Created by Mike St. John & Kerry Sienkowicz<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The W.A.S.H. <\/em><\/strong>strategy is a vehicle that allows individuals and groups to discover for themselves (internally and externally) ideas, issues, concerns, concepts, and misinterpretations about life, the universe, and everything. It is essentially a highly structured brainstorming\/distillation process\u2014 accomplished in a very short time\u2014that explores the what, why, how<\/em><\/strong>, and what-if <\/em><\/strong>dimensions of a topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Its power lies in its flexibility, ease of use, and versatility. Some of its many uses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using a WASH<\/strong>, we can get at least one- hundred ideas and perspectives swirling within the classroom about any particular issue in roughly twenty minutes. When using the WASH as a lecture, we end up with a completed hard copy of the lecture that was shaped by the needs and experiences of a particular class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Crafting the Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These stems provide the framework for the WASH.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This may seem like a simple scheme. But, we caution you to take care with the crafting of these questions. One word in the question may very well set the group off in a direction that you did not necessarily intend. The last question, \u201cWhat if?\u201d may be framed positively or negatively, depending on your predetermined or expected direction. A prototype of a WASH might be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you substituted the question, \u201cWhat if no one littered?\u201d, the results of the WASH would be quite different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another interesting outcome of the \u201cWhat if?\u201d question is that its crafting has the potential to change the pronoun that a group is using from we<\/em>\u2026 to I<\/em>\u2026 while generating responses. We find that this makes the last list more personal to the members and to the whole group. An example of a last question that would elicit an I<\/em>\u2026 is: \u201cWhat if you were being evaluated?\u201d Crafting the question in this manner causes the participant to make statements such as \u201cI like\u2026\u201d or, \u201cIf I was being evaluated,\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Conclusion<\/strong> Second, you can control the outcome of the exercise by the adjective that you use when asking the group to prioritize its list. For example, instead of most important\u2026<\/em>, you might use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, the change in recorders and reporters after each question allows students to feel responsible for the task at hand. Also, a quick inventory from each group on the number of ideas generated per question increases awareness of the responsibility of the group. If you are collecting the group reporting sheets for assessment, stress the quality of the document as well as the quantity and quality of the ideas generated throughout the WASH.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The WASH is an effective active reflection tool when it is used to reinforce and examine important issues and concepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n W.A.S.H.\u2014Procedure, Coaching Script, and Prototypes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A Procedure<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Carefully craft a set of four questions that complete a cycle about a particular issue or idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Have the students organize themselves into groups of three to five. Have them select one group member to be the reporter and another to be the recorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Let the students work in these groups to come up with a list of as many responses as possible to each question (one question at a time). The process of generating ideas is similar to brainstorming and the students should apply the same rules. In a short period of time (one, maybe two minutes), each group of students puts their heads together to generate and share many ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Once a list has been generated for one of the questions, each group selects the two or three responses that it feels are the most important responses to that question. These responses are then given to the large group by each group reporter and listed on large sheets of newsprint or on a shared document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Steps 3 and 4 are repeated for each of the questions. For each question, the small groups should rotate the roles of recorder and reporter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. The sheets or docs can be submitted for a group grade if you feel that this is necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: this method also works well as an instructional carousel<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have spent a considerable amount of time focusing on how the WASH questions are delivered to students. The following script is a demonstration of the preferred delivery. One thing that you will notice in the script is that we never use the expression \u201cyour best.\u201d We have found that whenever that expression is used, the participants apply a self-evaluation to their ideas and it severely limits idea generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prototype Questions<\/strong> Bibliography: <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mobilia, W., & Gordon, R. (2010). Critical skills coaching kit<\/em>. Antioch University New England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
Several things should be kept in mind while delivering and recording the WASH. First, you should notice that the WASH is quite lively. We have found that any more than three minutes per question and per prioritization diminishes the intent and effect of the WASH. Also, the regulation and management of time is controlled by you. You may increase or decrease the allotted time without notice, depending on the nature of groups, questions, and purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
W.A.S.H.\u2014Procedure, Coaching Script, and Prototypes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Coaching Scripts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/strong>Why does the United States have an interest in democratic movements in other countries? <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\n\n\n