Version User Scope of changes
Jan 2 2009, 3:13 AM EST (current) mikicesari 417 words added
Jan 2 2009, 3:08 AM EST mikicesari

Changes

Key:  Additions   Deletions
Purpose:
  • To explore participants’ ideas on the topic of the presentation before the content is introduced;
  • To introduce new content through dialogue.
Time: 20 minutes, depending on the content being processed.
Participants: At least 5-6 participants. It can be difficult with over 25-30 participants.

Materials:
  • Flip chart papers;
  • Markers;
  • A list of key questions prepared in advance by the facilitator.

Process:		I) Before the workshop, read and familiarize with the content you would like to introduce. Break down the content into two or more parts if necessary, for introduction at different times during the workshop.

II) Prepare a list of key questions on the content. If you have divided the content into parts, prepare a list of questions on each part. These questions should help exploring participants’ ideas and beliefs on the content you would like to introduce. There are no rights or wrongs; your questions shouldn’t check “if participants know the topic” but foster exploration. Open questions are advisable.

III) During the workshop, announce that you are going to facilitate a discussion on a specific topic by asking questions. Write the title of the topic on the flip chart.

IV) Start asking questions and facilitate the discussion. Whenever you find it useful, introduce pieces of content as you have studied it. Try to do this in a dialogical way, possibly avoiding lecturing participants. Let your ideas be discussed by participants.

Example: You would like to introduce Gene Sharp’s “theory of power and consent” during a workshop on nonviolence. You study the paper “The Role of Power in Nonviolent Struggle (available at <www.aeinstein.org/organizations/org/TheRoleofPowerinNonviolentStruggle-English.pdf>). You think that introducing all the concepts and theories here exposed at once would be too much, thus you decide to distribute this content across two days and four separate moments during the workshop. You divide this content into four parts. The first part is the paragraph “Dependent Rulers” (pp. 3-5). You prepare these questions:

  • Where does the power of rulers come from?
  • What are the sources of power?
  • What does authority has to do with power?
  • What are the psychological and ideological factors that generate obedience of the population?
  • How important are sanctions to maintain political power?
  • To what extent the power of rulers is dependant on the obedience and cooperation of the governed?
  • What happens when the governed withdraw consent and cooperation?

You lead the discussion with these questions and introduce bits of content from Sharp’s paper when appropriate. You follow the same procedure for the other parts of content.