![[reviewing.co.uk]](../../images/suncloud.gif){kind=small}
HOME
ACTIVE
Reviewing Tips
for dynamic experiential learning
![[SITE SEARCH HELP]](../../images/runner.gif){kind=small}
HELP
HOME |
ACTIVE
Reviewing Tips
|
HELP |
|---|
|
Roger Greenaway's Active Reviewing Tips ~ ISSN 1465-8046
is no longer published but you
can view more back
issues in the ARCHIVES For Roger's blog and other writings please see the Guide to Active Reviewing |
| |
| Practical tips on
the many ways in which you can use cards as a reviewing
tool. Reviewing = processing / debriefing / reflection ARTips 14.1 Reviewing with
Cards: 8 methods
~ 1 ~ EDITORIAL: My Reviewing Kit
~ 2 ~ ARTICLE: Reviewing with Cards: 8 Methods ~ 3 ~ RESOURCE: Dialoogle ~ 4 ~ ACTIVE LEARNING BOOKSHOP: Toon Cards ~ 5 ~ ARCHIVE: Reviewing with Pictures ~ 6 ~ EVENTS: April 2012 and beyond ~ 7 ~ LINKS: Big Screen Magic and Lights Camera Action ~ 8 ~ LAST ISSUE and FUTURE ISSUES ~ 9 ~ About Active Reviewing Tips |
| ~ 1
~ EDITORIAL: MY REVIEWING KIT These are the items in my reviewing kit that I carry to trainer- training workshops. They fit into a small rucksack or a small trolley on wheels - if that's your bag ;) Most items have multiple uses: * 100 picture postcards or a box of Dialoogle pictures * 15 x 2 metre nylon climbing ropes - ideal for making large diagrams (but too short for a decent climb) * A dummy microphone and remote control for action replay * A pack of playing cards - multiple uses * 5 giant playing cards for demonstrating the Active Reviewing Cycle * Plenty of blank index cards (or similar) * Cards with ready-made questions for Brief Encounters * Some notes on how to turn these items into a reviewing kit! That is as much gear as I need for any trainer-training workshop for one to five days. You will notice that the most common item in this list is 'cards' of some kind. This issue of Active Reviewing Tips gives you some ideas about how you can use various kinds of cards for reviewing. If you have your own favourite ways of using cards feel free, motivated and welcome to share your secrets with other readers of Active Reviewing Tips - which is now in its 14th year and still introducing new ideas to readers (as well as some old favourites). Enjoy your card making, collecting, swapping, buying, using ... and even writing about how you get on. It is always good to review your own practice and taste your own medicine. Roger Greenaway roger@reviewing.co.uk (for competition entries and any other business) http://reviewing.co.uk PS If you like this issue, please tell others. If you can suggest improvements please tell me. If you tweet, you can now follow @roger_review on Twitter |
~ 2
~ ARTICLE: REVIEWING WITH CARDS: 8 METHODSREVIEWING WITH CARDS: 8 METHODSBy Roger Greenaway, Reviewing Skills Training CARDS provide endless possibilities as a reviewing aid. Index cards (slightly larger than playing cards) are ideal for most purposes: - they are cheap, handy and portable compared to other visual aids - they can be written on without needing a hard resting surface - they can be readily sorted and arranged in sequences and patterns - they can be shuffled, dealt and used in the style of card games CHAT CARDS: LISTENING TO AND REPRESENTING OTHERS * The group and/or the facilitator generate review questions relating to the previous activity. These are written out, one per card, with the number of cards corresponding to the number of pairs. * The cards are shuffled and dealt out (one card per pair). * Pairs discuss the question on the card, for a fixed time (say 2 minutes), then pass the card on. * Follow up with a group discussion on each question, starting each discussion with the rule: "You may only contribute by representing the views of your partner". * If you warn participants in advance about this rule, you will achieve a higher quality of listening in pairs and a higher quality of contribution in the whole group setting. CARD RACE: AGENDA RAISING AND PRIORITISING * Everyone has three cards on which to write review questions or review topics (in thick pen). * The cards are spread out face up on the floor / table. * Any individual can veto a topic by turning a card face down. * Cards with similar questions are placed on top of each other. * The remaining face-up cards (and piles) are lined up for a 'race'. * Each person moves their 'favourite' question forwards three spaces (a 'space' can be the height of a card), their second favourite two spaces, and their third favourite one space. The floor is a better surface unless you have a really big table. * The writer of the winning card initiates discussion on their topic. SCORE CARDS: MONITORING GROUP ACHIEVEMENTS Up to ten cards representing 'group goals' are pinned in a row along the foot of a noticeboard. Imagine a vertical column above each card. When a card reaches the top of its column, the goal is achieved. At a suitable point during each review, a group member (a different person each time) is asked to move the cards up or down to show the extent to which they think each 'goal' was achieved. If the scoring is challenged, it is discussed until group consensus is reached. (Alternatively use two cards