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Using Conflict as a Tool for Reflection

Facilitators Notes
Objective: To use conflict and discomfort as a tool to reflect and process to enhance someone's
learning and experiences.
Itinerary
5:10-5:20pm Toilet Paper Activity
5:20-5:30pm Split the class in 2 Groups
5:30-5:50 pm The Bomb Activity
6:00-6:05pm Pair share (5 minutes)
6:05-6:20 pm Small group reflection (15 min)
6:20-6:35pm Whole class reflection (15 min)
6:35-6:45pm Wrap up (10 min)
6:45-7:00pm Break (15 min)
Toilet Paper Exercise
(Scot)
Introduce toilet paper conflict
Reiterate the conflict
Inform about the amount of effort put into the conflict (Wikipedia)
Inform of scholarly research
State the polarized positions and ask participants to separate into opposing groups
Match up with a member of the opposition toe to toe
30 seconds for pairs to simultaneously give arguments
End exchange and ask several participants to state their opinion supported by rationale
Inform of outcomes of Wharton Business School research
Segue
Food For Thought for Class
(Meghan)
Mentioning after the toilet paper activity about us wearing your hats and the role as a participant
and being fully engaged and invested and feeling safe during the workshop.
Splitting into Two Groups
(Danielle)
There will be two groups and you will be choosing between the two which one you will like to
participant in. this is allowing you challenge by choice. Meghan & I will be the role playing
group in classroom and Scot & Ki will be the non-role playing group in hallway. Once in
groups you will get instructions from your facilitators.

The Bomb Activity

(Danielle/Meghan and Scot/Ki)
Facilitators: you all are deciding who will be the survivors and who will be eliminated. 7 of you
will survive and will recreate the human race.
**Give Participants roles and scenario.
Scenario: There has been a nuclear holocaust and there are a number of people that have shown
up at this fallout shelter. There is only enough space, air, food, and water for seven people for a
period of three months. Before you begin, I want to impress upon you one important
consideration. It is entirely possible that the seven people you choose to stay in the shelter might
be the only seven people left to start the human race over again.
- Meghan/Danielle (Give participants roles before reading scenario)
o Role-playing Group: participants will be giving roles to act as. Each of them have
a piece of paper that they will be portraying.
- Scot/Ki (Read scenario, then present participants)
o Non-Role-playing Group: participants will be choosing who gets to survive and
eliminated based off of discussions. Each of characters are on a piece of paper in
the middle of the floor.
**Set the timer for 2 0 Minutes (either countdown clock or phone timer)
During Check-ins (after 10 mins into activity) for bomb shelter activity, participants will
be recording a feeling at those check-in points, as well as showing it visually with the
balls.
o Meghan/Danielle: Have whiteboard labeled with emotions, assign everyone a
ball. Place ball under the word that most accurately describes feelings during the
check-in point.
o Scot/Ki: Have the emotions labeled on floor with feelings, assign everyone a ball.
Have them record those feelings for later reflection remembering OR write one sentence
as an alternative (Assess how you feel, record it, move on).
o There will be 6 emotions they can choose from:

Tense
Anxious
Frustrated
Indifferent
Pride
Relieved
Reflection
(Danielle/Meghan and Scot/Ki)

Pair Share:
- When timer ends, they will pare share and walk away for 5 minutes.
o This is the first step of the reflection process. They will walk with partner and just
talk about whatever they want pertaining to the activity.
Small Group Reflection:

o How did you overcome this conflict as a group to make necessary decisions to
meet the time frame?
o Did you have to compromise your values or beliefs to meet the needs of the
group? How did you feel about that?
o How does understanding others values and biases impact relationships
individually and in groups?
o What emotions did you place your ball at and why were you feeling that in that
moment?
o How did noticing other participants ball placement during check-ins affect your
perception of the experience?

Whole Class Reflection:

- Everyone will return back to classroom. Each group will report what their experience was.
As facilitators, we will be aware of the discussions made.
- If needed, questions below.
o What happened? (spokesperson from each group describes what their activity was
like and how it went)
o Was there anyone you felt strongly about that did or didnt get on the group list?
How did that feel?
o What kinds of problems presented themselves in your decision making process?
o Do you feel this activity was authentic?
o How do you think you could integrate this sort of activity or activities like this
into your teaching or facilitation?
o How did you overcome this conflict as a group to make necessary decisions to
meet the time frame?
o Did you have to compromise your values or beliefs to meet the needs of the
group? How did you feel about that?

Wrap Up
(Ki)

Things to consider
o Low Risk, Medium Risk & High Risk
Challenge by choice and why it is important when using conflict with reflection.
Methods used during reflection.
o Using I statements during the reflections.
A breakdown of our activities.
o Toilet Paper/The bomb shelter
Define conflict, discomfort and how can you use these as a tool of reflection