100+ Active Reviewing Methods from Reviewing Skills Training

HOME More books by Roger Greenaway	100+ Active Reviewing Methods These reviewing methods will help to make your debriefing sessions more engaging and effective.	HELP

1 0 0 . A C T I V E . R E V I E W I N G . M E T H O D S
(plus a few passive ones!)
A-Z SUMMARY OF THE REVIEWING METHODS DESCRIBED IN
'PLAYBACK: A GUIDE TO REVIEWING ACTIVITIES'
by Roger Greenaway

*** quotes ***
"PLAYBACK is a treasure trove of group processes to use when
debriefing an activity ... it should be on every trainer's
bookshelf ..."
Billie Taylor in Training and Development
*************
"The number and range of reviewing methods discussed in PLAYBACK
are impressive."
Jeffrey Gold in Education and Training
*************

If you want more detail, use the links on this page to go
straight to the relevant page of the 'On-line Guide to Active
Reviewing' at http://reviewing.co.uk - where you will also find
several other reviewing methods that are not in Playback.

For full details of all the reviewing methods below (plus
chapters on Reviewing Theory, Purposes, Settings, Issues, Skills,
and Resources) you will need the book itself!

*** quote ***
"The course has definitely altered my reviewing perspective.
Before the course I had a copy of PLAYBACK but did not use the
ideas. After the course having seen those ideas done live I now
find it easier to use the book and apply the ideas to work."
Andi Roberts
*************

Reviewing skills training workshops and consultancy:
http://reviewing.co.uk/trainingworkshops.htm

ACTION POINTS
provide a means of carrying forward what is learned from one
activity to the next, or to a similar situation.
TANDEM REVIEWING
involves reviewing the experience from which the action point
comes together with the experience to which it might apply.
THE WARM SEAT
generates ideas for action points prompted by questions from the
seated person (unlike the 'hot seat' where individuals are put on
the spot and face questions from others).
http://reviewing.co.uk/feedback.htm

ACTION REPLAY
Just as on TV, the action is 'played back' either to examine an
incident more closely or to replay an event worth celebrating.
But there are no cameras in this method - making it cheaper, more
fun, more versatile and more effective.
FANTASY REPLAY
'IN THE STYLE OF' REPLAY
http://reviewing.co.uk/stories/replay.htm

ARTS
are reviewable activities; they also provide limitless
opportunities for reviewing other activities and experiences.
ART AS A TOOL FOR RAISING AWARENESS
EXPLORING ISSUES THROUGH ART
ARTS ACTIVITY AS COLLECTIVE AND INDIVIDUAL SELF-EXPRESSION
PEOPLE PRESENTING THEMSELVES AS THEY WOULD WANT TO BE SEEN

CARDS
provide endless possibilities as a reviewing aid.
CHAT CARDS: LISTENING TO, AND REPRESENTING OTHERS
CARD RACE: AGENDA RAISING AND PRIORITISING
SCORE CARDS: MONITORING GROUP ACHIEVEMENTS
JOGGER CARDS: REMINDING INDIVIDUALS OF ACTION POINTS
CREDIT CARDS: AN APPRAISAL GAME

CARTOONS
help people to tell the 'story' of what happened during an
activity stage by stage.
DRAWING AN 'OUTSIDE' PROBLEM
EXAMINING AN 'OUTSIDE' PROBLEM
CARTOON TAPESTRY

DISCUSSION
Ways of encouraging more balanced participation.
REVIEWING REVIEW DISCUSSIONS
PARTICIPATION LINE-UP
MATCHSTICKS
THE CONCH
BALL OF WOOL
QUESTION AND ANSWER ONLY
SUMMARISE FIRST
GOLDFISH BOWL
http://reviewing.co.uk/discuss/discuss.htm

*** quote ***
"PLAYBACK is very practical, attractively presented and easy to
read."
Bill Roberts in Careers Guidance Today
*************

EVALUATION
PLUS, MINUS, INTERESTING
(from Edward de Bono)
PICTURES
BALANCES
'What have you found to be TOO MUCH? ... NOT ENOUGH? ... JUST
RIGHT ...? (and why?)
COURSE DESIGN
'BEYOND ENJOYMENT!'
http://reviewing.co.uk/evaluation/methods1.htm

