Description

This facilitation assignment requires a face-to-face meeting with your selected group of participants. Credit will not be given for use of GME, e-mail or any form of communication other than face-to-face. Group participants should NOT be members of this course. The purpose of this assignment is to apply divergent and convergent techniques learned thus far to a third party's opportunity. Completing the assignment will constitute the service learning element of this course. The focus of the assignment may be an opportunity at your place of employment, a non-profit group, an organized community group, etc. The opportunity selected should not be a personal one such as family members planning a reunion or birthday party. Use the information we have learned to benefit an existing organization.

 Once your group of 4-10 persons (aged 18 or older) has been identified and is willing to participate, follow the directions below. Select two idea generation tools listed above and/or in the text. One tool should be adaptive and one tool should be innovative in nature. Identify a problem/opportunity statement [in the correct four part form]. Communicate the rules for divergent thinking. Facilitate both tools you selected (individually of course) with this group. Remember to converge, select Hits, Highlight and Prioritize following idea generation. Communicate the rules for convergent thinking prior to moving into convergence. Convergence tip: Count the number of ideas generated and multiply by 10%. Provide "sticky dots" equal to 10% of generated ideas to each member. 

Instruct members to use their dots to identify ideas they personally consider "hits" (communicate the criteria for a "hit"). Hits can then be moved into categories according to similarity (highlighting) and finally prioritize the categories. E-mail, as a Word attachment, a 2 to 3 page (maximum) paper to me consisting of the following: a) Identify and describe the organization AND individual group members selected as the recipient of your service learning. b) identify your two tool selections. c) explain why you selected those two particular tools. d) discuss the physical setting of the room, participants, etc. e) discuss your experience as a facilitator. f) discuss whether or not you felt the session was productive and why. Use double-spacing, 10-12 font. Note: When you are facilitating a session, your job is to FACILITATE. You must manage the process. You must not offer ideas or in any way become part of the ideation (resource) group. Remember, no judgment either positive or negative should be offered during divergence, e.g., refrain from statements such as, "that's a good idea." This assignment must be completed and sent by Blackboard email to me by midnight, of the due date located in the course syllabus.CT