Tant la l'Edelmira (investigadora del nostre projecte a l'UAB), com la Lourdes, com jo, formem part de diversos grups de treball, de discussió, de debat, de presentació del projecte. Des de Nàpols ens han enviat les instruccions del funcionament dels grups de treball.
Discussion group management guidelines
An explanation of the aims and nature of the recommendations and the role of the conference towards the development of the recommendations will be given during the welcoming words at the beginning of the conference.
During each discussion workshop each of the researchers selected as conductors/discussants will cover one of three different roles:
- (conductor) conducting the discussion: starting up, taking decisions, stimulating and linking contributions from the participants;
- (first discussant) participate in the nodal moments of the discussion and fixing the nodes on the blackboard (with keywords in all 4 languages);
- (second discussant) take notes on the discussion on a pc (whatever language one prefers).
The four-part structure of discussion groups is aimed at a progressive coagulation of the insights emerging from the discussion: the first two (DAY1) are more exploratory, with a certain degree of freedom for the participants to express their views, then each further discussion (DAY2) should focus more and more on specific elements emerging as key from the previous discussions.
Nota Bene:
Tell all your participants to take the discussion foci in their language with them to the discussion (each participant has a printed version in their folder).
Language management
This is of course the main problem and has no simple solution. Essentially, each one is supposed to speak their own language and the Traces staff will try to mediate with the participants from their country (or language in the case of Spanish).
The conductor should also in principle speak his/her own language but will judge from the situation in the group if it’s necessary to use another language or ask the discussant to do so if he’s not able to do it in the necessary language.
Nodal moments: periodically, (each ca. 25-30 minutes, or whenever it seems necessary), the conductor should pause the discussion to make the point about what is emerging: this is done in cooperation with the discussants.
The three official conference language interpreters will be present during the discussions (one in each group, of course).
In the first discussion:
a. the conductor starts the work and explains a little about the language management; the aim is that everyone feels free to express themselves in their own language but also feels reassured that all possible support will be done so that everyone will understand the others; the fact that discussions are been recorded is also another reassurance of the fact that all the things said will be taken into account at least later by the research team, even if something might be lost during the discussion;
b. each participant introduces him/herself very briefly (e.g., Mario Rossi, primary school teacher, Napoli, Italy);
c. after a few words about what will be done, the conductors gives the participants a few minutes to read the discussion foci in their language;
d. discussion starts: participants are asked to comment on key aspects of the discussion foci; (if nobody speaks, Traces researcher should try to involve some of their fellow-countrymen e.g. by referring to something happened during the field actions);
e. the conductor checks the ‘feeling’ in the group: if there are problems with understanding, further translation should be provided (in each group there is someone who can translate);
f. whenever necessary (each ca. 25-30 mins) the point should be made (see above).
The conductor should always keep three main elements in mind, which we aim at as key aspects we would like to emerge from participants’ contributions:
- participants’ experiences (in Traces or not) supporting their comment (in other words, some examples from real life related to the comment);
- possibly talk both about what works (has worked) or doesn’t work (hasn’t worked) related to comment;
- when talking about recommendations, different roles should emerge: for example, if one says that mediation is necessary (see recommendation A1), the conductor should provide that following aspects emerge from the contribution: what should policy makers do to promote mediation? what should researchers do to promote mediation? Etc. for local administrators, principals, teachers.
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