Reaching a consensus... agreeing an issue...
Global News aims to see students taking the lead in a process of enquiry and decide for themselves what issues to discuss, research and take action on.
The following list of actitivites may help students reach a consensus on what issues to explore. They are based on activities included in the Get Global! teaching pack.
Trigger photos
This activity explores photographs that
represent current global news stories. Use the Global News website
to
locate on-line news services which contain
photographs. Alternatively a range of photos from recent newspapers could
be used. Ask students in groups to select one
photograph that particularly interests them.
With the whole class ask each group to present the photo saying briefly why they have chosen it and what issue or news story they think the picture relates to. Place each of the photos in the centre of the Trigger photos sheet and discuss the questions with the students.
List the issues that arise and ask students to consider and then vote for the issue that most interests them. By this stage there may be a clear consensus. If not eliminate the issues to the top two or three and ask students to vote again to establish an issue to work on.
Vote with your feet
This is an active way of encouraging students to
select the most important issue from a range of options. A series of
issues can be diplayed on pieces of paper around the room. Students are
then asked: Which of these issues do you think is the most important
and why? Students then move to the place displaying the issue they feel
is the most important. Selected students at each point can be asked to
explain why they think it is the most important.
Following these explanations further votes can be carried out. This method can be used to eliminate down to one or two issues by gradually asking those standing at the less popular options to move to another point, providing they are given an opportunity to explain why they had originally chosen the issue.
Your choice
Ask students in groups to consider the
issues listed on the Your
vote sheet and to
add any additional issues that are important
to them.
Ask groups to note how many individuals find particular issues the most important and which they feel they can make the most difference to.
With the whole class compare the group results and discuss them. See if when added together a consensus is arrived at on which issue to explore, based either on importance or potential to take positive action. Do some students want to change their mind? If there is no obvious consensus, this activity can help identify a series of issues that are important. These can all be explored over a period of time or the activity can help in a process of elimination.
Devon Development Education
Global News is one of a range of projects co-ordinated by Devon Development Education (DDE)/Devon Global Centre DDE was set up in 1996 to help promote Development Education within Devon by:
