Breaking the Ice-Breaker
Corresponding Author: C-J Foster
All authors: Elle Simms
Length: 60 minutes
Location: Terrace Room
Description:
Breaking the ice in a group dynamic is so vital – we all know that the more comfortable a group feels to learn and talk and play together, the easier and more pleasant our jobs are as teachers or facilitators. We also know that an ice breaker game for a games sake makes some run for the hills! As Experiential Learning Tutors in Rise at Manchester Met, we use ice breaker games and activities in our daily practice as metaphorical learning tools. This gives games great purpose to set up future learning, build skills and scaffold a session.
We invite colleagues to join us in an interactive, play-based experience, exploring how games develop connection, confidence and cohesiveness. We will examine the use of games to raise or lower energy, layer in purpose and context, and unpack deeper learning. We invite you to join us as both learners and educators – experiencing the session in action and using your facilitator hat to reflect and unpack the wider learning. We will playfully switch between these two roles throughout.
During the session we will:
Invite you to break negative connotations of the ice-breaker.
Discern which are the right tools for the job (including how to pivot!) Which kind of ice breaker to use for which topic and which participants?
Explore the facilitation process of turning ice breakers into learning tools related to your practice.
Take away ideas of ice breakers you can utilise your own context.
Be playful in our journey throughout the session.
References, web links and other resources:
Not yet 🙂