Sometimes we try to specify too many things to do, too many rules, too much STUFF. Getting down to what is critical and important is a useful engagement practice. This is particularly useful when negotiating agreements, designing projects and REAL TASKS. If you have group assignments in your class, have them start with Min Specs!

Even better is when we work with peers to do this paring down process.

  1. Find 3-5 other people to join you in this challenge. It can be done face to face or online in a Google Hangout, using a webinar tool (like Adobe Connect) or Skype call. Use a tool where you can have a shared text or whiteboard space. http://www.boardthing.com is a great shared post it note tool.
  2. Using the process described at http://www.liberatingstructures.com/14-min-specs/ to do the minimum specifications exercise on the topic “what are the minimum specifications for using ipads in your classroom.” (Feel free to pick another topic!)
  3. Post your min specs here in the challenge space. If you post it elsewhere, leave a link here.  Tip: If you captured the insights in a flipchart, post a picture. If you tweet it, please include the hashtags #liberatingstructures #UdGAgora
  4. With your group debrief the experience. Did you discover anything you can stop doing? What was liberated? How can you use this in your work and in your classroom? Post your response to this challenge.
  5. Bonus: If you really want to dive deeper into exploring what to STOP doing, try TRIZ. It is amazingly productive and seriously FUN!

Mobile Implications

  • When planning mobile interactions, use min specs to pare your activity down to its most essential elements. The environment gets cluttered quickly.
  • Min specs can be done online as noted, but can become visually overwhelming on a phone and may be better on a tablet or computer screen.

Example for "Liberating Structures: Minimum Specifications":
https://twitter.com/NancyWhite/status/616239709325496320

Complete This Challenge

After you do this challenge, please share it so it can appear with other responses below. If your response exists at a public viewable URL, you can add the information directly to this site.

Add A Response

Resources for this Challenge

Have you created something or know of an external resource that might help others complete this challenge? If the resource is available at a public URL please share it.

Add a Resource

8 Responses Completed for this Challenge

  • Especificaciones mínimas (Anita Reyes Gonzales, @560Anitareyes)

    Es Herramienta Una practica muy Para El USO de interacion alucmno maestro con forme Las Nuevas Aplicaciones Que se implementan al Ámbito de la Enseñanza en la cual sea FACILITA El Trabajo,  

  • Estructuras liberadoras (Ing. Rosalina, @ing_rosalina)

    Una actividad que consiste en un juego basado en un memorama donde elestudiante aprende de manera lúdica y desarrolla habilidades de relajación mental y se genera un aprendizaje verdadero….

  • Compartir en Drive (Víctor Montes, @Victorm122472)

    Compartir en Drive favorece el aprendizaje colaborativo sin límite en el tiempo y espacio

  • Compartir en drive (Víctor Montes, @Victorm122472)

    Trabajar de forma colaborativa en Drive, favorece el uso de las tecnologías, la colaboración y la creación de espacios de reflexión virtual sin limitación en tiempo o espacio.

  • Trabajo colaborativo (José Ramón Montes, @ing_joseramon)

    Las especificaciones Mínimas nos ayudan a delimitar lo que realmente es importante cuando damos a los  estudiantes las instrucciones para realizar un trabajo. O cuando realizas una actividad siguiendo una serie de pasos

  • Poquito pero sustancioso: uso del iPad en el aula (Brenda Mtz Zérega, @2000Zerega)

    Las especificaciones mínimas para el ISO exitoso de iPads en el aula: Formar grupos pequeños con al menos un equipo. Aulas interactivas que cuenten con iPads. Servicio de préstamo de iPads fuera de class. Curso básica del ISO de iPad para explorar las capacitances. Profesor/guía y auxiliar en soporte técnico. Materiales de apoyo. Productos entregables. Retroalimentación continua.

  • Min spec for using iPads in the Classroom (Juan Pablo Medina, @jpmvalverde)

    We worked on the use of the min specs… It Was fun and hard

  • Liberating Structures… We discover something new to do (Jairo Arad, Sara Gutierrez, Armando Esqueda, Israel Huerta, @IsraelHPS)

    We find a new way to save time, save resources and simplify our lifes… making better our teaching practice

0 Resources for this Challenge

Creative Commons License
This work by Nancy White is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *