Objective:
- The learner will be able to assess limited information, within a short timescale, and make a judgement
- Gaining the right information through effective interpersonal skills, under time pressure
Overview
This quick and immediate task works well as at the start of a topic or programme as it can be an effective icebreaker. However it can be used at the end of a programme of study or to close practical learning to gauge levels of confidence in the learning and pull out key points.
All you need is a corridor or open space in your teaching room so that you can encourage all your learners into a line. However this task can be noisy (lots of discussion) so you may need to accommodate other learners within your building/learning space; but it is also possible to do this outside in an open space!
Activity
This simple activity requires the learners to move physically and place themselves into a line. Your role as tutor is to declare a challenge or task – or introduce the topic (or restate if revision) and then ask the students to put themselves in a line, based on their understanding of the topic/challenge. Present yourself as the “head of the queue” as the expert and invite them to line up.
They will have to navigate their understanding of the challenge or negotiate with each other as to who has displayed better skills or knowledge in the past or during the programme, or who has more experience or understanding of the project or topic.
Typically they will bunch at the back, far away from you but given time and the instruction that you need a line in front of you, they will reorder into a line.
You can invite them to talk to those next to them to ensure that they are in the right order and move up or down as appropriate.
Give this quick task time to play out, as the discussion between participants needs to deepen, particularly if you are using this as an icebreaker. However it can also work as a confidence boost when used as a revision tool as students encourage each other to move up and recall their successes and prowess during the programme of study.
Once the group has settled, as them the following:
- Are you in the right place? And why?
- Can you see anyone that you would move up the line? And why?
- What do you need to do to improve your position (improve marks; improve class interaction; support team work more etc)
- Who would you want to work with going forward?
- What questions did you ask to secure your position? – what else could you have asked?
- What are you judging success/achievement on? (to create the line)
- What other factors do you need to consider?
- What would you do next time?
You can ask (some of) these questions and then allow them to talk to those next to them before taking full group feedback or you can seek responses from them as they stand before you. It is also possible to ask a different question of each of them and ensure that everyone in the group has spoken in this task.
Ensure that you reflect with the group on their decision making related to subject knowledge/expertise/practical experience but also see if internal personal skills or sharing knowledge (communication) improves your ‘ranking’ in this way. End this quick session by releasing them back to their seats but also reminding them that all they have displayed in their ranking is their confidence rather than actual ability and therefore they are now able to create their “real” score or position through their own practice/effort.
Skill Development:
Whilst the students have a short amount of time to find out what they need to know from each other, they have to use their interpersonal skills to ask the right questions. Some will be use a factual basis (previous scores obtained or exam results) others will judge on wider experience and knowledge. Itis important to reflect with the full group what they used to make these judgments and whether they could have taken other elements into account. Explore the important of communication and knowledge in achieving goals and encourage the students to consider their own action plan at the end. It is possible to determine a skill “take-away” or challenge to improve their “ranking” and this will deepen their understanding of skills in relation to knowledge.
Resources:
None
References:
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