FORCES
Reviewing methods which are inspired by Kurt Lewin's 'force field
analysis'.
GROUP SNAKES AND LADDERS
INDIVIDUAL SNAKES AND LADDERS
INDIVIDUAL FORCE FIELDS

GIFTS
is an appraisal activity in which people make, find or mime gifts
for each other. The gifts represent qualities that were in
evidence during the event being reviewed.
http://reviewing.co.uk/feedback.htm

GUIDED REFLECTION
Participants lie down and listen while the reviewer talks through
what happened in a way that prompts reflection.

HUMAN SCULPTURE
is an active way of looking at patterns and relationships in a
group. The method can be used to highlight different patterns at
various times during the activity.
THEME SCULPTURES
INDIVIDUAL SCULPTURES
SYMBOLIC SCULPTURES

INDEPENDENT REVIEWING
Suitable independent review tasks: ACTION POINTS, ACTION REPLAYS,
ART, GROUP POEM, GROUP SONG, NEWS REPORT, making a TAPE-RECORDING
or VIDEO about the last activity, PREPARATION FOR APPRAISAL,
QUESTIONNAIRES, REVIEW DISCUSSION (PREPARATION), REVIEW
DISCUSSION (OBSERVATION)

LABELLING
(in this exercise) enables people to experience what it is like
to be in other people's shoes.

LEARNING TO LEARN
For many people, the most lasting impact of activity-based
learning is that they are learning to learn in new ways.
A MODEL OF LEARNING
REVIEWING TO DEVELOP LEARNING SKILLS

METAPHORS
extend the power of words and phrases by using them out of their
original context.
METAPHOR PORTRAITS
TEAMWORK METAPHORS
EXTENDIBLE METAPHORS

MID-ACTIVITY REVIEWING
an easy way to 'sell' reviewing, especially if making use of a
break during an activity in which people are having difficulties,
and want to succeed.
HALF-TIME
COMMENTARY
PAIRS
QUESTIONNAIRES
OBSERVERS

MID-REVIEW ACTIVITY
Interrupting discussion with action can help to keep a group
alert. An 'active' interruption can help a group to clarify, test
out or visualise something that has been said...
CHECKING THE FACTS
CHANGING THE PAST
TESTING ASSERTIONS
VISUALISING AN ACTION POINT

OBSERVING
Observing and reporting back observations can heighten
awareness of self, others and group dynamics.
OBSERVATION PROJECT
OBSERVING BLINDFOLDED PEOPLE
REPORTING OBSERVATIONS
An observer may be asked to record:
POSITIVES, IDEAS, DECISIONS, SUPPORT, QUOTES, DIAGRAMS,
SOCIOGRAM, HAPPY CHART, TIMES etc.

*** quote ***
"PLAYBACK is principally written for those working with young
people. But review activity is ageless. It is also
interdisciplinary. Hence there is much of practical value, not
least the excellent bibliography, for anyone involved in
development activity where review is an integral feature."
Jeffrey Gold in Education and Training
*************

PERFORMING
describes how (without training in drama skills) people can
create and produce a play for performing to an audience.
A PERFORMANCE BASED ON ACTION REPLAYS
PICTURES
create many talking points; create opportunities for informal
one-to-one reviewing; and can stimulate more insightful
discussion than even the most skilled questioning.
CHOOSE A PICTURE
MAKE A COLLAGE
DRAW OR PAINT A PICTURE: BEFORE AND AFTER; PROBLEMS AND
ACHIEVEMENTS.
http://reviewing.co.uk/pictures/intro.htm

PLAYBACK
When playing back a video or audio recording there are several
ways in which it can be used for reviewing. These are some of the
options:
CHARTS, QUESTIONS, CHANGES, SOUNDS, SIGHTS, BRIEFING, STATEMENTS
INCIDENTS

POSITIONS
quickly allows everyone to make their 'position' clear on a
particular issue, and increases participation in discussions.
LINE-UPS ABOUT GROUP BEHAVIOUR
LINE-UPS ABOUT INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOUR
TWO DIMENSIONAL LINE-UPS

PREDICTIONS
appeal to everyone's betting instincts. Their degree of accuracy
generates useful talking points for reviewing.

