Before you start with the Activity get familiar with the relevant parts of the Methodology for teachers and the overall composition and logic of the activities presented in the Activity book for teachers to have the overall idea what topics are covered in the activities.

The Activity has direct connection to the topics covered in the MODULE 2 of the Methodology.
The knowledge about How to approach information on the internet from Module 1 will be also be used.

Students will learn how to understand role of different actors and their perspectives about the concerned issue. In the process of understanding the roles and perspectives of different actors the students will also learn about themselves. They will explore their own assumptions, values and world views and will be exposed to their own biases.

The Activity 2a will further explore the issue already started in the Activity 1. Student will experience how to further work with information by identifying relevant actors, their roles, differing perspectives and underlying factors for these perspectives. Students will be also lead to also understand about how they perceive the issue and the involved actors and will be confronted with their own biases.

The Activity 2a is designed to be used with a topic where the students play more of a role of an “outside” observer analyzing the situation (situation where the students can not directly have communicating with the actors concerned). On the other hand Activity 2b will be relevant for issues where students play or can play active role and can directly approach the actors and communicate with them. So the Activity 2b will focus also on finding solution through direct communication with involved actors.

People (students) face difficulties to be able to understand differing perspectives and opinions before making their own judgement and forming own opinion. The differing perspectives are often approached with already biased perspective that further distorts or just confirm what we have “believed” at the beginning. This approach can resolve by giving us non relevant or inaccurate information for responsible decisions. Secondly in this way our action is based only on our own (and thus biased) perception without considering the perspectives of others. 

The MOTO of the Activity could be: We do not have to agree with someone but when looking for solution we should understand others and ourselves first. In this sense the Activity is exploring differing perspectives with putting emphasis on the underlying factors and biases.

• Explore role of actors and different perspectives and points of view on the issue concerned and understand the role biases play in our perception.

Step 1: The topic – issue concerned (topic selection)

Step 2: poss. First impression about the topic (when starting with Activity 2a)

Step 3: Actors their roles and perceived perspectives – first impression

Step 4: Different roles of actors

Step 5: Different perspectives

Step 6: Biases

• Student will identify relevant actors and their role in the concerned issue

• Students will explore different perspectives concerning the issue

• Students will examine the underling motivations of the concerned actors to better understand their different perspectives

• Students will explore their own biases 

• Relevant actors and their perspectives about the issue are identified

• Underlining factors of differing perspectives of actors are understood

• Biases made by actors and students are described

• Students understand concept of different roles of involved actors

• Students understand how are our judgements influenced by values, believes and norms

• Students understand different perspectives of actors

• Students understand underlying causes of differing perspectives

• Students understand the relevance of reliable information

• Students can identify their own biases and biases of others

• Role of actors (Module 2, chapter 1.9)

• Factors influencing our perception (Module 2, chapter 1.1)

• Cognitive biases (Module 2, chapter 1.3)

• Problem definition (Module 0, chapter 1.3)

• How to approach information on the internet (Module 1, chapter 1.3) 

  • General concepts concerning facts, data, information and objectivity (Module 0)

  • Disinformation, misinformation and fake-news (Module 0)

  • Understand  criteria for quality of data and information (Module 1, chapter 1.1)

• Framing (Module 2, chapter 1.6)

• Role of social media to consider when trying to understand others (Module 2, chapter 1.7)

• Biases (Module 2, chapter 1.3)

• recommended Empathetic (nonviolent) communication (Module 2, chapter 1.4)

•  recommended Logic, emotions and rationalization (Module 2, chapter 1.5)

Depends on the topic and the number of students in the class and weather students will look up the information during the class or before the class as a home work. But generally the activity is designed to be done in one class lesson (45 min).

With small or if dedicated on only one concrete data source it could be done in less time (15-20 min).

For more complicated topics, if you want/need to cover whole activity in one lesson (45 min), it would be recommended to assign the topic in advance (steps I to III) and let students find and asses the sources as preparation for the class (homework) (step IV). In the class you will than discuss about the topic (step V and further).

If the time allows you can also combine Activity 1 with Activity 2 or 3 into one lesson (so to follow the Activity 1 by activity 2 and/or 3 during one class). 

Before you start you need to pick a relevant theme/topic/issue to be explored. Best is to continue with the topic already opened in the Activity 1.

Otherwise. How to choose the topic (problem definition) and the biases:

• Beware of the problem definition not to limit the further research (exploration) by the students (see Module 0, chapter 1.3).

•  Be self-critical not to define the topic/problem influenced by your own biases.

• Be self-critical and open to different point of views.

•  Do not worry about potentially controversial topics, there is no need to come to definitive conclusions during this activity. “Controversial topic” drive interesting discussion and then designing relevant research for Activity 3.

• Topics that need further exploration of the data and information will be further explored during the Activity 3 Designing own research.

  • • Activity 2a should very well serve as basis for defining relevant research to find relevant evidence for the concerned points of view and considering the participating actors

You can approach the task in two ways (or combine these):

a)   You let students to explore and find the sources of information by their own.

b) You will point out selected sources of information about the topic to the students. So the students will start with these selected sources/actors.

To decide what approach to choose might be directed by these criteria:

i.    If you know the topic and/or know about “interesting” (example) sources that can demonstrate differing perspectives about the issue than you can assign the students to look at these sources.

ii.       If there is not enough time to spend in the class for this activity it would be better to pick some sources for the students to safe time.

iii.      If students get the assignment of the activity (to identify the actors) before the lesson as a home work, you can leave space to students to find they own sources. Then you may ask them to send you the sources before the class so you can get more familiar with the sources in advance.

-      For the Activity 2a it is expected to work with topic where the students are not direct participants of the issue and cannot directly communicate and “influence” the involved actors. If the issue concerned some local or school activity involving direct interaction with the actors follow the Activity 2b

-      This activity can be used and done with students to explore and deepen understanding of any topic.

§  This can be any societal issue (cutting threes in Amazonia, war in Ukraine etc.) or topic connected to the theme that is part of regular class (geography, history, biology etc.)

§  Or the Activity can be applied for a topic concerning  the school, town or class (e.g. to find solutions for topics concerning opposing positions)

-      We recommend to start with Activity 1 but starting with Activity 2a is also possible:

§  Recommend to start with Activity 1 concerning topic more information based where you should first look at source of information

o  The knowledge from Activity 1 about fact checking will be used and further developed in the Activity 2a

§  Optionally start with Activity 2 concerning issues where primary are roles of different actors with differing opinions

-      This Activity can be also done as separate activity with students concerning any topic where different opinions/perspective play important role.

§  As a teacher you can use this activity even for one “interesting/important/influential” topic you find “interesting” to be examined with students.

-      The Activity 2 is introductory activity, this means that it will be followed with Activities 3 and 4 where the issue will be explored even further

§  The Activity 2 prepares ground for further research to be done (so do not worry to come to definite conclusions after this activity)

o  The Activity 2a should very well serve as basis for defining further research to find relevant evidence for the concerned points of view and considering the participating actors

§  The Activity 3 could be done before Activity 2a, in justified cases where collecting information by research is needed in advance (the Activity 3 could be set after defining actors and their roles in step IV)