Steps for the Activity

  1. To set up the activity, get all participants standing in a circle. Introduce the idea of participation and empathy at a meta level. This exercise is about helping people think about how they participate in the world, so the facilitator will need to help guide the conversation, particularly if working with youth.

  2. photo by John Donaghy

    photo by John Donaghy

    Holding onto one end of the string or yarn, toss the ball to someone in the group and ask them a question concerning participation and empathy. Some sample questions might be:

    • Why is connection important?
    • What do you think "culture of participation" means?
    • What are some of the benefits of participation?
    • How do you show agency?
    • Why should you strive to be inclusive?
    • How can sharing increase participation?
    • What does collaboration mean?
    • How can the World Wide Web help you connect to the "right" people?

  3. Whomever catches the ball gives their response to the question and then asks a new question. Then, the learner asks a new question and tosses the ball to someone new. If the questions stray too widely from the themes of participation, connectivity and empathy, the facilitator should request the ball.

  4. Continue the discussion until everyone has answered at least one question.

Materials

  • Ball of string or yarn

Discussion

Discuss how would the created web might look different if the questions, participants, etc had been in a different order.

Use the created web as a metaphor for the World Wide Web and discuss how we are all connected through information, participation, cultural understandings and shared history.

Related Activities