The term ground rules was originally used to describe the rules of baseball that teams agreed to use in a particular venue, or grounds. Im uncomfortable with the imprecision of your questions. Accessible to students from high school through graduate school, Is Everyone Really Equal? Make the discussion functional by clarifying the goals of each session to the group. That may lead to a goal ultimatelybut it may not. The more tangible ideas are, the easier it is to discuss them. Lets look at these, as well as some dos and donts for discussion group leaders. Re-visiting past contributions and incorporating them into subsequent discussions. Effective facilitation of a discussion involves the recognition and employment of different perspectives and different skills to create an inclusive environment. Encouraging participation can be accomplished by: adapted from: Center for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning Handbook, accessed July 2008. Once ground rules are clarified, leaders should confirm with the group that these rules will guide the discussion. Allow participants to introduce themselves you can even set up an ice breaker to have pairs of students introduce each other. 40 Form-Time Discussion Starters. It helps greatly if the leader comes to the task with a democratic or, especially, a collaborative style, and with an understanding of how a group functions. Dont ask people to do something, and then ignore it. Ground rules help a group start and maintain a productive discussion. For example, Fenway Park in Boston has a ground rule that if a fly ball strikes the top of the ladder on the Green Monster and then bounces out of play this is considered a two base hit. Then ask if anyone has something to add to the list. Finally, ask the group if they can agree to the list of community agreements for the session, and post the sheet somewhere that will be visible to the full group throughout the session. A way to approach the dominant participant and pull in non-participants is to redirect the discussion to another person or another topic. Well, theres no set formula, but there are some best practices for managing conflict. RESPECT another person's right to have opinions and thoughts . You have some choices about how you do that, however. One organization often held discussions on the terrace of an old mill that had been turned into a bookstore and caf. Be willing to share information. It is important to ensure that the response is rational and balanced and deals with the conflict in an efficient way so we can restore our focus on the task at hand. Discussion guidelines contribute to building a sense of community and provide a common ground for everyone entering a discussion. University Library701 Morrill Rd Your transparency will encourage others. Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI), Clarke University Tips for Managing Conflict, UC Berkeley Resolving Conflict Situations, Group Dynamics for Teams by Daniel Levi, Chapter 7: Managing Conflict, TeacherVision: Conflict Resolution Activities, Conflict Resolution Activities: Effective Ideas for Classrooms, KidsHealth in the Classroom: Conflict Resolution, Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Activities, The Big Book of Conflict Resolution Games: Quick, Effective Activities to Improve Communication, Trust, and Collaboration, Conflict Management Exercises and Activities to Use With Your Team, Sesame Street: Helping Kids Resolve Conflicts, Conflict Resolution: Using the Interest-Based Relational Approach. A group of parents meets to wrestle with their feeling that their school district is shortchanging its students. Report Glitches: Discussion forums are electronic. hold people back if they are dominating the conversation. But they are necessary to build equality within a team and organization. Silence can be an indication of thought and process. Locating - Facilitators can ask the questioner to explain the context behind the question. "Let go of personal anecdotal evidence and look at broader societal patterns. Become familiar with the purpose and content of the discussion. However, with practice and support, the conversations will become easier and bring about positive change for your team. Sometimes we are tempted to begin formulating what we want to say in response, instead of giving 100 percent of our focus to the speaker. Encourage people to consider their comments seriously, and to avoid becoming defensive if someone disagrees. They include setting, or helping the group to set the discussion topic; fostering the open process; involving all participants; asking questions or offering ideas to advance the discussion; summarizing or clarifying important points, arguments, and ideas; and wrapping up the session. If you are unsure of their meaning, ask for clarification. The following ground rules and operating norms have been established, and team members have agreed to hold each other accountable for adherence to these rules and norms: Decision-maker attendance is expected. (2001). Asking follow-up questions, and paraphrasing the comments for everyone to ponder. Respect for Group Members - Be quick to listen and slow to speak. Identify missing data. In order to do so, it is important to consider the features of effective discussions, and conditions that promote small group interaction and engagement. