I too have also really enjoyed this discussion. I am chair of the SEDA
conference committee and I'm wondering whether someone might be
interested in running an open space technology session at the SEDA
November or Spring 08 conference?
Julie Hall
Head of Learning and Teaching Enhancement Unit
Roehampton University
London
-----Original Message-----
From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development
Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Heather Sears
Sent: 23 February 2007 21:49
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Delivery of Staff Development Session
I feel genuinely inspired by this afternoon's discussions and will be
ordering 'Open Space Technology: A User's Guide' on Monday morning
How can we encourage SEDA to help those who are interested find out more
about Open Space Technology and/or explore different facilitation
techniques??
Heather
Dr Heather Sears
Postgraduate Training and Development Officer Staff and Departmental
Development Unit Graduate Training and Support Centre
1.38 Parkinson Building
University of Leeds
Leeds LS2 9JT
0113 343 7479
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/sddu/
<https://outlook.leeds.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.leeds.
ac.uk/sddu/>
________________________________
From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development
Association on behalf of Macdonald, Ranald F
Sent: Fri 2/23/2007 3:39 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Delivery of Staff Development Session
Thanks for the interest. Firstly, I'd say that this is another technique
to add to our repertoire of approaches, not to be used at every chance
as participants can get as bored with this as anything. And there will
still be those who say "Just tell us what to do!" I'm sure we're all
used to resisting that temptation ...
Anyway:
A good place to start is:
http://ho-image.com/Brief%20User's%20Guide.htm
<http://ho-image.com/Brief%20User's%20Guide.htm>
or his book Open Space Technology: A User's Guide (easily available from
Amazon)
There are plenty of other sites and writers with suggested ways of
working, examples of its power, etc (just try Google) - mainly from the
US.
The four principles (which are more fully explained in the article) are:
* Whoever comes is the right people
* Whatever happens is the only thing that could have
* Whenever it starts is the right time
* When it's over, it's over
and the one 'law' is:
"The Law of two feet" - if you don't feel that you are contributing to a
group or getting anything more out of it, it's ok to walk away - not in
a negative way but as a positive response.
The four principles and the law were posted on the wall and participants
were reminded of them at the start of the second day.
The theme we worked with was:
How can we be more effective in leading and supporting change in LTA?
This was posted on a blank wall - you will need plenty of space.
We sat in an open circle (not behind tables - the circle is an important
symbol to Owen) with some sheets of paper and pens on the floor.
Participants came up as they wanted and wrote an idea on a piece of
paper, held it up and read it out. They then stuck it on the blank wall,
which gradually filled up with issues that they wanted to discuss.
When proposing issues to discuss it's important that people chose ones
that they are passionate about and are prepared to take responsibility
for and not just that they are vaguely interested in talking about,
though the others who chose that group may feel like that. People then
sign up for the topics they are interested in and there is a process of
negotiating times, perhaps combining topics and, in effect, putting the
timetable together for you. Over the 24 hours we had 4 timed sessions
with three groups in each, as well as before and after dinner, and
discussed 12 issues in some detail. Each group, without prompting from
me got a laptop and I produced a template for them to write up their
discussion and, perhaps mroe importantly, what action was going to be
taken, by whom and by when. (I might resist the temptation to do that in
future as it might constrain more imaginative approaches to presenting)
By the end of the retreat we had 12 pages of closely typed discussion
and actions! For once I didn't have to take lots of posters and postits
away and get them typed up!
There were two things going on at this event - social networking by a
group who knew each other to varying degrees and being very focused on a
theme which was of particular importance to them. Harrison Owen writes
of organising a 3-day conference for 250-300 people using this process.
No papers, pre-submited workshop topics, or keynotes (though you could
top and tail an event with something) - just a general theme which
intrigued that many people to turn up and work in a more democratic way.
Some of the people at one of my sessions commented that, even with quite
senior people there, there was no sense of hierarchy and everyone's
ideas were equal and valid, which was quite liberating for some.
But it won't work in every situation - read the literature to find out
when and why!
Hope this is helpful - though it's given away the technique which some
readers will be experiencing with me in a forthcoming event in New
Zealand!
Ranald
ps. at the first event I had just got back from Hong Kong and, as well
as still feeling jetlagged, was suffering from an upset stomach - I'll
spare you the details. As I walked in the door I told the Head of LTA
how I was feeling and he said "you should try Open Space technology.
I've been involved a couple of times recently and it's really good." I
could have hugged him! Suddenly I felt much more relaxed, though still
somewhat apprehensive. The event the following week was surrounded by a
whole series of other agendas which changed the dynamic completely. But,
hey, that's what we academic developers are all about ...
________________________________
From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development
Association on behalf of HEALEY, Mick
Sent: Fri 23/02/2007 14:37
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Delivery of Staff Development Session
As I think would many of us. Perhaps Ranald you would post your further
reflections to the list?
Best
Mick
-----Original Message-----
From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development
Association [mailto:[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ]
On Behalf Of S.A.Fincher
Sent: 23 February 2007 14:23
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Delivery of Staff Development Session
Ranald -
> The important feature is that a strong theme is agreed in advance but
=
> the participants decide the specific issues to be explored further. =
> There are a few simple principles and groundrules but I'd certainly =
> recommend it - a colleague used it for a 3-hour workshop with similar
=
> success.
>
> I'm happy to give further reflections if they would be useful.
I'd certainly be interested in hearing more. As you say agenda-driven
formats get quickly stale, but genuine alternatives are hard to come by.
- Sally
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sally Fincher, Computing Laboratory, University of Kent, Canterbury,
Kent, CT2 7NF, UK
http://www.cs.kent.ac.uk/people/staff/saf/index.html
<http://www.cs.kent.ac.uk/people/staff/saf/index.html>
'phone: +44 1227 764000 ext.4061 fax: +44 1227 762811
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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