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I used a graphic novel in one of my classes and challenged students to portray part of their day in four to six panels (one page). One student used an app Comica to transform photographs of the stages of putting her two-year-old daughter to bed. The result was very pleasing.

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Abstract stained glass - for colouring (cc-BY Peggy Lynn MacIsaac)

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Abstract stained glass -- for colouring. (cc-BY Peggy Lynn MacIsaac).

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Roll the Dice - An Adaptation of the Barnga Game

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Roll the Dice - An Adaptation of the Barnga Game

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Image: Alex Chambers via unsplash.com

Intercultural simulations are engaging and effective activities in workshops and trainings. How can we bring intercultural simulations online? Based on the card game BARNGA, this blog post shows a simulation exercise that can be played online to understand better the dynamics of intercultural encounters. "Roll the Dice. Bringing Intercultural Simulations Online" is part of a series of blog posts about online facilitation tools. Other blog posts focus on online icebreaking games, energizers and on group- and team-building (coming soon!).
One of the most popular intercultural simulations out there is by Sivasailam Thiagarajan (*amazon affiliate link, available also on the website). In the beginning of going online, seeing BARNGA online was a wishful thinking. Now there is already an online version ready to implement into your online events, but there circulated also a dice-version of BARNGA, by Anne Sophie Winkelmann, that looked promising to adjust and try it out online (links at the bottom of this post).

Why intercultural simulations?

Simulations are training activities that reduce the complexity of reality (without simplifying it!) and therefore allow participants experience themselves interacting with others and learn from that experience. Simulations are an effective method that allows participants:

experiencing and reflecting on emotions in interactions,

experiencing and reflecting one's one behaviours and attitudes, and

learning from this experience and drawing conclusions for future encounters.

And they are fun!

Finally, simulations have also so effective, because they have a long-lasting effect on participants. Even long after the simulation activity, when participants go abroad, they come back to it realising often "That is exactly like in the game!".

Roll the Dice. How to play it?

" Roll the Dice" is a virtual simulation based on the BARNGA card game.

Aims Duration Materials Setting
The online setting

Gambling tables = breakout rooms

Player/gamblers = 3-5 player per table/room

In each room there is one player "rolling" the dice and one person writing down the points

Online dice (for example: https://freeonlinedice.com) The player who rolls dice is sharing his/her screen.

Zoom Screen Settings: gallery view, side-by-side mode with chat open

Upload the game instructions for each group to google drive and create separate sharing links

Step-by-step

After introducing the game and going through the instructions (see below), assign the group to breakout rooms (3-5 participants) and open the rooms. If someone does not want to play, ask them to stay in the main meeting room.

Image: Riho Kroll via unsplash.com

Now the simulation can start:

"Training phase" (4-5 minutes)

Providing a link with instructions how to play.

Players are getting familiar with rules and start trying out the game.

First game round (4-5 minutes)

The groups start playing, now all the points count.

! Restrict access to the game instructions during this phase !

Second game round (4-5 minutes)

One player leaves the room, another one joins (Move the players from each breakout room to another); the group continues playing.
Third, forth (and event. fifth) game round

Another players leaves/joins the game at the gambling table.

Image: Riho Kroll via unsplash.com

Reflection

The very "basic version" of debriefing is following exploring emotions, (spontaneous) reactions (in the first moment of meeting the unknown) and strategies (after starting to deal with the new, unknown situation):

How did you feel?

What were your spontaneous reactions (thoughts, feelings, actions)?

What strategies did you use to deal with the situation?

And a transfer-question (according to the context of your online training), for example:

How does this simulation experience compare to (your) experience in real life?

How is it similar? How is it different?

Variations

Verbal or non-verbal: In an online environment there is no way to control, if participants follow it or not. So, don't try. Invite them to try it out non-verbally as a challange, an opportunity. We tried out both versions. So far, I cannot say which is better.

Focus on power: The task to roll the dice is a very strong position. You could give the power to roll the dice to one person (like suggested), or have everyone share their screen, when it is their turn. However, if you mix it in one game, this might tune off the other rules.

