Comments on: Unexpected Hurdles http://www.interactivityfoundation.org/education/unexpected-hurdles.html Engaging citizens in the exploration and development of possibilities for public policy. Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:51:23 +0000 hourly 1 By: Michael Gettings http://www.interactivityfoundation.org/education/unexpected-hurdles.html/comment-page-1#comment-19 Michael Gettings Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:14:57 +0000 #comment-19 Maria, I finally can get to answering your questions. First, my first-years don't freeze up when I approach them, which I don't do very often. For whatever reason, they continue whatever they are doing when I approach. Much of the time I have to interrupt them when I want to intervene, and this is even true of the facilitators. Second, I only have two groups of six each, and I just sit at a table in the middle of the room. I just switch directing my attention from one group to the other, writing notes down on a modified evaluation form as I go. By the end of a discussion, I have two evaluation forms filled out, one for each facilitator. I don't know if those answers help, but I did find that sitting still in the middle of the room really helped them open up and discuss things in the beginning. Maria,

I finally can get to answering your questions. First, my first-years don’t freeze up when I approach them, which I don’t do very often. For whatever reason, they continue whatever they are doing when I approach. Much of the time I have to interrupt them when I want to intervene, and this is even true of the facilitators. Second, I only have two groups of six each, and I just sit at a table in the middle of the room. I just switch directing my attention from one group to the other, writing notes down on a modified evaluation form as I go. By the end of a discussion, I have two evaluation forms filled out, one for each facilitator. I don’t know if those answers help, but I did find that sitting still in the middle of the room really helped them open up and discuss things in the beginning.

]]> By: villarm http://www.interactivityfoundation.org/education/unexpected-hurdles.html/comment-page-1#comment-18 villarm Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:09:28 +0000 #comment-18 Glad to hear of the "problems" you face, Michael, and of your efforts to improve the faciliation process. I haven't done much of the latter. This coming week I will try to meet with the facilitators briefly after class. When you say the quieter ones haven't faciliated that well, how do you know? Can you tell from your observations in class? Are you able to stand by while they continue discussing? My freshmen groups seem to paralyze -- stop action & look at me -- whenever I roam by. How do you manage this part? Glad to hear of the “problems” you face, Michael, and of your efforts to improve the faciliation process. I haven’t done much of the latter. This coming week I will try to meet with the facilitators briefly after class.
When you say the quieter ones haven’t faciliated that well, how do you know? Can you tell from your observations in class? Are you able to stand by while they continue discussing? My freshmen groups seem to paralyze — stop action & look at me — whenever I roam by. How do you manage this part?

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