As we reviewed the assessments coming in after the pilot of a newly developed training course, two words stood out: breakout rooms. Half of our team expected the feedback on these virtual discussion groups to be negative, the other wondered why almost every participant wrote about them in their responses. We poured over the data […]
“Remember that your authority over other human beings is an artificial construct.” [1] I’ve been asking people about their core values and characteristics when they are at their best for over 20 years. I was introduced to this practice through the field of restorative justice. I witnessed mentors help groups identify their core values in […]
Breakout groups – where small groups talk within the larger group – can help all learners participate more fully, engage with each other and connect to the content in a deeper way. In a virtual setting, breakout rooms help learners get that in-person feel, and can be used effectively to enable personal meaning-making. When to […]
In her recent book The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker impels us to prepare well for our gatherings. She reminds us to probe with questions such as: Who is this event for? What do they most want to get from it? Whether preparing for an executive leadership retreat, a 90th birthday party, or a virtual […]
Adults learn best when respect, safety, inclusion, relevance, immediacy and engagement are all present within the learning experience. A distillation of years of educational research, these six core principles are the building blocks of Dialogue Education™. Effective questions, so key to dialogue and learning, are designed with these same core principles in mind. RESPECT: Adults […]
Using the right technique at the right time with the right people, can touch me at my core. When a technique helps to bring the best outcome for a working or learning session, I feel grateful. When I see a technique bring people together around feelings, thoughts, and experiences, I feel immense joy. Does this […]
Ever since Susan Cain’s Tedtalk and book Quiet: Being an Introvert in a World that Just Can’t Stop Talking, I have become more attentive to introverts in my meetings, learning events and other gatherings. I work to include solo time and diverse activities to ensure individuals feel valued and heard. While it is true that […]
Every teaching or meeting situation is unique and offers its own challenges. I work in rural Africa and have found the follow seven tools especially helpful for engaging community members. Use appreciative inquiry. In every community some things have worked well. It is therefore important for facilitators to appreciate and build on what is already […]
I took the Foundations of Dialogue Education course with Global Learning Partners (GLP) in October 2017. The most powerful take-away for me was to think about what the learners will be doing with the content rather than what I will be saying or presenting. Perhaps it is my love of theater and dramatic arts, […]
Numbers have a whole world of information beneath them. Making decisions on numbers alone can get you into trouble. At a recent meeting to evaluate and adapt the pilot of a six-week online course, my colleague Jeanette Romkema and I shared the numbers about level of completion and typical number of comments participants made each […]