Experience

Roll the Dice has been developed and tested with friends, trainers and colleagues from Universities . Here are some of our reflections:

Setting up the game, technically and pedagogically, is quite a challenge. I would recommend that this activity is facilitated by two trainers.

In order to keep the game flow, I would start with two rules that are different. If you have more experience with the game, you can introduce more. A third one to experiment with could be different order of players (A to Z, Z to A).

Giving the task to roll the dice to one person makes this game more fluent and participants have a better chance to get into this experience. However, this tasks gives one person a very strong position of power. And therefore mechanisms of inclusion/exclusion go viral. This has to be treated carefully and reflected during debriefing.

We tried out this simulation various times. Our impression is, that the this game escalates quite fast even if you minimize the alterations of the rules and chaos and confusion may quickly accelerate. And being in the virtual environment might increase the feeling of being lost. Be also sure, to conduct a proper debriefing that also acknowledges the emotions experienced during this simulation.

Taking the difficulties of communication online, I would recommend to use the chat for the reflection to encrease the engagement into the debriefing.

Last, but not least
Download: Roll the Dice - Activity description and group instructions (114 downloads) And, what will be your experience with this simulation?
Sources

This online simulation is inspired by (Thiagi, 1980, *amazon affiliate link). Meanwhile, a group of designers, writers and developers - The Barnga Project created an online version.

The dice-version of BARNGA I got to know from Anne Sophie Winkelmann. It is published in English and German in the project documentation Soundz of Berlin. A description and application of the activity in the context of diversity trainings you may find in More that Culture by Anne Sophie Winkelmann and Create your Space by Karin Reindlmeier.

Roll the Dice has been developed and tested with friends and colleagues from KIIK (Cologne), Między Innymi (Poland) and Among Others (Poland, Ireland, Latvia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Turkey). Thanks a lot for your contribution!

Additional resources

Berliner Arbeitskreis für politische Bildung e.V. (w.Y.): Soundz of Berlin. Documentation about an international youth project on Diversity and against Discrimination. Experiences, Outcomes and Methods für international youth work. www.bapob.de [EN/DE]

Karin Reindlmeier, Reindlmeier (2010): Create your space. Impulse für eine diversitätsbewusste internationale Jugendarbeit. Eine Handreichung für Teamer/innen der internationalen Jugendarbeit; transfer e.V. / Forscher-Praktiker Dialog, p.41 [DE]

More Online Facilitation Tools
"Roll the Dice. Bringing Intercultural Simulations Online" is part of a series of blog posts on online facilitation tools. My other tools recommendations for online workshops and trainings are here:

*I use affiliate links on my website. I may get a commission if you decide to purchase an book from amazon. I only recommend products and services that I use or have used. Your purchase helps support my work and maintain this website. Thank you very much for your support. Michael Kimmig

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Roll the Dice. Bringing Intercultural Simulations Online | michael kimmig

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Intercultural simulations are engaging and effective activities in workshops and trainings. How can we bring intercultural simulations online? Based on the card game BARNGA, this blog post shows a simulation exercise that can be played online to understand better the dynamics of intercultural encounters. Read more

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One thing i’m challenging myself with is how to create activities from a universal design for learning perspective, so offering choice within the activity so that all people can participate in a way that works for them. For example “gallery games” where i invite people to go and find something red to show in gallery view OR make a face or action that depicts the colour red to them (in case of mobility issues).

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I teach literature, and since moving to online learning, I  wanted to incorporate more creativity in the course, as well as have learners do non-technology based activities. Learners create five graphic organizers over the term for their portfolio. They can choose the graphic organizer, literary term (Character, theme, symbolism, etc.) and piece of literature from our course, and they really appreciate this autonomy. I provide models of graphic organizers from former learners to scaffold the learning. They have said this task allows them to really connect with the literature, get away from their computers, relax and do an enjoyable creative activity during these times! If you want more info, here is a link to an article that I wrote: https://auroraenglish.wixsite.com/english/publications

Thank you for the wonderful session and great ideas everyone! :)

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Students draw an image of how they believe they communicate (in a specific situation). They share anonymously in padlet and then discuss in small groups.

