SV: The Pros and Cons of OST?

Sat Nov 26 07:25:34 PST 2005

Hi, Allison!
I've tried to read everything on this thread but am not sure if I got it
all, so please forgive me if I'm being repetitive, or off the mark.  I
think I was in a similar situation, where I submitted a paper for a
session (for a group of public outreach professionals) and then got put
on the "poster session circuit".  I had planned to hold a session and
actually engage people in a mini-OST.  The poster session was terrible.
 People just sort of meander around.  Typically the conversations were
between the "presenter" and one or two other people, not a group.  It's
totally free-flow.  Maybe they do it differently at this conference,
with some "master of ceremonies" encouraging folks to move in groups
from poster to poster, but that would be somewhat awkward, too. 
Anyways, it's a format, that is ok for topics that have great visuals
but for something like this it is pretty deadly.  I've been at other
conferences where the poster sessions were great (examples of maps). 
I think I might try to "buck" the system.  If it is really a poster
session, I'd try to come up with a provocative question for that group.
 What is it (content wise) that this group is gathering around and how
do they typically deal with it?  What would provoke a natural
conversation? What is your objective?  Do you want to make a case for
OST or engage them in thinking about it as a method in their practice,
or do you see a possibility to hold their next meeting in OST format?
Maybe a mini interview printed on a 1/2 sheet that asks questions that
relate to the core of OST and push the envelope a bit. You could engage
whoever shows up by interviewing them, and encourage new folks to
interview each other and take notes. 

Hope this is useful.
Ciao, Claudia
Claudia Haack
KAIROS Alliance Inc.
606 Orchard Dr.
Madison, WI
phone: 608.288.8315
fax: 480.247.4824
www.kairosalliance.com

> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: SV: The Pros and Cons of OST?
> From: Peggy Holman <peggy at opencirclecompany.com>
> Date: Sat, November 26, 2005 12:14 am
> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> 
>       
> Hi Allison, 
>   
> This is subtle...rather than thinking of "getting feedback" in your 10 minutes sessions, how about inviting the group to co-create something on the pros and cons of OST (or other topic)? 
>   
> "Feedback" implies to me a hierarchical speaker/responder situation.  To give them a taste of a different dynamic, how about setting up a cooperative venture into creating a document in 5-8 minutes (following your 2-5 minutes of set up)? 
>   
> from cold, rainy Seattle, 
> Peggy 
>   
> ________________________________
> Peggy Holman
> The Open Circle Company
> 15347 SE 49th Place
> Bellevue, WA  98006
> (425) 746-6274  
>   
> www.opencirclecompany.com 
>    
> ----- Original Message -----  
> From: Allison & Jim Baensch  
> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU  
> Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2005 2:02 AM 
> Subject: Re: [OSLIST] SV: The Pros and Cons of OST? 
> 
> Hi Lise, 
> You are right, it is a challenge for me. 
> I do enjoy variety and new opportunities. 
> 
>  
> In your email you said:  
> You have only 90 minutes: - the assumption is: The speaker transfer her knowledge to the participants by giving a paper and a speach 
> OST-assumption: We all (also participants) have lot of knowledge, what we need is to sort it out - meaning relating to our one knowledge, deciding our attitude. 
> 
> In fact, I have up to 10 minutes with each new group, so I need to say as little as possible and then get feedback from the group members.
>  
> That may be good experience for me - to describe OST and open a new space all within maybe 3 or 4 minutes, to a mixed group...  
> then get feedback recorded in the remaining 5 minutes before one group leaves and the next group meanders in. 
> Cheers to you in clouded, cold Copenhagen, 
> from  
> Allison. 
> (Crisp dark evening now - 9pm) 
> 
>  
>  
> On 22/11/2005, at 8:34 PM, Lise Damkjar wrote:
>   
> Hello Allison and everybody on the list! 
>   
> You really put yourself into a challenge! And it is very interesting because everyone of us (my guess) meet these requirements for conferences and reservations about OST. It tells us something important about the possibilities in OST! 
>   
> If I found myself in that position (I hope not, but...) I would put up some assumptions/beliefs - some leading to the traditional conference (as the one, you are attending) and some leading to OST. I would find the beliefs from thinking about this actual conference: why do we do stuff like this? (and here the difficulty could be to be appreciative, but that's important!) 
>   
> I have tried a little here... 
>   
> - Groups rotating... - the assumption: it is more important to hear a something about everything (and then you can always search more information  afterwards)  
> OST-assumption: You learn the most from being in dialogue about what you are really passionated about 
>   
> You have only 90 minutes: - the assumption is: The speaker transfer her knowledge to the participants by giving a paper and a speach 
> OST-assumption: We all (also participants) have lot of knowledge, what we need is to sort it out - meaning relating to our one knowledge, deciding our attitude. 
>   
> Organizers assumption: Participants have tried OST before and already know about it  
> OST-assumption: The participant's who already tried OST would love to do it once more and the more they know about it, the more they know that they now have the possibility of learning even more. 
>   
> Organizers: Some people don't want to speak in public 
> OST: You don't need to - and if you are passionated about something it's easier to talk about it 
>   
> You can put up the different asssumptions at to different slides - presenting one way of seing the world - and another way.. - and then it is up to the participants to decide their attitude... 
>   
> Have a nice conferece! 
>   
> Lise 
> Clouded and cold Copenhagen..  
> 
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