PREPARATION
Some reviewing methods need to be set up well in advance,
involving preparation before the programme or before the
activity.
PRACTISING USEFUL SKILLS
VARYING REVIEWING METHODS
SEQUENCING REVIEWING METHODS
PREPARATION BY LEARNERS
PREPARING THE REVIEW (BUT NOT THE ACTIVITY)

PRESENTATIONS
are opportunities for people to communicate to others about their
experiences and what they have learned.
GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS
CONVERTING REVIEWING METHODS
SOMETHING TO SHOW
SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS
IF ONLY MY MUM COULD SEE ME NOW!

QUESTIONNAIRES
can be used at any stage of a reviewing sequence ...
QUICK QUESTIONNAIRES
INDIVIDUALISED QUESTIONNAIRES
TAILOR-MADE QUESTIONNAIRES
QUESTIONNAIRES FOR NOTE-TAKING
QUESTIONS BASED ON SKILLS CHECKLISTS

QUESTIONS
Asking questions to the group is a popular form of reviewing -
more popular than it should be, because it is often used as a
review method when little thought has been given to alternatives.
QUESTIONS ON A THEME
TRIGGER QUESTIONS
ANALYTICAL QUESTIONING
http://reviewing.co.uk/success/success2.htm

REPEATING THE ACTIVITY
provides three opportunities for reviewing ...
1) BEFORE: REPLANNING
2) DURING: REVIEWING WHILE DOING
3) AFTER: REVIEWING BOTH ACTIVITIES TOGETHER
REPLANNING BY STAFF
REPLANNING BY THE GROUP
VISIONING THE SECOND ATTEMPT
REPEATING WITH COMMENTARY

ROUNDS
are sentences started by the reviewer which are finished by each
person in turn. The sentences can be about facts or feelings,
self or others, past, present or future.
SENTENCE BEGINNINGS, EXPRESSION, FEEDBACK, LEARNING, PLANNING,
CLOSING, CARDS, THREE WORDS, ORBITS, MIME, CARDS, THREE WORDS,
ORBITS, MIME.
http://reviewing.co.uk/rounds.htm

SCORES
Scores help to speed up the reviewing process, and quickly
highlight the subjects or issues most worth talking about in
detail.
GOAL SCORES
PREDICTING SCORES FOR SELF AND GROUP
BETTING
PREDICTING INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE
JUDGING
GROUP SCORING OF INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE

*** quote ***
"PLAYBACK is a useful handbook for trainers in industry, youth
workers, teachers, youth leaders and activity instructors."
The Award Journal
*************

SPEAKING FOR A PARTNER
Speaking as if you are another person is both a way of finding
out what it might be like in their shoes, and a way of showing
how well you know them. (Also known as 'egoing')

STORIES
Telling stories is the 'method' that people will naturally use to
tell others about their experiences. There are many constructive
ways in which the reviewer can assist this 'natural' process.
MEMORY GAME
RE-LIVING THE ACTIVITY
SAME AND DIFFERENT
FINDING THE BONES
DRESSING THE SKELETON
http://reviewing.co.uk/stories/intro.htm

TAPE-RECORDING
Audio tape-recorders have many uses as a reviewing aid, and have
advantages over video cameras.
RADIO NEWS
UPS AND DOWNS
to encourage awareness of others and the expression of feelings.
MOVING HANDS UP AND DOWN
WALKABOUT: PAIRED CONVERSATIONS
HAPPY CHART

VIDEO
is rarely used well in reviewing, but with careful planning,
video gives access to a useful variety of reviewing methods.
MAKING TWO VIDEOS
MAKING A REVIEW VIDEO

*** quote ***
"PLAYBACK ... is cheap enough, creative enough, self-effacing but
well-founded."
Billie Taylor in Training and Development
*************

This handbook was written for working with young people but
most (perhaps all?) of the methods described above have been
successfully used with managers and other adults.

COPYRIGHT Roger Greenaway 2000 Reviewing Skills Training
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