Congress Track
SLI 2008
Friday, June 7, 2:00-4:00pm
Overview:In Part 1 of this workshop, participants worked primarily with programmatic evaluation and improvement at the school-specific level. In this workshop, Part 2, participants will extend their individual programs to develop a stronger national network. Most Bonners fail to collaborate and share ideas beyond one’s campus. “Getting the Big Picture: Part 2” means breaking social boundaries through effective networking to share best practices, initiate service exchanges, and collaborate on Bonner activities and events nation-wide. This workshop will use a fishbowl discussion to evaluate current networking among Bonner schools. Then, participants will work in regionally based networking groups to develop and present their collaborative strategies toward improving their networks. By the end of the workshop, representatives will be taking home networking skills of their own as well as strategies to maintain connections beyond their own region as a part of a national service movement.
Category:critical thinking, problem solving, networking, sharing, collaboration, social media tools
Bonner
Connection:This workshop focuses on the Bonner program networking itself, making it most effective when involving the input of students at all levels. Also, students and administrators address the effectiveness of each aspect of the Student Development Model in this workshop, making the model itself an essential. As participants come together to evaluate and improve the networking of Bonner programs, they will be building community within their group and amplifying their cumulative efforts to engage and make an impact on the communities that they serve.
expectation / explore / experience / example / expertise / / / /
VALUES: community engagement, community building
Level:Suitable for all levels, especially effective in groups of mixed experience in the Bonner program for a better representation of opinion
Part of the 2008 Student Leadership Conference, part 2 of a 2-part workshop, “Getting the Big Picture”
Type:Structured activities that illicit valuable feedback for group discussion
Focus or Goals of this Guide:
/ Head:- Participants will know how to use social media tools to network within and beyond their region
- Participants will better understand the importance and benefits of networking among Bonner programs
/ Heart:
- Participants will feel more connected with programs both near and far from their own
- Participants will feel more supported by their fellow Bonners through these strengthened networks
/ Hands:
- Participants will come away with a defined action plan for improving their networking in their immediate regions as well as the national Bonner network
Materials:
- Room with enough chairs for each participant
- A single computer with projector accessibility
- Large Poster to fill in the Bonner Networking Train
- Large Poster paper.
- Large sticky notes
- 3 bean bags (optional)
How to Prepare:
This workshop block is scheduled for 2 hours, but this workshop has been written only for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Use extra time to your advantage.
Little interactions between the trainers and the participants should be exchanged in this workshop. The idea is to have participants interact with each other as much as possible.
Participants will be divided into three large groups of 36-40 people. ( See group lists at the end of this packet).
Each group should move to a designated room equipped with enough chairs for each member as well as an extra chair need for Part 1) fish bowl discussion.
Then the large group should be divided into two separate groups. Have participants count off in two’s.
Begin Setting up chairs for fishbowl discussion.
Set up a circle of chairs (imitating the shape of a fish bowl) with a cluster of chairs placed inside the circle facing each other. Number of chairs will depend on number of participants, but the outer and inner circles should be as equal as possible.
A chair in the fish bowl discussion should be kept unoccupied at all times. Any members of the audience can, at any time, occupy the empty chair and join the fishbowl. When this happens, an existing member of the fishbowl must voluntarily leave the fishbowl and free a chair.
Review participant roster.
How to Do/Brief Outline:
The outline has the following parts:
1)Fish Bowl Discussion: Current Networkingsuggested time 20 minutes
2)Small Group Activity: Networking Strategies suggested time 25 minutes
3)Skits: Sharing Networking Strategies suggested time 20 minutes
4) Skit presentation: Creating a Network suggested time 15 minutes
Part 1) Fish Bowl Discussion: Current Networking
Suggested time: 20 minutes
Take 3 minutes to Begin session by reviewing the “Big Picture”. This session will not actively work with the sections in black, which have been covered by Part 1 of this workshop. If possible, use the model materials from Part 1 of this workshop, and add on the sections in blue before beginning the workshop. Leave room between these posters, as participants will develop flip-chart lists of communication ideas to be placed under each arrow between the posters later in the workshop.
Clearly articulate that the idea of this model is to clearly demonstrate a potential path of communication and information exchange from the School (Bonner Student Congress, Bonner Student Staff and Interns, Bonner Program on Campus) to Network level (Other Bonner Programs, the Bonner Foundation, and National Organizations/Networks). The participants may adapt this model if they feel a different arrangement is more suitable.
Please articulate the definition of networking before you begin the fish bowl activity
The following definitions of networking was taken from Dicitonary.com.
net-work
1. a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest:
2. An openwork fabric or structure in which cords, threads, or wires cross at regular intervals.
3. Something resembling an openwork fabric or structure in form or concept, especially:
a. An extended group of people with similar interests or concerns who interact and remain in informal contact for mutual assistance or support
Then, have participants sit in the two circles of previously arranged chairs, leaving one extra chair available in the center circle (at all times). Ask the following questions, accepting as many answers as time allows using the fishbowl activity.