to mark highest and lowest scores on each dimension.) When this exercise is first introduced, goals might be about keeping to ground rules; achieving programme objectives; or developing group skills such as listening, decision-making and teamwork. New goals can be introduced at any stage: these are likely to be more specific, reflecting recurring issues or relating to new tasks or new aspirations.. JOGGER CARDS [aka GOAL KEEPERS]: ACTION POINT REMINDERS * From previous reviews, each individual should have at least one personal 'Action Point' relating to their behaviour during activities, such as: 'I should speak up more', 'listen more', 'not give up easily'. * Up to three action points per person are recorded on 'jogger' cards (as in 'memory jogger') and given to an 'observer' for the next activity. The more cards there are, the more observers will be needed. * During the next activity, observers look out for individuals who do not appear to be implementing their action points, and unobtrusively show them the appropriate card together with a thumbs down signal. If observers notice people working on (or succeeding with) their action points, they should show the appropriate card together with a thumbs up sign. * Any disputes about this feedback are postponed until the review. CREDIT CARDS: AN APPRAISAL EXERCISE Each card has a short phrase such as: you tried hardest; you surprised me most; you laughed the most; you were the most predictable; you helped me most; you cared most about others etc. Also known as 'COMPUTER CARDS', this popular appraisal exercise, in which people pass each other cards with ready-made messages on them, is very unpopular with individuals who receive a pile of negative cards. (There are better and more sensitive ways of providing critical feedback.) Even if played with cards with only positive messages, those who receive no cards at all do not feel very positive! This feedback method is more concise and valuable if the cards refer to specific events during the activity being reviewed. So be prepared to include some last minute additions to tailor this technique to what actually happened. SIMULTANEOUS SURVEY: AS AN APPRAISAL EXERCISE Everyone stands in a circle with a blank card and a pen. Ask everyone to collect five positive feedback statements about the person on their left. People record five different key words or phrases (from at least five people) as they carry out their survey. Because people will finish this exercise at different times it helps to have background music loud enough to maintain some privacy for the last conversations in the survey stage. You can keep the music playing while people pass on the feedback to the person who was on their left, and then present them with their card as a souvenir. Depending on the group and your purpose you may want to give everyone a second card on which to turn their survey findings into art work or at least making the words colourful, bold and attractive. And you may also want to make the presentation of the cards a performance in front of the whole group. BRIEF ENCOUNTERS: SHARING POSITIVE EXPERIENCES The purpose is to get to know others while learning about their experiences of success. The briefing is on the cards that you give out. One side of each card has the standard briefing. The other side has two unique questions about success (or any topic you want to focus on). This is an excellent way to start an event where people are arriving at different times, but it can be introduced at any point. My own collection of questions brings out people's strengths and their humour and focuses attention on the theme of the day (which in this case is 'success'). Everything you want from an icebreaker! Briefing: 1. Find a partner and stay on your feet. 2. Ask one of the questions on the back of this card.* 3. Answer each other's question in < 1 minute. 4. Swap cards and find a new partner. * Be kind: adapt or change your question if your partner is struggling to answer it. You can copy and print out the success questions at: http://reviewing.co.uk/success/icebreaker.htm where you can also read about the experiences of trainers who have used this exercise. If you use it (or have used it) and have some comments to add, please do so! PLAYING CARDS: FOR UNFACILITATED SMALL GROUP REVIEWS You need these five cards: Ace of Diamonds (or any diamond) = Facts Two of Hearts (or any heart) = Feelings Three of Spades (or any spade) = Findings Four of Clubs (or any club) = Futures The Joker (wild card) = Anything The group arrange the cards in the above order with the Ace of diamonds (or any diamond) on top of the stack of 5 cards. While the diamond is showing everyone says something about what happened during the event being reviewed.. When ready to move on, the diamond goes to the bottom of the stack, leaving the heart card on view. While the heart is showing everyone says something about what they experienced or felt during the event being reviewed. When ready to move on the heart goes to the bottom of the stack revealing the spade card - for digging a bit deeper. This is the cue for everyone to provide explanations about why things happened as