Off the Beaten Path - World Café

Hall Houston, Hong Kong

Hall Houston is an English Instructor at City University of Hong Kong, English Language Centre. His first book, The Creative Classroom, was published in 2007 by Lynx Publishing (www.lynxpublishing.com). His professional interests include cross-cultural communication, discourse analysis, creativity and critical thinking. E-mail: hallhouston@yahoo.com

This "Off the Beaten Path" series of articles by Hall Houston offers an overview of various alternative trends in education and the readers are encouraged to do their own explorations. Values clarification was covered in the January issue of HLT, creative problem solving in the March issue.

Imagine you enter a room, and are immediately caught by its warm, inviting atmosphere. Snacks and beverages are available. Tables are covered with paper and there is a mug on each table filled with pens and markers. You sit down and are joined by others. Soon, a host reads out an intriguing question. You begin a round of conversation with the others at your table. You look around at the other tables, some people are talking, others are jotting down notes on the paper that covers their tables. The host comes around to encourage participation. Later, some people leave their tables and go to other tables to continue the discussion. There are 2 or 3 rounds of conversation. You can feel the energy and passion of all participants. Everything culminates in a whole group discussion of everyone's ideas. As you exit, you are presented with a small newspaper that contains all of the major ideas discussed that evening. You leave with new insights and a greater feeling of connectedness.

So, what is your impression of this event? What appeals to you about it? Do any elements remind you of your own classes?

You've just read a description of World Cafe'. What is World Cafe'? According to Brown, Isaacs, et al (2003) World Cafe' is "an innovative methodology that enhances the capacity for collaborative thinking about critical issues by linking small-group and large-group conversations. In the process, knowledge grows, and new possibilities become visible."

Here I will briefly explain some of the main elements of World Café.

One important part of a World Café event is the key question or questions. A key question is a question about something that really matters to the participants. A good question should raise energy levels and encourage new ideas.

Another essential element is the ambiance of the setting. The ideal setting should include natural light and have an outdoor view. There should be many tables, each with 4 or 5 chairs. Each table should have colorful tablecloths, covered with large sheets of paper and a mug containing many pens and markers. Art or intriguing quotes should be up on the walls. Food and beverages should be available. If possible, there should be plants and flowers around the room and on the tables.

The Café process is integral to its success. Participants discuss the key question or questions. In addition, they should use the pens and paper to write, draw and doodle anything that comes to mind. There are usually 3 sessions of conversation, each lasting 20-30 minutes. One participant at each table should remain as the "host", while the others act as travelers, taking ideas and questions to other tables. This maximizes the diversity of ideas exchanged. In the third session, participants can return to their original table to share what they encountered at other tables.

World Café' emphasizes listening as well as speaking. Participants should listen to others with respect and an openness to new ideas. They are encouraged to speak their minds, but allowed to simply listen if that is their preference.

A World Café event ends with a whole group conversation. This allows everyone to connect their ideas and thoughts. Some groups end with a "gallery walk", where papers from all the tables are put up on the walls for everyone to see. Other possibilities include creating a Café newspaper or doing theater presentation based on the group's findings.

To find out more about World Café, go to: www.theworldcafe.com

References:

Brown, Juanita and David Isaacs, World Cafe Community. (2003). The World Cafe: Living Knowledge through Conversations that Matter. The Systems Thinker. 12 (5), 2-5.

Please check the Creative Methodology for the Classroom course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Drama Course course at Pilgrims website.