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Students need to find an image that represents how they feel about a specific concept, and then another one again, after the course has been completed.

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One technique I have used a lot this past year is to invite people to an optional "start before the start", opening up the virtual doors to the room ten minutes before the session starts. During that time I have a little optional collaborative activity that people can do, such as use Zoom's annotate feature to draw on an image together. We laugh and have fun and it teaches people how to annotate so that we can use it for more content-based stuff directly later in the session.

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Spiral Journal from Liberating Structures is an "in development" LS activity that involves reflective free writing based on subsequent prompts. Play music to set the scene.

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I have also done a virtual musical chairs activity. Create a playlist in Apple Music of "dance-y" songs. Play 15-20 seconds each of the song and ask everyone to dance on camera. Stop the song and the last person to stop dancing is eliminated. The rest of us keep dancing to the next song. Invite people who don't want to participate on camera to dance off camera and just do their own thing. Helps us all get some wiggles out and have fun.

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One way I have included an arts-based activity with my participants online is using the Draw a Tree activity (described on sessionlab.com). This was done in Mural.

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Students use art to examine, explore, and take action towards one of the goals

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Students create the tutorials to teach & build skills of their peers. Assessment.

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Culturally Relevant & responsive Curriculum Design

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Culturally Relevant & responsive Curriculum Design

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Use the critical analysis process alongside students to explore and understand contributions of diverse creators globally & locally

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Use the creative process as the unit template to sequence learning over time and have room for student to practice & experiment without grading

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Jamboard for collaborative inquiry or collaborative critique

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Flip from designing learning based on command of media to designing from a big concept/idea. Students have choice of medium to respond through

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Use digital portfolios for students to make their thinking visible in the creative process

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I teach accounting and finance courses and I have used
arts-based learning in checking in on learners. It's a fun, safe, and caring way of getting some formative feedback from the learners specially during the transition to online learning.

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I teach graphic design and my courses this year were online asynchronous. I used the discussion forums in BlackBoard Learn to facilitate critiques which was great because I could easily grade the student's contributions and the critiques helped to build community. However the interface is very clunky so I'm looking for a better solution. I did look into using https://www.creativecritique.community/ but it didn't offer the functionality I needed and the software seemed like it was still in development. Would love to know how other instructors are facilitating online critiques.

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Finding a way to use images for the "note taking" has been really effective - and gives a tangible result.  Notes from a group process on what we need to do in crisis. - Heather Gross

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u back from an arts-based approach to learning? Questions or concerns?
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share? What is holding you back from an arts-based approach to learning? Questions or concerns?
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share? What is holding you back from an arts-based approach to learning? Questions or concerns?
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I instruct and teach different subjects, but I have never used art, probably will integrate it into my teaching.
I instruct and teach different subjects, but I have never used art, probably will integrate it into my teaching.

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WOW
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I instruct and teach different subjects, but I have never used art, probably will integrate it into my teaching.
I instruct and teach different subjects, but I have never used art, probably will integrate it into my teaching.

upload

link

search_web

camera

more_horiz

delete
WOW!!
WOW

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share? What is holding you back from an arts-based approach to learning? Questions or concerns?
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I instruct and teach different subjects, but I have never used art, probably will integrate it into my teaching.
I instruct and teach different subjects, but I have never used art, probably will integrate it into my teaching.

upload

link

search_web

camera

more_horiz

delete
WOW!!
WOW

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I instruct and teach different subjects, but I have never used art as art,  will surely integrate it into my teaching going forward.

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I instruct and teach different subjects, but I have never used art as art,  will surely integrate it into my teaching going forward.

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Looking forward to learn more tools from FLO today.

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I am at a loss for words!! There are so many great ideas here already!! This is all new to me!! I have only seen one or two programs were "Art" was included!
I am totally energized by these ideas! Starting a file now!!
Looking forward to the FLO Friday tomorrow!

