Page History: Learning Path #5: Facilitating Peer Learning in Offline Settings
Compare Page Revisions
Page Revision: 2010/04/03 07:08
How do we best take advantage of peer learning when we are together face to face offline? Here are a few ideas of methods to facilitate peer learning.These are methods you could incorporate into a meeting (rather than simply doing presentations and panels.) They all focus on interaction between peers, rather than simply the broadcast of content. If you are looking to try to engage people more deeply at a meeting, consider one of these approaches. For an even larger list of ideas, see the "
methods" page on the "
KS Toolkit" - a wiki full of ideas about tools and methods for knowledge sharing. They all apply to peer learning! Much of the content on this page was based on pages from the Toolkit, which uses a
Creative Commons License making it easy for other people to use and reuse the material. (Yes, another peer learning opportunity!)
Open Space
Open Space (also known as Open Space Technology or OST) is a method for
convening groups around a specific question or task or importance and
giving them responsibility for creating both their own agenda and
experience. It is best used when at least a half to two full days are
available. The facilitator's key task is to identify the question that
brings people together, offer the simple process, then stand back and
let participants do the work. The process is admirably described in a
number of languages at
http://www.openspaceworld.org
.
When to use:
From
Openspaceworld.org (where you can also learn all the steps HOW to do Open Space!)"Open Space works best when the work do be done is complex, the people
and ideas involved are diverse, the passion for resolution (and
potential for conflict) are high, and the time to get it done was
yesterday. It's been called passion bounded by responsibility, the
energy of a good coffee break, intentional self-organization, spirit at
work, chaos and creativity, evolution in organization, and a simple,
powerful way to get people and organizations moving
when and where
it's needed most.
And, while Open Space is known for its apparent lack of structure and
welcoming of surprises, it turns out that the Open Space meeting or
organization is actually very structured but that structure is so
perfectly fit to the people and the work at hand, that it goes unnoticed
in its proper role of supporting (not blocking) best work. In fact, the
stories and work plans woven in Open Space are generally more complex,
more robust, more durable -- and can move a great deal faster than
expert- or management-driven designs."
- Problem solving - bringing stakeholders together to understand a problem and seek a shared solution.
- Strategic planning - Identifying goals and actions.
- Sharing and synthesizing knowledge - reflecting on what has been learned and understanding how it applies to work going forward.
- Community, team and network building - working together in small and large groups to help build relationships - secondary benefit.
More Information/References/Related Resources:
- The Open Space community at http://www.openspaceworld.org Open Space is an online community of OST practitioners, with subgroups in 20 languages and a world map with a facilitator list. You can access a whole range of Open Space materials such as stories, photos, quotes, and references. The Web site also contains a section with tools and tips for facilitators and gives information on the existing e-mail listserves for OST practitioners.
- OpenSpaceTech: http://www.globalchicago.net/wiki/wiki.cgi?OpenSpaceTech
Michael Herman Associates' most up-to-date offerings about how you can practice OpenSpaceTech in your organization. - An Interview by Farah Lenser with Harrison Owen, the originator of Open Space Technology: http://www.open-forum.de/Interview-Harrison-Owen.htm
- "Anatomy of an Open Space Event" - a series of photos illustrating Open Space, by Lisa Heft of Opening Space: http://www.openingspace.net/gallery/agora.cgi?cart_id=6584162.28703*...Event
- A paper describing the Open Space process, by Lisa Heft of Opening Space: http://www.openingspace.net/papers_facilitation_OSCollaborationCommunication.shtml
- Further papers and resources on Open Space, available on Lisa Heft's website: http://www.openingspace.net/openSpaceTechnology_method.shtml
- A glossary of Open Space terms and phrases, compiled by Lisa Heft of Opening Space. If you would like to add another language to this glossary to grow this resource, http://www.openingspace.net/glossary.php?all , contact Ms. Heft at [email protected]
- Photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/8764209@N07/sets/72157603238828824/ and http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=%22Open+Space+Technology%22&m=text
- A collection of videos on Open Space: http://www.openspaceworld.org/news/2009/04/08/collected-videos/
Peer Assists
Peer Assist brings together a group of peers to elicit feedback on a
problem, project, or activity, and draw lessons from the participants'
knowledge and experience.
History
When to use:
Peer Assists may be useful when:
- You are starting a new job, activity or project and you
want to benefit from the advice of more experienced
people. - You face a problem that another group has faced in the past.
- You had not to have to deal with a given situation for a long time.
- You are no longer sure what new procedures to follow.
- You are planning a project that is similar to a project another group has completed.
How to use:
Learning from your peers; someone has already done it:
- Communicate the purpose. Peer Assists work well when the purpose is clear and you communicate that purpose to participants.
- Share your Peer Assist plans with others. Consider whether others have already solved the problem; they may have similar needs.
- Identify a facilitator external to the team. The facilitator is responsible for managing the process so that meeting participants reach the desired outcome.
- Schedule a date for the Peer Assist. Ensure it is early enough to do something different with what you have learned.
- Invite potential participants who have the diversity of skills, competencies and experience needed for the Peer Assist. Avoid the usual suspects. Peer Assist works well with six to eight people; break up larger groups so everyone has the opportunity to voice experiences and ideas.
- Be clear on what you want out of the Peer Assist (usually options and insights) and plan the time to achieve them.
- Allow time to socialize in order to develop rapport.
- Spend time creating the right environment for sharing.
- Plan the event to allow a balance between telling and listening.
- Listen for understanding and for how you might improve your own activity.
- Consider others who might benefit from this knowledge, then share it with them.
- Commit to actions and keep the Peer Assist team updated.
Peer Assist Resources:
The World Cafe
===Speed Geeking===
Human Spectrogram
