Discussion Structure: Fishbowl
Design Pattern Tags : Academic Skills, Connected learning
Discussion Structure: Fishbowl December 2015
Discussion Structure: Fishbowl activity divides students into two teams to discuss, observe and collect evidence of an argument. It requires groups to be able to sit physically in concentric circles.
Rationale Discussion Structure: Fishbowl enables students to discuss or analyse a topic, article, case, lecture or other resource where discrete questions can be generated.
Learners/Context The Discussion Structure: Fishbowl activity allows students to acquaint themselves with each other's opinions by taking the roles of discussants and observers in early course discussions.
Alignment Discussion Structure: Fishbowl gives students the opportunity to discuss and analyse course content.
Instructions/Processes Pre-session
Select a space for the activity that will allow for students to sit in 2 concentric circles or a number of pairs of concentric circles. This suits as an outdoor or open space activity for medium to large groups.
Generate discussion questions. These could be generated by the tutor or they could be generated by students at the start of the session. They could be pre-scripted from the curriculum or generated from student knowledge and understandings. There will be time to complete 2 rounds so discussants for each round may be called to discuss the same or unique questions.
Prepare observer handouts e.g.
Observers
Topic
Point 1:
Evidence
Point 2:
Evidence
Point 3:
Evidence
Point 4:
Evidence
Point 5:
Evidence
Each student will need a handout as they will each operate in the discussant and observer roles.
In the tutorial preceding the fishbowl students should be advised of the activity and that they may wish to prepare. Discussion will be enhanced if students have had time to think through the issues or their perspective.
In session
Distribute each student a copy of the observer handout whether paper or digitally downloaded from the course Blackboard resources.
Have students sit in concentric circles facing into the circle. Each group can be up to 10-15 members.
Assign roles of discussant and observer and unpack what is being observed. The external circle becomes the observers and they are listening for salient points, assertions or claims made in the discussion and the evidence offered to support each. Remind them that this is about the richness of the dialogue and evidence offered and not about how many points can be made.
Ground rules may need to be set for both speakers and observers.
Speaker ground rules might include:
Students should only state supported ideas, agree with a speaker and add supporting information, disagree with a speaker and offer refuting information, or connect contributions.
No one may interrupt a speaker.
No one may speak a second time until everyone has had a chance to speak.
Set the first topic and have the inner circle of students discuss for 10-15 minutes. The outer circle record the key points made and any evidence they heard proffered to support that point. The tutor's role is to facilitate discussion prodding people to talk and go deeper in their thinking.
After 10 or 15 minutes the groups swap and repeat or take up a new question.
On completion of 2 rounds have volunteers share the key points and evidence recorded in a debrief session. What issues were resolved and what remains open or unresolved for the group.
Have students reflect on their experiences as a discussant versus being an observer. What or who contributed most to your learning?
EXTENSION
Opposing views Multiple viewpoints Open Fishbowl
Conditions/Critical Success Factors This activity is dependent on space more than anything, so planning is required to use a different space if the standard tutorial class space does not permit. Or it is possible to carry out the Fishbowl process with the discussants seated as a panel in front of the observers.
There are many variations possible on the fishbowl method and links to a number of these are listed in the resources section.
Resources/ Technology Related Patterns
