Quick training resource: how to implement this active learning technique for brainstorming about topics or reviewing learned information on observation, perception fallacies, scientific methods, etc.

1. Maria Fabiani
www.mariafabiani.eu

2.  Step 1. Ask students to take pencil and paper, carefully
observe for 3 minutes, and write down what they have
observed.
 Step 2. Ask students to share what they have observed
 Step 3. Brainstorming - Ask students to compare the
comments that as observers they made. Possible guiding
questions:
 How many details are mentioned?
 Do some statements conflict with other statements? In what
way? Why? Why have been reported “different realities” if you
were observing events occurring at the same place and time?
What happened?
 Which are facts and which are opinion? …

3.  Step 4. Wrap up the brainstorming session by having a
discussion about the emerging topics, answering questions as
you go.
 Step 5. Have your students organise the information from the
discussion by using a graphic organiser recording useful
information

4.  The range of responses to this activity leads learners to
realise:
 there are different ways of ‘looking’ at the same situation –
influenced by the cultural or professional background and
experience of the observer
 unless structure is given there is a danger that you either
try to observe everything (at a superficial level) or observe
something quite different from your intended task or
objective
 observation is not an objective, theoretically neutral activity

5. Clearly the instruction
“observe!” is absurd.
Observation is always
selective.
It needs a chosen
object, a definite task,
an interest, a point of
view, a problem.”
(Popper, 1972, page 46)
Image by Marcel Douwe Dekker

6.  It may adapted to stimulate reflection on different issues: the
concept of perception, culture, considerations in intercultural
communication situations, definition of basic perception terms,
self-concept, impression management, connotation and
denotation, etc.
 This activity may be used when teaching a wide range of subjects:
science, art, humanities, etc.
 It may used also in:
 Professional development training
 Intercultural training
 Project management training
 Communication training
 Multidisciplinary team working
 …