Know-How Exchange : Strategy

One of the best ways to get an audience (either live or via the written word) engaged with what you are saying - is to get them to personally identify with the topic you are trying to convey to them. Using stories or actual experiences will do this for you. Use a well written story, which they will understand and internally nod in agreement and remembrance with. After that you can go into statistics, reasons, goals, etc. and then close with a reminder of the first example or do another one.

It would seem to me that outdoor learning could be termed experiential learning. Am I correct? Experiential learning for students means hands-on activities or personal observations.

Example of story: "Remember when you were a child and you threw a rock into a still pond, and observed the ripples appearing and widening as they went away from the point of impact of the rock? Then remember when you threw two rocks in and saw the concentric circles clash into each other, melding and flowing yet still maintaining two sets of ripples? Do you think that you better understood the effect of the rocks hitting the water and the consequent ripples by participating in the actual cause and effect ( having the images and motion ingrained in your visual memories) or would have just reading about it served as well?"

It can be very persuasive to get your audience to clearly understand your objective by using stories.
Hope this helps. (is this the type of advice you're looking for?)

Children's education has only recently been formalized as an indoor sitting activity (around the turn of 1900s), mostly so that parents had a place to keep children safe when they went off to work in the factory. Until then, children stayed close to their parents (or guild), and learned their skills "in the world".

We forget that learning is much more than memorization of facts, and there's a difference between being book-smart and world-smart. The Chinese proverb says it well:

“Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand."

One idea: instead of presenting words on paper, present photos of smiling children (in natural settings) holding poster board highlighting your key points in your document. The imagery will stick in people's brains, and remind them of the fun of simply being outside.

Making your point with a story is definitely the key as they can immerse themselves in it.

Just a few points
- Individual good experiences with recipient names instead of just describing an experience
- Choose uncommon beneficiaries also like children having dyslexia, ADD, otherwise highly mischievous and unruly children (unexpected)
- Give more detailed background of the children
- Include pictures locations of outdoor learning
- State how other countries have benefitted from it. (choose similar countries to scotland)

And finally for a touch of marketing..the tagline
"Bringing your child the world, one outing at a time"

Because your document will be seen by many in the world, i really hope this will help them adopt it! YAY for child potential!

"When was the last time your child begged to go to school?"

A Theme: Your sprightly child
Basically its to bring focus on our end product.

Flipping through the book "Influencer"
We ask ourselves 2 questions on whether to change

1) Is it worth it?
2) Can we do it?

What is the reason outdoor learning has not been adopted in your country as yet? Does it lie in the hands of your education minister? Are parents generally not aware of the benefits and thus have not pushed for it?

Possibilities include a groundswell (creating a revolution from the digital world through blogs, digg, forums). There is a generation termed as alphamoms which basically are very concerned about their children's well-being and who are technologically adept. Once the ministry finds that it is the natural thing to do, they will adopt it. Make it safe to adopt it. Another way would be to find out (again) the counterpart of the key official who has attempted the outdoor learning.

Seek out the opinion leaders(those who have influence) on the issues. They may not be the those holding official posts. Education group leaders etc. Enlist them in our quest for a fuller child learning experience.

Form a group which supports your cause.

On persuading group leaders, mention the prospect of having schools that stand out from the rest, having the "step ahead"

Make it easy to adopt experiential learning by slowly getting schools to make small, subtle changes to the indoor learning environment. (nothing offhand but just hope to spark some ideas)

And of course if u bring along your own kid (or borrow one!) who simply loves and has benefited from outdoor learning, that'll be perfect!

Ok i've rambled on quite abit most of which you already know but hope something has been useful! =)

Hello Juliet,

As I have read through the posts I can't help but think of your presentation to public sector agencies once this document is finished. Even though it is all well and good to have a well written and persuasive document, I believe your influence strategy needs to include more than just a written document.

Like ntuyap suggests that there are only two items that we need to consider when we, personally, are trying to change being:

1)What is in it for me? (Personal Motivation)
2)Can I do it? (Personal Ability)

While, a document that addresses these two questions will be much more effective than if they didn't, you also need to address these in the context of vital behaviors. In other words, what are the few behaviors that are holding back the adoption of outdoor learning in Scotland. Discussing these few behaviors and why their premise is incorrect while showing the benefits of outdoor learning will be the most compelling.

