In this workshop, we introduced an approach designed to help practitioner teams and partners develop engaging ‘learning rhythms’ through regular reflections on their work experiences. Our discussion focused on three key outcomes:
- Reflective Storytelling:
- Participants learned to write reflective stories of practice that reveal both external and internal narratives, uncovering the deeper dynamics of change.
- Reflective Learning Dialogues:
- We delved into designing, facilitating, and participating in reflective learning dialogues, which go beyond obvious lessons to foster deeper mutual insights and improved team collaboration.
- Enhanced Accountability:
- The combination of reflective stories and dialogues provides a robust foundation for more nuanced and truthful accountability to stakeholders in reports and presentations.
Objectives
The objectives of the workshop were Reflective Storytelling, Reflective Learning Dialogues, and Enhanced Accountability.
- Reflective Storytelling:
- Practitioners learn to write stories that capture both external and internal narratives of their practice, highlighting deeper dynamics of social change.
- Reflective Learning Dialogues:
- Using these stories, practitioners engage in dialogues to explore beyond obvious lessons, facilitating deeper learning and improved collaboration.
- Enhanced Accountability:
- Outcomes from the stories and dialogues are used to create more nuanced reports and presentations for stakeholders, improving accountability.
Developing Conscious and Collective Practice
In order to, be able to develop concious practicioners they need to be provided with both concious concepst as well as practical methods. There should be an emphasis on practice: capacity to observe, reflect, and respond appropriately to different contexts. The ability and importance to share stories is essential in being able to move beyond intuitive responses to articulate success, failures, and lessons.
Writing Reflective Stories and Learning Dialogues
Reflective stories are important because they make practice visible, aiding in disciplined learning dialogues. They provide a basis for collective dialogues, leading to deep learning and strategic insights. However, this is easier said than done. Therefore, the Barefoot Guide Writeshop methodologies assist practitioners in overcoming writer’s block and capturing both external events and internal dynamics. However, practitioners also gain skills for writing reports, case studies, and articles, enriching evaluative processes and strategic thinking.
Different types of reflective stories
- Past stories: Analyzing challenging experiences for learning.
- Current stories: Seeking guidance for ongoing situations.
- Thematic stories: Drawing from various experiences on the same theme.
- Practice scans: Reviewing overall practices to identify patterns and issues.
- Future stories: Designing future interventions for peer advice and support.