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Hold public hearings on proposed laws or regulations, development, etc. A good facilitator helps the group set rules for itself, makes sure that everyone participates and that no one dominates, encourages the development and expression of all ideas, including odd ones, and safeguards an open process, where there are no foregone conclusions and everyones ideas are respected. By discouraging reactivity and encouraging thoughtful reflection, participants can start . ask clarifying questions when you need someone to elaborate. Feedback could be positive, negative, or merely clarifying or correcting factual questions or errors, but is in all cases delivered respectfully. Openness - Be at ease. Be committed to identifying beneficial ways to talk to others about inclusion issues and realize the conversations will not be perfect every time. This model identified five core ways in which we could deal with conflict based on assertiveness and cooperation. 1994-2023The University of Kansas. Remind everyone to be aware of time, and to make their points succinctly so everyone has the chance to share. These guidelines, often referred to as "ground rules" or "community norms . When the group numbers eight or more, a leader or facilitator, whether formal or informal, is almost always helpful in ensuring an effective discussion. Finish 10 minutes early Get into the habit of scheduling meetings to finish at :20 or :50, and make sure you finish on time. at any time to indicate that it is time to move on to the next topic. "Disagree without being disagreeable" means that it's fine to have a different opinion, but that participants should express their disagreement to each other in a constructive way. Group Facilitation and Problem-Solving, Section 2. Research & Active listening - Facilitators can paraphrase the message they heard and check out the accuracy of their assumptions before responding. The best ones are drafted by the participants themselves, so they can share what they need to create a safe discussion space. Everyone gets a turn. Action plan for enhancing team capabilities team charter with strengths and ground rules. Respected community members. Respect: We do not advise, analyze or "fix" others. 5. 10. Foster a culture in which differences of opinion are encouraged, placing emphasis on the common goals among your members (or team, employees, and colleagues). Leading an effective group discussion takes preparation (if you have the opportunity for it), an understanding of and commitment to an open process, and a willingness to let go of your ego and biases. Handelsman, J., Miller, S., & Pfund, C. (2006) Scientific Teaching: Diversity, Assessment, Active Learning (New York: W.H. Discussion is a powerful mechanism for active learning; a well-facilitated discussion allows the participant to explore new ideas while recognizing and valuing the contributions of others. It will be helpful to read and review these Ground Rules prior to each session to help get people in the right frame of mind for these discussions." (1) We will modify these as a group to meet DEI needs. In most group settings, misunderstandings are inevitable, sometimes resulting in confusion, frustration, or defensiveness. In this last section of a chapter on group facilitation, well examine what it takes to lead a discussion group well, and how you can go about doing it. (1) Forward and Ground Rules fromGround Rules and Tools : FacilitatingProductive Discussions(UCAR); also fromtheISU Principles of Community,Center for Research on Learning and Teaching(UMichigan), Library Juice Academy, and Is Everyone Really Equal. Step up, step back: If you usually speak up often or you find yourself talking more than others, challenge yourself to lean in to listening and opening up space for others. This can have a negative impact on the meeting. Bring materials to help the discussion along. Asking the contributor for further clarification and/or elaboration. HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTED TIPS AND GROUND RULES: 4 IDENTITY AND PLACE. Establishing this as a ground rule highlights that participants can suggest on their own when to place something on the parking lot in order to keep the meeting on track and on time. Discussion Group Role Cards. Use (or allow others to use) disrespectful language or tone, or disrespectful non-verbal communication. This may encourage participation by reducing participants fear of answering incorrectly. Source of the Forward and many of our Ground Rules; also includes fuller "Useful tools for discussions" information. Reframing - The focus can be on clarifying the assumptions behind the persons argument and then inviting her or him to see alternative possibilities. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Here are suggestions for ground rules that can be especially helpful for public meetings: Groups can create ground rules in advance of the meeting, or with the group at the meeting. Empower your team by reminding them that they have permission to: ask . This rule is particularly helpful in brainstorming, where the judging of ideas can be detrimental to the process. Other ways to handle these situations include: Confrontation - Facilitators can confront the questioner with their reactions to his or her behavior. Surgical Neurology, 47:400-403. Well begin by looking at what you might consider if you have time to prepare. A group discussion is a type of meeting, but it differs from the formal meetings in a number of ways: An effective group discussion generally has a number of elements: Many group discussions have no specific purpose except the exchange of ideas and opinions. , leaders should confirm with the group strengths and ground rules: 4 IDENTITY and PLACE that. 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