they did or why people felt as they did. At this stage the group are exploring hows and whys which should lead to new 'findings'. When ready to move on the spade goes to the bottom of the stack revealing the club card, which leads into a future-focused discussion that is connected to any statements arising from the previous three cards. When ready to move on the Joker comes into view, which is the signal for a free-for-all. This is not an invitation for chaos or rudeness: it is an invitation for free-flowing discussion arising from the review so far. The only 'rule' at this stage is that the cards should now 'follow' the conversation. For example, it people are expressing feelings, the heart should be on view, if people are sharing future hopes, dreams, or intentions, the club should be on view. For more information see: http://reviewing.co.uk/learning-cycle/index.htm REVIEWING WITH CARDS Four of the above activities just require blank cards, two require cards with ready made questions or statements, two require a pack of playing cards. Whether you regard this as resource-lite or resource-intensive depends on where you are coming from in your reviewing practice. Wherever you are coming from, I hope at least one of these ideas will help you extend your practice as a facilitator of reviewing. Roger Greenaway roger@reviewing.co.uk PS added since initial publication: SORRY CARDS Cards to help (young) people say sorry produced by Totem Development. Partly inspired by the Elton John Lyric “Always seems to me, that ‘Sorry’ seems to be the hardest word….” -Elton John and Bernie Taupin http://t.co/IR0tNwfT |
| ~ 3 ~ RESOURCE:
DIALOOGLE - PICTURE CARDS: A picture is worth a thousand words. With Dialoogle you can kick- start, renew, diversify and qualify communication in dialogues and group conversations. 'Dialoogling' makes use of a series of picture cards created to stimulate associations, inspire creativity, and to help people formulate feelings, perceptions and ideas. 'Dialoogling' makes conversations flow more freely, enhancing the value and outcome for all participants. Dialoogle is an ideal tool for teachers and psychologists, business leaders and coaches, HR and management consultants - for anybody striving to improve the quality of a conversations in any context. See for yourself at: http://shop.dialoogle.com/picture-cards.html |
| ~ 4 ~ ACTIVE LEARNING BOOKSHOP: TOON CARDS Chris Terrell's pack of Toon Cards is a set of cards in which each card has a cartoon and a caption. They are designed for personal development work with young people, and Chris describes many ways in which you can use them. You will find a review at Amazon. Look for Toon Cards here: http://reviewing.co.uk/reviews/new.htm Do ALL your Amazon shopping (not just books) via <http://reviewing.co.uk/reviews> and not only do YOU get a good deal, so do CHILDREN around the world who need our help. I worked for Save the Children for 4 years so I know about the value and quality of the work they do. Please support them by buying your books (and any other Amazon goods) via ROGER'S ACTIVE LEARNING BOOKSHOP |
| ~ 5
~ ARCHIVE: REVIEWING WITH PICTURES Creative reviewing with pictures: visual debriefing methods for reflecting on experience http://reviewing.co.uk/pictures/intro.htm |
| ~ 6 ~ FACILITATION TRAINING 2012 [VARIOUS
PROVIDERS] If you are a provider of facilitation training, please send me the details if you would like the details included in future issues of Active Reviewing Tips. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 15th April 2012 Environmental Learning Cards Betws-y-coed, North Wales Nature's Work http://www.natureswork.co.uk 16th April - 15th June 2012 Ecopsychology Distance Learning Programme people who would like to explore ecopsychology in a structured and supported way, but who don’t have the time or resources to attend a residential course or engage with longer, formal study. http://www.ecoself.net 17th April 2012 Facilitating Experiential Learning in the Outdoors Swansea IOL Wales/Cymru (IOL members free) http://www.outdoor-learning.org/Default.aspx?tabid=126&EventId= 811 24th April 2012 101 experiential techniques for counselors and therapists Michael Gass, New Hampshire USA The workshop: http://www.aee.org/conferences/workshops-2012gass Or save the air fare and buy the book for around £20 @ http://reviewing.co.uk/reviews/outdoor-education.htm#therapy 25-28 April 2012 2012 World Appreciative Inquiry Conference Towards a new economy of strengths - scaling-up the generative power of AI Ghent, Belgium http://www.2012waic.org 26-27th April 2012 Experiential Learning Congress Paris organised by The Academy of Business in Society 26-29th April 2012 16th EEEurope Conference Greece This annual conference provides a unique meeting place for experiential educators, trainers, therapists, teachers and others who are interested in sharing, discussing and challenging their knowledge, methods and techniques. http://www.eeeurope.org 30th April 2012 METALOG® training tools Workshop Manchester METALOG® training tools are multifaceted interaction activities and learning projects for indoor and outdoor use