Future Workshop

1. Future Workshop Peace Education Around the World 9th-11th of Feb, 2004, Feldafing (Germany) Dr. Heino ApelGerman Institute for Adult Education

2. Agenda – working group Future Workshop • Introductions • The Method Future Workshop • Clarifying questions • Operation of a „critique phase“ • Strengts and weakness, fields of application

3. Content • Definition • Future workshop as a problem solving method • Phases and rules • tools • Strength and weakness • Examples

4. A future workshop is: • a method, even a process to solve questions of a very perspective, future nature. • a creative problem solution technology • a tool for citizens groups for planning a better future The origin: Developed by Robert Jungk and Norbert Müllert during the citizens movements against governmental bureaucracy and technocratic large-scale projects in the 1970s. Influenced by the critical theory (Adorno, Hegel) and creative techniques.

5. Problem Solution Technology vs. Future Workshop Future workshop: Problem Solu.Tech: Identification of the problem Criticism of a bad existing solution creative rational Looking for solutionschoice of a suitable solution freely from subject compulsions look for utopian solutions Transformation from utopian ideas by feasible solutions Implementationsuitable yes/no

6. General rules for a future workshop • Refer to your own experience • Inform, but don’t be missionary • Listen to others • Do not judge too early • Don’t bother with long, detailed stories • Don’t give advice, make proposals • Don’t generalize, be concrete

7. Critique phase • Designed to draw out specific issues and problems in question / producing a critical problem understanding • Steps: • Criticism collection (by written cards / brainstorming) • Systematization (clustering) on a pin board • Judgments, condense, deepen, priorities • Alternatives: • “Strength – weakness” or “pro – contra” brainstorm analysis • Questionnaires, interviews, literature search

8. Rules for the Critique phase • Brainstorming! No discussions! • Avoid discussions on principles • Only short questions of comprehension are allowed • Criticism only in keywords • Keep up subject relations • Visualize all statements

9. Fantasy phase • Aims at • avoiding obvious and generally known solutions and • including non verbalized, intuitive knowledge • Goal: try to solve the problem without reflecting restrictions, frame conditions, without barriers in mind. Do it without pure rational procedures/calculations! • Hope: to find unconventional solutions, more suited to the demand of the affected people. • Motto: • What would we do, if there were no constraints, no money missing, no restrictive laws,..? • What would we do, if a fairy fulfils us all wishes?

10. Procedure of the fantasy phase • Imaginative introduction (meditation, work walk,..) • Turn critique points into the opposite (bad to good) as starting points • Collect ideas (brain writing) • Preparing and performing a role play, fable, report, painting, fairytale to a fantastic story (as group work) • A common analysis of these performances with regard to good solutions / ideas • Extract, write down a “idea store” on a pin board

11. Rules of the Fantasy phase • free thought play, open minded • Pick up other thoughts, modify, develop them farther • produce masses of ideas – to find a view good ones • Don’t discuss and don’t criticize ideas brought forward • “killer phrases” are forbidden • choose free presentations like plays, collages, pantomime, …

12. Implementation phase • Analyse/value the concepts of the “idea store” with regard to realistic conditions and best fit (“Pro-Con”-method) • Put in more concrete terms the best suited concepts (group work) • Choose the best one • Build an action plan:Who does what, where, when and how?

13. Tools (prepared boards) for the future workshop Plus-Minusmethod Idea, concept, process,.. + - questions Action plan Who is responsible how(action) What (task)? when where remarks

14. Pitfalls in future workshops • Suitable size (12-24 participants) • Suitable length (3h: short, 1 ½ day: normal, 1 week: long) • Keep on the central theme • Entry into and transition of phases • The critique phase should not turn down the emphasis • Hierarchies, inequities among the participants hamper openness • Too much or too little moderation! Role of moderator! • Non fantasy in the fantasy phase! Too closed to reality • Hardly transferable utopian ideas • Crash after future phase – hard landing in reality • Nobody will act in the implementation phase • Criticism predominates the perspectives in the implementation phase

15. Strength of future workshop • Democratic way of decision-making • High commitment of the participants with regard to the outcomes • Using the local knowledge and the experience of the concerned people • It might help to find new/alternative solutions, new views • a learner activating procedure • A method rich, holistic procedure • It activates hidden qualities of people

16. Which subjects are suitable? • Most suitable are project developments with involved people: • There is a common goal • You can use the available knowledge • You get identification with the project • You get responsibilities (action plan) • There are “real” projects (like youth center) or “abstract” ones (like “future education in primary schools”) • Don’t choose subjects which are far away of the participants experience

17. Examples of future workshops • to create a youth center with the youth • in agenda 21 processes to find models of future development paths social • future of environmental education education • to treat the problem of alcoholism at work with stewards of airplanes • Looking for a new corporate identity business

18. Future workshop an example on peace education • Preparation:2-3 pm Introductions • Critique Phase3-18 pm Brainstorming …evening dinner, open end .. • Phantasie Phase9-12 am group work, performences,… idea store • Implementation Phase1-4 pm Concretization, Selection, action plan • „Permanent workshop“, the follow up, start of real implementation

19. Future workshop on peace education: initials • Critique phase:“What don’t you like in Peace Education?” • Fantasy phase:“A fary comes to you and offers you mony, time, any equipment for exploring new ways of peace education! Start, what would you do?” • Implementation:1. groupwork on 3 propsed models2. select the most suited3. action plan • Follow up meeting to exchange experience to support

20. Future workshops in peace education? • It’s your turn!