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I’m an instructional designer and whenever possible, I encourage the subject matter experts that I work with to include visual choices in activities and/or assessments.  Diagrams allow for visual concept demonstration in so many disciplines and don’t seem as intimidating to learners who identify as non-artists.  :).  I haven’t worked on many Fine Arts curriculum projects with the exception of this one:  www.caissie.trubox.ca
Can’t wait to learn from and with everyone tomorrow!  Marie :)

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I have an art project (any form) in which students demonstrate the principle. There is joy and vitality in disability.  Students often say creating an art project was a wonderful break from all the written work they typically complete. And I enjoy marking them.   I am interested in using more art projects for other areas in which I teach. Over the years I have collected permission to share a number of the pieces of art students have submitted. This is one of the first pieces ever submitted.

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Is anyone else using MS Teams? I have downloaded the Mural app for my synchronous session - I think it will operate similarly to the post-it note activity.

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Is anyone else using MS Teams? I have downloaded the Mural app for my synchronous session - I think it will operate similarly to the post-it note activity.

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AI-powered visual workspace for team collaboration | Mural

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Boost team collaboration and innovation with Mural, the AI-powered visual workspace. Plan, strategize, and execute projects seamlessly on one intuitive tool.

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I am in a class using Miro extensively as a visual brainstorming tool, and an environment to do group work. Easy to learn interface and updates in real time. Not FIPPA compliant but doesn't collect PII.

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I use the following in Zoom environments:
- Drawing where attendees individually draw on a piece of paper
- Embodied activities with attendees tapping into the wisdom of their bodies and physical space
- Journalling for individual reflection
- Visualization and contemplation
- Haven't quite managed to bring improv into a virtual setting; however, it's only a matter of time

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I’m teaching four arts based online courses to teacher candidates,  a mixture of synchronous/asynchronous approaches. My students say they love the freedom of this approach as it has taken the pressure off of each of them to be perfect in their final products and allowed them the freedom to explore their full process! 

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I’m teaching four arts based online courses to teacher candidates,  a mixture of synchronous/asynchronous approaches. My students say they love the freedom of this approach as it has taken the pressure off of each of them to be perfect in their final products and allowed them the freedom to explore their full process! 

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I encourage a lot of drawing and teach visual note taking in one of my classes, but would like to incorporate more creative options in other classes. I’m also currently writing a book about the benefits of drawing for everyone.

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This term I tried an idea inspired from Jason Toal at BCcampus's Studio20 event. In an online synchronous communication class, I invited students to do several quick drawings of abstract concepts and then we shared them in small groups and talked about how our individual world views impact the way we represent ideas  (so much easier to see in drawing than in writing)! Several students commented how much they enjoyed taking their eyes off the screen to draw during class.

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Things have been changed dramatically due to the pandemic, right? In my online class, I ask student to do a photo collage using Canva to introduce themselves in the class. I can say that revealing hidden emotions from the physical classroom collage activity is diminished, but online collage activity creates more fun, easy online learning environment.

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I have not used an arts-based approach. I've been stuck for inspiration. So I'm very happy to see so many great ideas. I have very little classroom time and struggle to find art-based ideas. I'm looking forward to Friday's session.

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I teach visual note-taking and encourage students to use it as a learning and summarization tool.

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I teach visual note-taking and encourage students to use it as a learning and summarization tool.

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I use arts based techniques in face to face classes all the time (for past 20 years), and have only used the ZOOM whiteboard with some success (students are very helpful!!).  I would like to learn very simple tech arts based techniques.  Heather

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I have used colouring trackers such as the ones pictured below. Students can keep track of moods, running, or other habits by colouring tracking sheets such as these.

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We used this slide at Olaolu's FLO Friday! Easy and light way to connect with your audience before diving in to your content!

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Recently we hosted a conference on Digital Citizenship and we used this slide to give participants a chance to colour while they wait for the session to start. It also gave them time to get comfortable with the annotation tool as we were planning on using it later in the session.

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Draft Slide Deck Digital Citizenship March 23

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What about a Word Search to start your session?

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What about a Word Search to start your session?

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Thank you Susana Guardado from https://www.brightlightideas.ca/ for sharing this image with us!

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Thank you Susana Guardado from https://www.brightlightideas.ca/ for sharing this image with us!