Exploring Content

From Peacebuilding

Contents 1 Content Processing Activity – Exploring the Content 2 Aims: 3 Time: 4 Participants: 5 Materials: 6 Procedure: 7 Note:

Content Processing Activity – Exploring the Content

Aims:

• To process content in a participatory way

• To generate discussion on specific topics

Time:

At least 15-20 minutes – more if needed

Participants:

At least two teams with three members (it works better with larger groups)

Materials:

• Visual aids to illustrate the specific content being processed (e.g. theory of cooperation and competition), such as flip charts, PP or overhead slides, or handouts

• Flip chart paper

• Markers

Procedure:

I) Before the workshop, divide up the content you would like to introduce to participants into small sections. Each section should provide material for a short presentation, no longer than 5 minutes.

II) Divide the plenary into small teams of 5-6 people. Enable them to sit close to each other and have a working space. Explain that you’re going to introduce new content and that you’ll divide your presentation into sections and then ask them to draw up questions and provide answers to these.

III) Present the first section of content using visual aids or handouts to help participants follow your example.

IV) Ask each team to draw up a list of three questions related to the first section of information, and further explore it. Ask them to write the questions down. Allow 3-5 minutes for this activity.

V) Ask the first team to read out one question to the rest of the plenary. The other groups have to answer. Repeat the procedure with the other teams, and then do the same with the second and third questions.

Note:

Alternatives to this procedure include:

• Preparing handouts with content before the actual training course and asking volunteers to prepare a 5-minute presentation. Then get participants – not you – to introduce the content.

• Awarding points to teams for each correct answer and congratulating the winner at the end. Be careful with this option, because the content you deal with is likely to generate an array of answers to each question. Rather than correct answers, you may end up with a variety of legitimate opinions.