Open Forum

- It encouraged me to innovate and get creative!

- I was looking forward to working on this and appreciated the supportive learning environment to 'fail forward together'!

- The framework and format for the invitation and establishing the purpose of my activity really helped to flush it out and have it come to life. 

What happened?

The time constraints really forced me to think fast, not overthink.

Universal and inclusive design are coming up a lot for me lately and I'm getting my head around how to use LS f2f and online and be inclusive. Some of the intro posts were good thought prompts.

The asynchronous environment changes the dynamic of a LS but I am encouraged to get creative and bend some things and play with them.

• I had to really let go and think differently about LS in asynch environment
• Amazed at level of engagement w/ peers! YAY!
• Wasn't quite sure about the =/- value of replies with marginalia. 
• Heard lots of people with similar challenges. (or should I say "read"!)
• Felt the tasks were appropriate sized
• Read posts from a lot of smart, experienced people

• Woke up in the middle of the night (I think it was between Mon and Tues) with the insight that the enforced 'structures' of LS (i.e. specific questions, group sizes, time limits, sequences) actually 'liberate' conversations that would otherwise be restricted by existing hegemonic 'microstructures' in most working/learning contexts that I've experienced
  
  
• Was hit with the realization (as I read through the LS activities themselves) that what we were doing was actually participating in LS activities online and asynchronously (seems obvious now, I know...)
  

• I experienced (and enjoyed) my first FLO-micro
• I saw first-hand how LS can be applied to the online, asynchronous environment
• I had rich online interactions with a group of people with varying levels of prior LS experience
• I wasn't able to find an LS that fit my original activity/goal of developing a self-situating activity :(
• I got a bit lost in the LS menu, but emerged with some exciting new ideas :)
• I developed initial plans for an LS-based activity that I think will add a lot to our team's Course Design Intensive workshop.

I

• I enjoyed playing with using an LS as a framework that contained other LS within it (Purpose to Practice as the framework)
• Witnessed the power of learning facilitation together, which I'll take back to the community of practice of network coordinators (many of whom don't identify as faciltators but who are all doing in their role.)
  
• I want to work on those one sentence invitations that clearly articulate the purpose.
  

I began to see so many possibilities for LS  - both at work and a volunteer role I have, but I found it a bit tricky at first to narrow it down to one situation I want to apply LS too. Once I had a clear goal in mind it was a bit easier.

• I appreciated participating in LS activities in an online asynchronous environment - it is possible!
• I was somewhat overwhelmed with the number of LS
• I explored a number of different LS both through the LS website & the activities proposed by my peers
• I created a LS activity and got helpful feedback 
• I read a lot of creative and thoughtful insights of other participants
• I felt supported and encouraged by my group!

• I experienced an online facilitated course over one week (one of my first like this). 
• I struggled to keep up with the daily check in/ work however I was impressed at the amount of participation as well as depth by others. 
• I got inspired by the interest of others in LS and seeing/reading how it is being applied in real situations (thank you!)
• I planned a session using LS for a meeting I have coming up. 

Thanks to everyone for sharing so openly! 

• What happened this week while you were exploring designing with LS? I found myself having to read the steps and activities many, many times whilst scratching my head. 
• What did you notice? By Thursday night, I finally had an Ah-ha moment where I started to truly understand WHAT Liberating Structures are and how to work through the Matchmaker document to pull out the right one or ones for any situtation, meeting, or session. 
• What facts or observations stood out to you? Time to process is helpful. 

What happened this week while you were exploring designing with LS?

• I've read about LS before and chose this course as a way to push trying it out to the top of my to-do list
• It took a while to choose which scenario to focus on, in the step before choosing an LS
• I was pleased to join in an online course that's larger than any I've taught, and to see dynamics in that kind of flow
• I wanted more time to research things, ha! Typical for me. And glad to take a compressed course so I couldn't hyper-research, but move right into the doing.

What did you notice?

• Some impatience with trying to figure out which LS to apply to my scenario, and then excitement as I figured out that several could be used (as expected on both counts)
• Renewed energy around wishing to keep the synchronous elements in the online courses I teach
• Thoughtful, engaged interactions with so many other leaders and learners

What facts or observations stood out to you?

• I read many of the other proposals/LS outlines in the other groups, and that reinforced for me how I learn by "seeing" things in action. I appreciate that the fora were set up so that we could see threads in groups other than our own.
• Also - that putting an LS together can be done quite quickly or more slowly, so it's good to know I can "grab" one with little prep time OR work one out in more detail, depending how much prep time I have.
• And on that note, realizing/seeing that some LS can be done very "lightly" to freshen up the energy in a group meeting/exchange.

Hello Beth, Leva and all,

What happened?  

I drafted an activity that I'll be able to use in an upcoming course once I've revised it with the very helpful feedback I received. 

Doing this helped me better understand the HSR structure I chose to work with and the feedback I received helped me clarify & integrate my facilitation intentions. 

I also developed a better understanding of LS overall by participating in the course activities and reflecting on co-participant perspectives and contributions. 

Some things I noticed 

I really enjoyed the meta-level of learning of how LS can be done online by participating it the various experiential activities during the week.  Am going to work on modelling this in my own courses. 

Also, appreciated that activities were so well chunked and sequenced that it felt manageable to actually get an activity drafted during a week where I had to be very Zen about time management. 

Thanks for a great learning experience! Donna

What happened this week for me? 

As I learn more about LS I find the structures fascinating ways of letting people share their thinking.

Being connected to other learners is helpful. And lucky for me, my team was quite a bit further down the path than me, so I was blessed.

My gmail exploded. Is that normal?