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THE CARDSTORMING PROCESS - Facilitators Guide <br />Janice H. Schopler, Paul Castelloe, and Dorothy N. Gamble <br />School of Social Work, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill <br />1. Ahead of time, prepare and get feedback on the statement for group to <br />brainstorm. Prepare newsprint sheets for wall, count out 5 x 8 cards for <br />ideas, prepare tape strips for posting ideas, set out colored marking pens. <br />Alternatively you can use 5 x 8 post it notes so that tape isn't required. <br />2. Begin group with introductions to acquaint members with each other <br />and to focus on the topic. Relate the statement that will be completed to the <br />purpose of the session. <br />3. Briefly note the following points: <br />• Everyone has important ideas to share and should participate. <br />• Respect each other's ideas. <br />• It's okay to disagree - -in fact, different ideas should be encouraged. <br />• Check to make sure everyone is understanding what is said. <br />4. After presenting the statement to be completed, give people time to do <br />their own thinking and write down their ideas. That way all participants <br />have time to organize their ideas. <br />5. Divide the larger group into small teams (about four individuals in each) and <br />have people share and discuss their individual ideas. Then, members of each <br />team choose the ideas they want to present and write these on 5 x 8 cards, <br />using just three to four words for each card. Remind teams to write large <br />enough so everyone in room can read. Suggest the number of cards each <br />team should produce. <br />6. Ask each team to tape their ideas on the newsprint sheets. Then select a <br />couple of volunteers to move the cards around, putting similar ideas in <br />clusters. Encourage all participants to point out similarities and suggest <br />places to shift cards into idea clusters. (This step has been done successfully <br />with groups as large as 40, but the group has to be able to read the cards <br />from where they are sitting.) <br />7. Discuss connections among cards. Ask the group to come up with labels for <br />the idea clusters. The facilitator should write labels on cards and tape above <br />clusters. <br />8. As discussion proceeds, check out meanings of words, add ideas on new <br />cards if important ideas have been left out. Refine "labels" for clusters. <br />Discuss why ideas are important. Examine differences as well as <br />similarities. As discussion concludes, summarize and check with participants <br />whether this accurately reflects their thinking. <br />NASW's Meeting of the Profession, Baltimore MD, Oct. 6, 1997 4 <br />H Ctkl\ d tJ%.4fi by 0 -ee 6­a r--,bI -C I <br />