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Hello everyone,
Hope you can help?
I have to deliver a wokshop online, which was originally designed as face-to-face workshop. So I have to change the method of delivery. In the face-to-face format I started with a counting exercise. This exercise goes in the following way:
Have folks break into pairs, one partner facing the other. Their task is to count to three again and again, as fast as they can, alternating numbers. Partner A says “One,” Partner B says “Two,” and A finishes the triplet by saying “Three.” As soon as they’ve finished, they start again, this time B leading with “One” so the counting loops around in continuous fashion. After a minute or so, check in with players to see how that went. You’ll likely find folks surprised by how difficult the task proved.
After that first round, offer directions for the second: with the same partners as before, count back and forth again, but instead of saying “One,” participants should clap. Now, the sequence goes Clap-“Two”-“Three.” Invite players to register their reactions if they “fail” or make a mistake. What happens, specifically, in their bodies, faces, or thoughts? After this round, you’ll often find that your pairs struggled even more—the toggling between verbal and kinesthetic processing takes a bit more brain time for most.
The next round ups the ante even further: instead of saying “Two,” players now snap their fingers so the rhythm goes Clap-Snap-“Three.” Same partners, same task: alternate back and forth, going as quickly as possible.
One of the take-aways from this exercise is that change isn't easy, but once you have started with a small change it is easier to continue with adding small changes. For my online version I am looking for a exercise where I can deliver the same take-away. Does anyone have an idea I could do in the online environment?
Thanks in advance!
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Replies
Hi Joost,
Great question and really highlights that design challenges when you convert from f2f to LOL.Â
Mike's respons is great, and the breakouts was my first thought too if you want to replicate this as closely as possible and I think could work just fine.Â
I like that you are also thinking about doing a different activity for the same take-away. Could you do something like the old tummy rub/pat head activity. You'd start with everyone rubbing their tummy, then add patting their head, then add singing a nursery rhyme or whatever the actions might be, adapting for what's right for your audience. This would perhaps be more close to your original activity, but everyone together in the main room, preferably with webcams on and perhaps open mics for laughs and groans and feedback.Â
I'd be interested to know ideas from others and your thoughts on our suggestions. Of course, do let us know what you end up doing and how it goes!
Thanks for your responses Michael and Jo!
Moving everyone in and out of meetingrooms and time delays made me decide to do this exercise with one person, where I asked the other people to do the counting in their minds, but clapping and snapping doing it togther with the person I was doing the exercise with. Still not as in a face-to-face environment, but close enough.
Hi Joost, thanks so much for letting us know what you did. Often the simplist solution is best. The time spent on breakout rooms for this activity, as you rightly point out, isn't the best investment for this learning outcome. I love that you did this with one person as a demonstration, but also got people involved with the clapping etc too. A very elegant solution!