http://www.metalogtools.co.uk/en_gb/workshops/ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ DISCLAIMER: READER BEWARE I do not guarantee anything about the quality (or even the existence of!) events advertised in this message. You are advised to make your own judgements about quality and authenticity of any events listed above. For the full Experiential-CPD Calendar see: http://reviewing.co.uk/outdoor/notices.htm ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ REVIEWING SKILLS TRAINING WORKSHOPS If you would like to host an open event or arrange for an in- house customised trainer-training programme please get in touch. Write to: <roger@reviewing.co.uk> Or view the sample training workshops at http://reviewing.co.uk/trainingworkshops.htm My travels in 2012 will take me to these countries. If you wish to host a reviewing skills workshop in one of these countries in the month's shown, you may be in luck! Please get in touch. May: Switzerland May: Romania June: Copenhagen July: Malaysia July: Hong Kong Sept: USA Nov: Sweden Write to: <roger@reviewing.co.uk> |
| ~ 7 ~ LINKS:
Big Screen Magic and Lights Camera Action Sam Moore's 'Big Screen Magic' is full of useful tips for making and using a slide-show as a reflection tool. Sam writes: "A slide-show of pictures from a group’s adventures is a beautiful way of rounding off a programme and with modern technology it is easier than it has ever been. If we embrace reflection as a key part of experiential learning, and believe that an image is worth a thousand words, we can help the participants relive the emotions of a programme and reinforce the learning that they bring." The tips are in 5 sections: * Capturing Images * Telling the Story * Engaging the Ears as well as the Eyes * Let It Play * Useful Music to Accompany your Slideshow And on the question of whose story it is, Sam advises: "As tempting as it may be to add captions, funny or otherwise, remember that you are helping the participants reflect on their story not telling your version of it." Hear, hear! http://www.totemdevelopment.co.uk/blog/2012/02/big-screen-magic/ 'Lights Camera Action: How to use video for learning' is a real eye-opener to the many ways in which video of all kinds can be used to enhance training and learning - whether using camera phones, webcams or a video camcorder (such as Flip). Have you thought of using video before, during and after a programme? David Gibson describes ways in which video can be used to help set up a programme in advance, to enhance the learning process during the programme and to improve follow-up and transfer. Throughout the article you will find ideas for both synchronous (real-time) video and for asynchronous (recorded) video. Although I am a fan of Action Replay (without a real camera), I can also see myself becoming a fan of exploiting the amazing opportunities for using video to enhance all kinds of training. I have rarely been impressed by training videos because there are usually much more interactive and dynamic ways of spending precious training time. But with the kinds of ideas presented in Lights Camera Action, video can become a highly participative learning tool - whether learners are in front of the camera or behind it. http://www.eureka-tp.com/dgibson/articles/item/lightscameraaction [The above link is no longer active but take a look at http://www.eureka-tp.com anyway - it's a great resource and you may even find this one in a new location.] |
| ~ 8 ~ LAST ISSUE AND FUTURE ISSUES LAST ISSUE Designing Review Sessions: 10 Tips http://digbig.com/5bffrj FUTURE ISSUES Topics under considerations for future issues: * Reviewing as a takeaway skill for participants * Evaluating Active Reviewing: how well does it work? * Reviewing for different outcomes (using the same activities) * Reviewing for teachers and lecturers * Reviewing for consultants * Reviewing one-to-one * End of programme reviews * Co-facilitating reviews * The art of improvising * Remote Reviewing * Readers' Questions about Reviewing * Sample designs for learning and development * Integrated practice in experiential learning (when does an activity become a review? when does a review become an activity? examples of integrated practice - and do these challenge or demonstrate experiential learning theory?) Please let me know what you would like to see in a future issue of Active Reviewing Tips - whether from the above list or on another reviewing topic that matters to you. If you like this issue, please tell others. If you want to suggest improvements please tell me: roger@reviewing.co.uk |
| ~ 9 ~ About Active Reviewing Tips EDITOR: Dr. Roger Greenaway, Reviewing Skills Training 9 Drummond Place Lane STIRLING Scotland UK FK8 2JF Feedback, recommendations, questions: roger@reviewing.co.uk ARCHIVES: <http://reviewing.co.uk/ezine1/art001.htm> The Guide to Active Reviewing is at <a href="http://reviewing.co.uk/">http://reviewing.co.uk</a> FROM GUESTBOOK: "I like the way you look at everything and then return to what is simple, effective and memorable." COPYRIGHT: Roger Greenaway 2012 Reviewing Skills Training |
Each month Active Reviewing Tips brings you:
|
ARCHIVES CONTENTS of this issue
HOME |
 HELP |