- Share some examples of partnerships between other Bonner programs, the Bonner Foundation, and/or the National network.
- Share some examples of gaps and/or complaints of connections between other Bonner programs, the Bonner foundation, and the National Network.
- What are your programs doing now to network with other Bonner programs? To network with the Bonner Foundation?
- How can we improve these network connections?
- How could social media be used to connect with other programs and to connect with the Bonner Foundation?
Have either yourself or another workshop presenter record the reactions to these questions on flip-chart paper.
Any members of the audience can, at any time, occupy the empty chair and join the fishbowl. When this happens, an existing member of the fishbowl must voluntarily leave the fishbowl and free a chair.
When time runs out, the moderator summarizes the discussion.
Part 2) Small Group Activity: Networking Strategies
Suggested time: 25 minutes
Introduce the idea of the small group session that they will brainstorm ideas on the Bonner Networking Train worksheet to brainstorm a student service network using the wiki and other media tools as a way of sharing their thoughts, ideas, and resources both within and outside of their designated region. Articulate the significance of each Bonner Train section. The Bonner Train worksheet is broken down as follows.
Refer to the social media poster to review the available option. Participants will be meeting in groups according to region.
Introduce the Bonner Network Train worksheet: Moving forward together!
The purpose or the Bonner Networking Train worksheet is to begin recognizing student service connections between other networks.
Bonner Network/The wiki ( We will be using wiki as a tool to “move” our Bonners into the networking world of technology. The wiki will allow Bonners to share ideas with other Bonners Programs, the Bonner Foundation, and the National Network and partners. (The wheels of the Bonner Networking Train helps students visualize the purpose of the wiki.)
Bonner Train Carts (sharing ideas and connections): The carts, or the body of the train, explores reflections, partnerships, experiences, ideas, campus events, and political topics which can be posted on the wiki. In the blank cart boxes students are expected to free write any information they would like to share with other Bonners.
The Bonner Engine ( How to share ideas and connections using media tools): The engine of the train keeps the wiki site running. Media tools, such as facebook, utube, and blogs are tools for fuel. Students are expected to jot down media tools they would like to utilize in efforts of sharing student service projects, ideas, reflections, and partnerships. Media tool links posted on the wiki will be accessible to all Bonners and coordinators.
Divide Large region into three small groups. Have participants count off by three’s. Each group will be responsible for one section out of the three topics:
Assign a topic to each group.
Bonner Reflections, networking with Other Bonner Programs.
Partnerships/Internships/Campus projects/Networks, networking with Bonner foundation.
Political engagement/Political topic of concern, networking with National organizations/ Networks.
Articulate that each member of the group should individually fill out their handout of their designated section. Give participants 10 minutes to do so.
Hand flip chart paper to each group.
For the remainder of the 15 minutes:
Have participants voluntarily share their section of the Bonner train with their small group.
A workshop assistant or participant will need to be recording similar themes on the flip chart paper
Have participants share how to network ideas and connections using different types of media tools. Articulate that they may be specific on how to use a media tool.
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Articulate that the wiki will be a tool for communicating with others on a regular basis.
Posters will later be added to the remaining sections of the Big Picture.
Part 3) Skits: Sharing Networking Strategies
Suggested time: 20 minutes
This activity revisits networking using different media tools brainstormed by participants in the last portion of Part 2) Small group activity: Networking strategies.
Introduce that they will create a short skit using their poster charts form Part 2 of the activity.
Articulate that members of the group are to assign a core team with specific skit roles (possibly those mentioned in the power point presentation slide “Next Step.”)
Remind Participants that core team with specific roles are as follows:
Catalysts: the lead Bonner students and staff on each campus who will recruit, train, support and guide others using social media tools.
Content providers: The users who will generate a range of content (groups, wikis, blogs, photos, etc.
Moderators: those who will oversee the social media tools to facilitate collaboration and information sharing.
Each group should feel free to be as creative as possible.
Articulate that each group will be presenting their networking skit to the large region group. They will also need to explain the significance of their skit in terms of effective (and/or non- effective) networking. They can integrate their poster chart into the presentation.
Articulate that they can divide those who will participate in the skit roles and those who will explain the significance of their skit. Every one must be involved in some form or manner!
Part 4) Skit presentation: Creating a Network
Suggested time 15 minutes
During the last portion of this activity, small groups will be presenting their skits to the larger group.
At the end of the skits, explain that the most popular skit from each region will act out their skit during the Awards. That they will be voting on most popular skit. Workshop leaders will tally up the votes and compare votes from each region choosing most popular skits
Have participants jot down the skit that they thought was their favorite and most informative on a small scrap paper. Collect votes. Tally up the votes.
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