Second, you see addressing the personal issues is not going to be enough to cause change. You need to address the community as a whole based on their social motivations and abilities as well as the structural (or organization of the schools) motivation and abilities when seeking to influence. Ask yourself, when I think about the social network I am dealing with who am I going to need on my side to bring outdoor learning to the students? (These are opinion leaders) When you have made a list address each of their personal motivation and ability. Then ask yourself, how are the schools administration currently structured that will present a challenge to outdoor learning? List these and make sure these are talking points that you want to address with those opinion leaders you have identified.

In my mind your written document is not going to be the cause of change, it is a tool by which change will come but is ONLY one of the tools. You will need to address personal motivation and ability, enlist the opinion leaders and recommend the structural changes needed to pave the way for outdoor learning. Be sure to layout your overall strategy before just distributing this document as the agent of change.

Here are a few things that would be on my strategy to do list...

1) Document must address the three forms of motivation and ability.
2) Must have face-to-face meeting with x number (number appropriate to have majority) of opinion leaders.
3) Discuss structural changes with opinion leaders providing a solution to the change needed.

Finally, I have a sales background so I always suggest to anyone selling anything that there is a buyer decision making process that you must follow to be successful when influencing someone to buy. To read a little be more about this check out this post at the following link. It describes in some detail the five decisions that come into play when you are meeting with these opinion leaders.

pauld

P.S. The information about vital behaviors, and the three forms of motivation and ability are available to read in depth about in the book called "Influencer" authored by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler. It is really a great book when you are designing an influence strategy.

Here's an acronym I use for my communications all the time. This is taken from the book, "Make it Stick".
SUCCES

S - Simple. Keep the communication simple.
U - Unexepcted. Use the element of surprise to keep your audience's attention.
C - Concrete. Use concrete details and limit your abstract concepts/language.
C - Credible
E - Emotional. What is your listener's personal goals (perhaps they aspire to be more powerful, or to be perceived as caregivers) - tie in to these goals. These goals are not necessarily the stated project goals (such as provide kids with education) - they are personal goals that make each person emotionally invested in the project.
S - Storytelling. Use a story to illustrate your point.

The authors of the book explain it much better than I do, but that's it in a nutshell.

Re. useful downloadable presentation formats, I prefer Adobe pdf documents because almost everyone has Adobe installed, and the user cannot change the document.

The dunblane issue IS a little sticky. (pun intended)

Although like mentioned by Tracey in Made to Stick: the chances of getting killed by an airplane crash is actually lower than that of a car crash by running into an antelope.(or whatever animal). So is your child running into harm during outdoor learning than compared to at home or outside having fun.

What if we work on the teachers too? Offering subsidised rates for certification of teachers paid by schools or the governement? Its a small step yes but towards the goal.

It is a possibility that once many teachers have been certified, they will see it as a norm. As they say, all we want is a foot in the door.

Tagline: A New World of Learning: Outdoor

Been thinking abit but nothing really substantial. Hope it helps though! =)

Hi Juliet!

I'd have to say I am more than just fascinated by the exchanges in this post, and my appreciation for this forum and the people that so generously contribute thoughts, ideas, insights and experience has grown in leaps and bounds since I am a member.

Now, I believe that the material you have here are quite substantial, albeit I would like to share my thoughts as science and outdoor learning are great love of mine.

Tagline: Every form takes shape through mental demand.

You can combine this with a picture of a child molding clay, or kindergarten children huddled in a sandbox, building their own version of a sand castle on your tool document or other communication treatments. For downloadable images, you can visit. www.gettyimages.com

Much of what has been said in this forum points out to learning through the sensory experience. Your case in point between science and literacy in math is a valid ground and can be further documented with research and presentation of evidence.

Evidence being the key word. I still remember when we were kids, our inclinations are towards "discovery." The learning plateau is more like "I believe it so I see it."

As an adult, we move from discovery to "evidence," and so we say "I believe it when I see it."

Get expert endorsements on outdoor learning. A lot of people have used the word 'science" in this exchange, and I think that may be a good angle. Get expert's opinion on science and your program. I recently attended a World Science Festival in New York, and it is an absolute delight to see that the world is truly our classroom. I am sure that one or two organization would be willing to endorse or help you with your project.

You can check the following websites dedicated to learning, and especially science:

https://www2.scholastic.com/browse/index.jsp
https://science.discovery.com/

There is also w wonderful Japanese scientist who likes doing work for children, his name is Dr. Masaru Emoto. He has been in involved in research on water and the environment, and believes that exposure of children outside the traditional classroom is the way to engage.

There are foundations that fully embody the great world of science and learning. They are the (1) Simons Foundation, (2) Alfred P. Soan Foundation, (3) John Templeton Foundation, and Lewis B. And Dorothy Foundation.

Hope this helps!