What:

An activity that invites students to review collected “artifacts” (artifacts are articles, data points, samples, etc. relevant to the identified topic) to understand the artifact they review, describe it to the group, raise questions based on the artifact and engage in discussion that might identify conclusions, outcomes and/or next steps.

How to do it:

1. Identify a topic or developed question on which you would like input.

2. Collect several artifacts that can help students dive into the topic (more artifacts than participants is helpful).

3. Participants look at the artifacts and choose one they would like to read or examine and spend 15 minutes reviewing it, taking notes, and preparing their share out for the group.*Students can review 2-3 artifacts but should be asked to report out only on one.

4. In a large group, each participant takes 2-3 minutes to describe the artifact, describe their assumption about what the artifact means, how it relates to the identified topic, and share questions that arose about the artifact. *Participants do not debate or question each other during this time of sharing. Observations and perspectives may be shared without judgment.

5. Participants pursue the questions raised by themselves and their colleagues from the last step (10 min). E.g. Why did I view the artifact in this way? What does this tell me about what’s important to me? *Facilitator takes notes on the questions and comments in this discussion.

6. The group then spends 5 minutes reflecting on their experience. Questions might include:

   • What did you learn through this process?

   • What new perspectives or conclusions are you drawing from this experience?

   • What might be helpful next steps?

Things to Consider:

• You may want to provide a note-taking tool for students to organize their thoughts. Here is one example.

• Share Out may pair with other strategies such as a pair/share where individuals can share in pairs and/or small groups before coming to the larger group for discussion.

• Share-out could pair with another strategy such as the billboard strategy or round robin where individuals post their summary, conclusions and questions and others give written feedback/questions/insights prior to the large group discussion.

• If the conversation is on-going you might invite students to bring in additional artifacts which could include researched items, personal stories, images, etc.

• This strategy could be used to initially gather insights and perspectives from youth participants, but could also be used as a launching point that allows students to also begin identifying how they want to be engaged in the next steps and potential outcomes.

• Consider the different learning styles and abilities of your students. Gather artifacts that your students can digest in a variety of ways and from a variety of perspectives: art, essays/articles, data sets, objects, podcasts/interviews, music, etc.

• Be careful to ensure the artifacts utilized represent a variety of voices from identities/experiences that are often marginalized (voices of color, voices from non binary and queer identities, voices from individuals with differing physical and mental abilities, voices from those of varrying socio-economic standpoints, etc.)

• Engaging students in the reflection around why they responded/reacted a particular way to an artifact is an important step in guiding critical self-reflection and can help students think about their identities and social relationships/perspective.

• Many topics could touch on the personal experience of students (e.g. race and racism, mental health, gender equity, community violence, etc.). It is important to be cognizant of the potential impact review of artifacts and discussion may have for students to provide a “warning” as well as resources and flexibility to help students engage at a level that they can emotionally and psychologically manage.

Take It to the Next Level:

Leveling Up Towards the Leadership End of the Spectrum of Student Voice-Oriented Activity

• Engage students in identifying the topic, question, and/or prompt.

• Invite students to contribute artifacts to the activity.

• Consider how students can provide leadership from facilitating the activity, making meaning of the data collected, and advising how the data is used.

Source: https://www.schoolreforminitiative.org/download/artifact-box-protocol/