing your own ideas :-( here is a secret CHEAT CODE for you: http://reviewing.co.uk/toolkit/1000ideas.htm Paste this code into your browser's address box and you will find direct links from each 'party' idea below to a corresponding active reviewing technique for end of programme reviews!   Do you find that there is often far 'too much' to review in the time available? (at the end of a busy and intensive course, for example)   How do you draw everything together, wrap it all up, and move on with something of practical value? And all in a short space of time?   Do your 'closure' activities shut down learning, or do they provide a springboard for continuing learning and development in the future?   Here are the 'party' ideas. For the 'end of programme' ideas you will need the 'cheat code' above (or creative powers + time).   MILLENNIUM WALK Groups of 2 or 3 walk from one side of the stage (or room) to the other. This journey represents 1000 years. Each group has two minutes to complete the journey. They pause at 3, 4 or 5 points on their journey to illustrate a key moment in history. If three people are working together, one can be a narrator.   1000 YEARS OF COMMUNICATION As above, but as a piece of social history showing how people communicated at different points in the millennium.   1000 YEARS OF *NOT* LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE The group brainstorms experiences during the last 1000 years from which more should have been learned. Each item is put into a hat. A representative from each sub-group picks an item from the hat. The group have a few minutes to prepare for the re-enactment of the event. The audience may be involved in parts that do not require rehearsal.   1000 YEARS OF LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE Same as above but without the 'not'. You may want to focus on scientific inventions.   1000 YEARS OF DAILY CHORES Another angle on social history - how ordinary people lived. Yes - more small group re-enactments. (Creative thinking is in a bit of a groove here!)   MY FAVOURITE CENTURY Individuals choose any century from the 10th to the 19th (but not the 20th) and say why that particular century appeals to them.   CYNICS CORNER Make a list of events over the last 1000 years that have been hyped up way beyond their actual significance, starting with the end of this calendar year and working backwards ...   FORGOTTEN TREASURES An antidote to 'cynics corner'. Highlight little known (or invented!) moments of history since 1000 AD that really should have received much more attention. These moments of history can come from people's own lifetimes.   CHANGING HISTORY Think of one event, invention or person that could have turned out differently, or one event, invention or person born at a different time. Act out what did really happen (as far as you know). Act out the new and improved (?) version of events.   NEXT MILLENNIUM Project any of the above review activities into the future - in the form of hopes, dreams, jokes or predictions.   Could you adapt any of these ideas for end of course reviews? Reread the above ideas and substitute 'course' or 'programme' for 'millennium' or '1000 years'. Does it work? Is it worth a try?   If you have any wild, wonderful or well-used ideas to add to the list above please send them to: roger@reviewing.co.uk If you want your name and email address to be published with your idea please say so. Otherwise I will assume that all contributions are to be printed anonymously. I reserve the right to reject or adapt ideas sent in - because that's the second thing that editors like. The first thing is receiving any ideas at all!   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   CONTENTS (TOP) ~ 2 ~ WEBSITES FOR CREATIVE THINKING   If you like the idea of contributing but are short on creativity just now, have some fun generating ideas at http://www.brainstorming.co.uk You'll find free tutorials on basic and advanced brainstorming, plus the option of downloading  free trial brainstorming software. If you are also short of 'play' time just now, bookmark the links page at this new and useful site - it has ratings and review comments about many other creative thinking websites.   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   CONTENTS (TOP) ~ 3 ~ STRATEGIES FOR CREATIVE AND RESPONSIVE REVIEWING   How do you stay in touch with learners? How do you ensure relevance? How do you stay fresh? How do you maintain high involvement in the reviewing process?   Browsing books and web pages might give you fresh ideas, but the learners you are working with are the best source of all!   These 3 strategies will help to keep your reviewing sessions alive and responsive.   1) ASK learners what is helping and hindering their learning.   Ask learners while still working with them, so that they themselves can benefit from any changes that might follow. Learners' own insights and perspectives on the process of learning have a major influence on which learning strategies will be most successful. [Suitable for any age!]   2) DEMONSTRATE confidence in the process of learning from experience.   