Goal
The aim is to make expectations of participants and facilitators regarding content and cooperation transparent, to consider and integrate them.
Steps
1. Individual work: Participants are asked to write down their own expectations of the seminar on cards (only 1-3 keywords on each card). [10 minutes].
2. Plenum: The cards are read out and pasted on a poster that can be prepared beforehand. The participants have the opportunity to comment on the cards and to arrange them one by one according to the theme. [35 to 45 minutes].
3. The trainer summarises the expectations and comments and adds the expectations of the trainers. [10 minutes]
4. Plenary discussion and negotiation. The aim is to reach a consensus on the planning of the seminar. If necessary and possible, the programme will be adjusted.
What's relevant?
Show the aspects to what the learners should add their expectations. This clarification helps to give more precise feedback. More: Planning
Assessment
Expectations are important information at the begin of a learning process and also for evaluation in between (formative evaluation) or at the end of a programme. When evaluating the seminar trainers and participants should fall back on the expectations to check in how far they have been fulfilled.
More: Evaluation
Expectations
The sum of results or achievements which participants intend to reach on different levels.
Needs
They are different to needs - the requirements which learners have in order to be able to work toward achievements.
Both need to be considered.
Experiences
It is an open question to what extent trainers should position themselves in relation to different comments at this early stage of the seminar.
+ Transparency about what is expected of the programme and the opportunity for participants to discuss and negotiate.
- Participants may be inhibited from bringing their own, possibly very different, expectations.
Variation: Expectation Box
Instead of a plenary, use an expectation box: Participants make their cards anonymously. Trainers can then evaluate them later during their planning sessions. Or have small groups of participants go through the cards and summarise the aspects mentioned.
