Spectrum Line
What is Spectrum Line about ?
A spectrum line is a tool that can be used in workshops to give a quick physical representation of where participants stand on a topic. It can help participants get clear on their own thinking, see where the similarities and differences are with other people’s thinking, and reconsider their viewpoint.
The facilitator introduces a topic and demonstrates which parts of the room correspond to different points of the spectrum - for example, one end of a symbolic line represents ‘strongly agree’, and the other end represents ‘strongly disagree’. They then ask participants to consider where they stand, and then physically move to the point in the room that best represents their viewpoint. This is followed by a discussion, during which participants may choose to move again if their mind has been swayed by what they have heard.
Spectrum lines can be used to get a sense of where people in the group stand on a topic and to understand the diversity of viewpoints. This can help participants to better understand different perspectives, as well as helping them to identify and connect with other like-minded individuals. They can also help people to get a clearer understanding of their own point of view on the topic, and the reasons for their stance, and provide people with a simple and effective tool to reconsider their opinions and change them if appropriate.
They can also be useful for considering complex and nuanced issues, and for creating discussion around ethics or philosophical debate. This can be achieved by using leading statements with an ‘agree - disagree’ spectrum, for example ‘violence is never justified’, or ‘the only thing you can change is your own behaviour’.
Spectrum lines can also be used within collaborative decision making processes where there is a choice between two alternatives, to help the entire group get a felt sense of the majority preference as well as any strong feelings on either side of the issue.
Audience
Is participant experience relevant for Spectrum Line ?
Audience description for Spectrum Line
Spectrum lines are part of a facilitator’s general toolkit, and are useful in a variety of workshop and group learning scenarios
Requirements
Not specifically
Online
You can use a variation of spectrum lines online, although you don’t get quite the same effect as seeing people physically moving around a room.
To facilitate a spectrum line online you can use a digital whiteboard tool - Miro or jamboard for example. Make sure all participants are able to access the whiteboard, then draw a line across the screen, and ask all participants to write their name on a sticky note and position it on the line.
If the event is blended and some participants are online and some are in the same physical space you can either do two separate versions of the exercise (one for visual and one for physical participants) or do the whole thing online and ensure all face-to-face participants have access to the online whiteboard.
project
ERASMUS +
Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union. Find more information about the program and its goals here: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
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