Ensure that your many facilitative roles include that of being a learner. By trying to be better learners we become better facilitators. Recognise that *everyone* in a learning group (including yourself) is BOTH a learner AND a facilitator of other people's learning. Make full use of all these resources.   3) NOTICE the realities and possibilities with *this* group of learners.   How you work with *present* realities matters more than what worked well in another time in another place with other people. Our experience and knowledge of 'similar situations' or 'familiar types' is useful background - but is no more than this. Draw from past experience, but take care not to paste past experience over present experience. Don't confuse living in the past with learning from the past. Facilitation should be a creative response to *this* situation.   A suitable choice of reviewing methods helps to inspire and sustain a lively flow of communication about learning and experience. In such a climate it is difficult not to be creative!   The three strategies above are based on my short 'Reflections' article about research at http://reviewing.co.uk/research/resindex.htm   As always - please write in with comments or extra ideas to   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   CONTENTS (TOP) ~ 4 ~ HOW TO TRANSFER LEARNING - OPEN WORKSHOPS   While gathering ideas for my 'transfer of learning article' (part 2 is on its way) I discovered an important connection in point 3 above - about not using past experience to ''paste over'' present experience. Can you see the limitations of using 'transfer' as a metaphor for change? There is certainly food for thought here. To become better learners we need to learn more from each experience. By striving to transfer learning from past experiences, we could be tying ourselves down to yesterday's wisdom and missing out on opportunities for learning from present experiences.   The paradox of transfer is that the harder we try to influence the future the more we are stuck in the past. Only when transfer is at the level of *learning* skills is it possible to escape this paradox and use past experiences to enhance future ones. Perhaps this is what Dewey was alluding to when he wrote about the importance of experiences ''living on'' in future experiences. Dewey provides a more dynamic image of future change than the paler image of change that the term ''transfer'' suggests.   A further irony is that the most measurable kinds of transfer are those that involve *repeating* the past. As soon as transfer becomes more dynamic and weaves itself into future experiences it becomes an invisible catalyst or chameleon - moving in mysterious ways, but powerful nonetheless.   The theme of TRANSFER OF LEARNING started in the last issue of Active Reviewing Tips and will be continued in future issues. I have collected, created and remembered enough practical exercises on this vital topic that I will soon be launching a series of new 2-day open workshops around the UK about...   ...''HOW TO TRANSFER LEARNING'' - NEW WORKSHOPS   Training on this and other reviewing topics is also available worldwide. When? Where? I am inviting a number of organisations to host or sponsor these new workshops, and I will announce dates and venues via this ezine. If you or your organisation are interested in hosting, sponsoring or booking places on these workshops, please write to me at roger@reviewing.co.uk or call +44 1786 450968 (UK/GMT office hours)   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   CONTENTS (TOP) ~ 5 ~ MORE SPEED TECHNIQUES   What's the hurry?   The 'Millennium Madness' section above was about ONE situation in which 'high speed' reviewing techniques are useful i.e. when you have a lot to review in a short time. This section outlines FIVE more situations where speed techniques can be useful.   There is clearly a risk that high speed reviewing becomes superficial. But there are many good reasons why you may want to speed things up - in the interests of more effective reviewing.   1) SCANNING AND SEARCHING A quick scan of the whole experience can reveal whether there are any points at which more detailed reviewing would be worthwhile. Call this 'agenda raising' if you like. Or 'scanning' or 'search techniques'.   EXAMPLES: rounds (go-rounds), positions (line-ups), scores (e.g. happy charts), fast forward action replays.   2) PROCESS BREAK A short 'process break' during an activity (or 'mid-activity review') can have two important benefits. Firstly, it marks a point in the activity that can be reviewed in depth later. Secondly, short process breaks often help to raise awareness or refocus groups on their priorities.   EXAMPLES: one round, one score, one line-up, private note-taking or quick single topic reviews in twos and threes.   