Faith's LS Activity

Faith's LS Activity

by Faith Whiting -
Number of replies: 3

Background 

I chose to work with "User Experience Fishbowl" for this activity, as I felt it would fit within a course I will be instructing this fall on the topic of case management. The classroom composition will include both individuals who have experience using a case management system and others who have no idea what the term refers to. I liked the “user experience fishbowl” as it offers a place in the discussion for everyone. 

Invitation 

For those in the fishbowl (those who have experience with case management) 

I invite you to describe your experience with case management — What does it mean to you? What does it look like in your organization? What do you like about it? What do you dislike about it? I invite you to have an open and informal conversation with each other (as if the rest of us weren’t here and you were sharing stories around a campfire). Try to avoid presenting to the audience. 

For those outside of the fishbowl (who don't have experience with this concept, or are unsure) 

I invite you to listen, observe and formulate questions. 

Space/Setting

This activity will be conducted during a video-conferenced class, using zoom. It will be a part of a class early in the term, where the concept is being introduced.

Participants will need to be aware of who is in the fishbowl, and who is outside of it. Those in the fishbowl will be invited to engage in conversation for a designated amount of time (10-20 minutes). Those outside will be invited to listen (and keep their microphones turned off until the conversation has finished). 

Participation 

Participants will self-select whether they feel they’d like to be in the fishbowl or outside of it. Depending on the group, the fishbowl may also be stocked with guests from outside organizations using case management. 

Sequence and Time (total: 40 min - 1 hour)

  1. Explain the fishbowl configuration and steps. Introduce those in the fishbowl. 5 min. 
  2. Inner circle conversation goes on until it ends on its own or is encouraged to conclude by the facilitator. 10 to 20 min. 
  3. Those in the outer circle formulate observations and questions. 5 min. 
  4. Questions submitted to the inner circle are answered, and back-and-forth interaction between inner and outer circles goes on as needed until all the questions are answered. 10 to 20 min. 
  5. Debrief using W³ (What? So What? Now What?). 10 to 15 min..
  6. Connect discussion forum topic for the week to this experience.

In reply to Faith Whiting

Re: Faith's LS Activity

by Meg Walker -
The "User Fishbowl Experience" setup that you describe sounds like an excellent way to present information that is best expressed through anecdotes, conversation, and experience - rather than through theory or diagrams. Introduction to case management as a concept and practice certainly fits that description.

I love that participants can self-select whether to be in the fishbowl or outside of it. (I also really like that you took the metaphor further and talked about possibly "stocking" the bowl with ... external "fish" who have case management experience.)

The structure seems inviting and intriguing. Listening in silence and formulating questions is challenging, and the "payoff" for holding that space quietly is the chance to participate in the W³ at the end.

This fishbowl setup seems like will provide new information and set up a situation where participants naturally work through feeling a bit self-conscious the first time they do it, which is the underplay of so many work situations when people are training for, or entering, a new-to-them field. I like how your instructions note that it will probably feel tempting to "play to" the people outside the fishbowl - makes it easy to acknowledge & move on if you catch yourself doing it.

I wonder if the listener/questioners will want to talk more about the topic - I imagine they will. The fact that you plan to link the W³ to the week's forum discussion will allow space for that.

Thinking about structures this way is new to me and I am learning from thinking through your proposed idea, thanks Faith! If I have more ideas overnight - as an introvert, I often have thoughts that emerge later - I will add tomorrow.

In reply to Meg Walker

Re: Faith's LS Activity

by Rachelle McElroy -

Hello Faith,

I have put my comments in using Marginalia ;-)


In reply to Rachelle McElroy

Re: Faith's LS Activity

by Faith Whiting -

Thank-you Meg, Rachelle and Beth for your feedback. I found it all helpful! I'm always a bit curious/wary to try different ways of doing things (like LS) within an altered environment (they all seem so lovely as described in their face-to-face uses). I think this is partly due to my newness in teaching via distance (and my difficulty letting go of a face-to-face classroom). 

I can't wait for more information to come out around the uses of LS in synchronous and asynchronous distance environments. For the LS I presented, I couldn't help but wonder - will the technology interfere? In what ways? Will the hesitancy of turning a microphone on to speak change the dynamic of conversation in this activity? What if I have a "quiet" group of students (I find that encouraging students to speak in a distance environment can sometimes be more challenging).

I think the only way to explore these questions is to try things, respond to what happens and connect with other instructors trying things.. here we go!