Waving from Seattle

Waving from Seattle

by Nancy White -
Number of replies: 10

Hiya, I'm a long time LS practitioner based in Seattle and know a bunch of y'all from the educational context I've been so happy to dip into up in BC over the years. 

  • What big question do you have about Liberating Structures as we begin our time together?

I'm currently working on two fronts in terms of big questions. One is on the cultural/contextual issues - how we consider them in our application and/or adaptation of LS. I have SO MUCH to learn. 

The second is on the application of strings of LS to strategic planning on complex contexts - not quite an edu question but of course we all work in complex settings?

An ongoing question is shared with many here, and that is the online use of LS. This will be my first experience of using LS online asynchronously!!!! WOO HOO!

  • What do you hope to get from and give this group this week?
Get? Learn from everyone's perspectives. 

Give? Whatever any one might need that I can offer. As a long time practitioner, I'm available!


(Edited by Beth Cougler Blom - original submission Monday, 3 June 2019, 10:09 AM - to replace the image with a smaller file)

Attachment emergepart2.jpg
In reply to Nancy White

Re: Waving from Seattle

by Bettina Boyle -
This graphic really captured me, Nancy! I couldn't see the whole thing so copied it into a Word doc to take a closer look. Is there a story behind it's creation?
I am also noting your choice of the word strings or stringing. Haven't really seen this before and it makes me wonder...is it weaving, is it connecting parts, or something more?
In reply to Bettina Boyle

Re: Waving from Seattle

by Bettina Boyle -

I'm reading more of the LS links now and seeing strings and stringing different LS's together come up several times (resisted the temptation to edit my previous post). And it still makes me curious :-)

In reply to Bettina Boyle

Re: Waving from Seattle

by Nancy White -

Haha, that image didn't load so well, eh? It is from a 3 part online workshop on LS I ran for educators in higher ed in Africa last year. IT was FUN! (I wrote a little bit about it here: https://fullcirc.com/2018/09/14/building-an-online-liberating-structures-practice-90-minutes-at-a-time/)  

The recordings may still be live? The presentation is...

Now, about STRINGS. One of the super powers of LS are that they are useful by themselves AND become even more powerful when used in a sequence, which we call "strings." Think of beads on a string, which one starts the sequence, which beads 'look good' together, etc. So in the article I first linked above, I shared the string I used for the e/Merge Africa online workshops. Take a look then see if it does/does'nt make sense and we can "talk" some more about it. 

The task we have been assigned this week is to design a use of LS in a current gathering we are hosting. We have the option of using 1 LS, or 2 or more -- A STRING!!! I love stringing. 

(Edited by Beth Cougler Blom - original submission Monday, 3 June 2019, 4:40 PM - to link up your link to your blog post)

In reply to Nancy White

Re: Waving from Seattle

by Meg Walker -

Looking at asynchronous ways to apply / implement / transform real-time connections = the main reason I'm taking this course. I like how you phrased your question, Nancy - all that excitement!


In reply to Meg Walker

Re: Waving from Seattle

by Nancy White -

Meg, it is super interesting to experiment asynchronously. I think the LS Principles will hold very well. I'm trying to suss out how the microstructures work asynchronously. Particularly how space is arranged and time is sequenced, because online, asynchronously we are pretty constrained by the design of the technology platform. This is a fabulous chance to experiment. 

In reply to Nancy White

Re: Waving from Seattle

by Meg Walker -

The part about arranging space in a virtual enviro is really interesting. Do we ask students/ participants to arrange themselves physically in a particular way? That's what comes to mind for me.

In that vein, one factor is that internet and data-package access in the north are even more expensive than in the rest of Canada, and there are many areas without service. So I would love to set up a few activities where participants go to a specific location (e.g. pick a favourite spot outdoors) but I'm aware not everyone has wireless access or cell phones. 

I suppose it could simply be a choice of favourite outdoor OR indoor location, but that seems less structured. Would be interested in ideas around asynchronous space-structuring thoughts from you and others. 

In reply to Meg Walker

Re: Waving from Seattle

by Beth Cougler Blom -

One of the things that comes to mind about arranging virtual space is using imagery to reflect the arrangement of space that we would use if we were meeting in person. So this screenshot of two slides that Sylvia Riessner and I used a couple of years ago when we facilitated LS synchronously online (in Collaborate Ultra) came in handy when we had a debrief using User Experience Fishbowl.


And our combined Vancouver and Victoria LS User Groups met only in Collaborate Ultra recently and facilitated/participated in a Troika Consulting using breakout rooms.

Some ideas to get you thinking...what have others done?

In reply to Nancy White

Re: Waving from Seattle

by Leva Lee -

Hello Nancy!  A tip of our hats to you my friend for bring Liberating Structures to us in 2013 when you keynoted at ETUG. Here's the link by the way!

https://video.bccampus.ca/media/ETUG+Spring+2013+Workshop+Keynote+-+Nancy+White/0_xcp48u3o