3) INCLUSIVITY Speed techniques tend to be more inclusive and democratic. Less hurried reviews tend to default to a pattern where 20% of the people do 80% of the talking. By speeding things up, each individual's 'turn' comes round more quickly. The review may become less 'deep' for the 20% who were most involved, but the review becomes a little 'deeper' for the 80% who were barely involved while hanging around at the edges.   EXAMPLES: any of the above, plus temporary rules to even up contributions e.g. only one sentence at a time, or questions and answers only, or eat a biscuit after each time you speak (serious fun!).   4) SPEED UP NOW TO SLOW DOWN LATER 'Fast forwarding' races through the less interesting bits, allowing more time to be spent of the 'good bits'.   EXAMPLES: This principle clearly applies to video replays and action replays, but can apply to other techniques too - such as storytelling and guided reflection.   5) FOR ENERGY, FOCUS AND DEPTH Fast-paced reviewing can actually lead to greater depth. The challenge of doing a review quickly can easily generate more energy, urgency and focus.   EXAMPLES: quickly creating a front page or 'stop press' newspaper story about the event being reviewed;  using the 'why' game to review an event - in pairs one person asks 'why?' after each explanation; an action replay of the whole event in only two or three minutes; a poem or short story that captures the event in only 25 words (for individuals or groups).   If you have any favourite speed techniques or thoughts about them - please write in to roger@reviewing.co.uk   If you don't recognise the methods above, type their names into the search box at http://reviewing.co.uk and you should find an explanation of most of the methods I have mentioned. The page where you are most likely to find a description of the method is http://reviewing.co.uk/toolkit/methods.htm The most detailed descriptions are in Playback: A Guide to Reviewing Activities.   NEW SUBSCRIBER? In case this is your first issue of Active Reviewing Tips (welcome!) -  you may like some reassurance that there have been (and will be) many examples of slower, deeper, reflective methods. Reviewing is not always a race against time! It's good to vary the pace. This issue happens to have been about speed!   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   CONTENTS (TOP) ~ 6 ~  'DISCUSSION LIST' SURVEY RESULTS   Last month's survey asked: ''Would you like to take part in a discussion list on active reviewing?''   8 people said yes, one of whom expressed a preference for it being a moderated list.   For a face-to-face group, 8 is a good size. I guess it's a good number for an 'e-group' too. But before starting up a new list I want to sound out your views a bit more - by testing responses to other 'interactive' options.   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   CONTENTS (TOP) ~ 7 ~ NEW SURVEY ON 'INTERACTIVITY' Please take part!   Please choose ONE of the options below by sending an email to the relevant address (with or without a message).   1) NO CHANGE - monthly newsletter with occasional contributions from readers roger@reviewing.co.uk   2) ALTERNATE MONTHS - one month is a single topic newsletter (as at present) BUT the next month is readers' comments, responses, ideas on the *same* topic, the month after that is a new topic ... and so on.   3) 'PEN PALS' - readers with particular *reviewing* interests tell me what these are (e.g. management development, special needs, India, drama, work-based learning, adventure education, transfer of learning, primary school ...) I then publish a list of these special interests. Whenever two people with the same special interest appear I arrange a swap of email addresses and the rest is up to you. If the pairings work well, some pairs may feel the urge to write something for 'Active Reviewing Tips' about their shared interest in reviewing - but there would be NO obligation to do this. [To protect your privacy names and addresses would not be published - unless requested.] If you choose this option you may also want to suggest a better title for it!   4) A DISCUSSION LIST - the same proposal as in the last issue, but it is now one amongst 3 other choices. roger@reviewing.co.uk   Please choose just ONE of the above 4 options.   PLEASE NOTE: This is just a survey. Sending an email to one of the above addresses is simply an expression of interest and does NOT commit you (or me) to anything - except that I will publish the numbers of votes in the next issue.   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   CONTENTS (TOP) ~ 8 ~  5 WAYS TO SAY THANKS FOR THIS FREE EZINE   1. Send comments, questions or tips 2. Ask a friend to subscribe: reviewing-subscribe@topica.com 3. Buy ANY book online from Amazon.co.uk via my coded link: www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/redirect-home/reviewingskillst I receive a commission if you buy a book via this link :-) 4. Enquire about training with the current sponsor of this ezine: Reviewing Skills Training. That's me. 5. Become a sponsor of this ezine. That could be you!   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~