Including:
1.
Why
should I use an HMDC in teaching and learning?
2.
What
makes a good HMDC?
3.
Step
by step guide to writing a HMDC
4.
Suggestions
on how to present an HMDC
5.
Teaching
materials that may be useful
Writing and Teaching with
Holistic Management Decision Cases
Version 2.1
Created by the White Eagles
October 30, 2004
1. Why teach with HMDC’s
Holistic Management Decision Cases are useful to
introduce new learners to holistic decision-making or to help more experienced
learners improve their practice. In
addition to helping to teach Holistic Management, HMDC’s may be useful to help
learners improve their judgment, change attitudes about difficult issues,
acquire synthesis skills, or enhance their problem solving skills. Decision cases are not very useful as a
means of teaching facts or technical knowledge. Some knowledge of the context of the situation is needed in order
for the case to be useful. HMDC’s also require an investment of time by the
participant-learners and assume at least a minimum level of motivation.
If you think a Holistic Management Decision Case
will be useful in a teaching and learning situation, we suggest that you
consider the following parameters as you create your HMDC. Of course, not every point may be relevant
to your particular HMDC.
2. What makes a good HMDC?
·
A good HMDC has:
o A decision maker(s) and clear
Whole Under Management
o A specific problem or
dilemma that requires a Holisticgoal to address
o Related issues which
necessitate the use of Testing Questions
o Possible alternative
solutions
·
A good
HMDC may include:
o A Holisticgoal
o An opportunity to practice
using the Testing Questions
o An opportunity to practice
using the Diagnostic Tools
o An opportunity to identify
the root cause of a problem
·
A good HMDC is developed to demonstrate the value and impact of
holistic decision-making. It is important that you know
your audience for the case, have outlined specific learning objectives, written
the case, and tested the case with this in mind. A good case will create a learning environment in which
participants will “yearn” to learn more about Holistic Management.
·
A good HMDC tells a story. A good
story will allow participant-learners to “get inside” the whole self of the
decision maker and view the Whole Under Management and the Holisticgoal from
that perspective. Participants will
gain more from the experience of working with a HMDC if they are fully
engaged. While many decision cases use
conflict or drama to engage learners, we do not necessarily believe these are
necessary or even useful. Commitment to
the story may be generated in more hopeful, engaging ways as well.
·
A good HMDC is a set as close to “real time” as possible. Historical or classical cases are interesting but allow the
participant to separate themselves (in time) from the decision-maker. It is important for the participant-learner
to believe the decision case is at least potentially real and relevant.
·
A good HMDC creates empathy with the decision-maker. The personal attributes of the decision-maker will influence the
way the decision will be made. Therefore
the learning objectives of the case are more likely to be achieved if the
participant-learner can “get inside” of the situation being described and feel
in tune with the decision-maker as much as possible. This will most likely happen if the decision case situation is
relevant to the participant. A useful
case will be one that the participant is likely to know or face.
·
A good HMDC will encourage thought provoking dialogue among diverse
participant-learners. Creative solutions are most
likely to be discovered by participants when diversity of opinion and
background is encouraged. This will also likely enhance engagement and
learning.
·
A good HMDC should include a relatively simple decision that generates
a discussion of creative solutions. The original decision to be
tested should be relatively simple and specific, as complex decisions are not
likely to be useful for learning specific objectives. Seemingly simple decisions however may generate a discussion of
multiple options by applying human creativity to the Resource Base or seeing
beyond single objectives to serving the Holisticgoal.
·
A good HMDC occurs within a complex environment and learning should be
generalizable beyond the specific situation.
Cases must be about more than a minor or local issue. General learning of principles, scientific,
ethical or otherwise may often gleaned from a simple decision.
·
A good HMDC has options and “expects” a decision will be made. Urgency and seriousness among participants will be enhanced by a
decision that seemingly “must” be made.
That is “no decision” has implications.
If the decision involves a paradox or dilemma, creativity and learning
may be enhanced. Cases with “obvious”
solutions are not very learningful.
·
A good HMDC will help the participant learner recognize the necessary
coherence between the Holisticgoal and a good decision. This is particularly important during the development of
Temporary Holisticgoals at which time decision-making may help improve the
Holisticgoal.
·
A good HMDC is brief. It will be
difficult to sustain the attention or interest of participants if the case is
too long. Cases should be just long
enough to introduce the facts of the situation, without becoming so boring as
to be tedious. An effort should be made
to include only necessary facts about the situation in the decision case
itself, with only necessary ancillary facts in the attached Exhibits.
3. Step by step guide to writing an HMDC
1.
Create an initial idea for a case
a.
What
are the key elements of the case
i. Ecosystem
ii. Social
iii. Financial
iv. Other?
b.
Identify
the key resource persons to inform your HMDC
c.
What
can the case teach and to whom?
i. Identify your audience
ii. Identify your Learning
Objectives
2.
Building the Case
a.
Clarify
your purpose
b.
Negotiate
the ground rules with case owners/resource persons
c.
What
are the information needs (interview protocol)
d.
Gather
the data
i. Background information
(relevant literature, maps, HM materials – Whole, Holistic Goal)
ii. Interviews (build trust,
listen with respect, patience, inquiring/probing, gather stories and quotes,
photographs on site)
3.
Writing the Case (first draft)
a.
Revisit
the learning objective and audience (include this in the teaching notes, will
it meet multiple audiences)
b.
Outline
the case (what is the decision? what
are the key quotes, what is the key information points? what are the necessary exhibits?)
c.
Write
the story (keep it short, 10-20 paragraphs, past tenses, avoid jargon)
d.
Create
the exhibits (what media are appropriate?)
e.
Test
with a confidant (check in on the what makes a good case, learning objectives
and necessary information)
4.
Rewriting the Case (second draft)
a.
Review
the case with the original resource person/case owner (will it need to be
disguised?)
b.
Tighten
the case (cut everything not needed)
c.
Fine tune the exhibits (cut, edit, add to
make it most useful)
d.
Test drive the HMDC (try it out)
5.
Writing the Teaching Note (here are some possible useful components)
A. Copyright or other
information about using the HMDC.
B. Statement of purpose or how
the HMDC might be used.
C. Specific Learning
Objectives.
D. Context for how the HMDC was
designed to be used.
E. Suggestions on alternative
uses.
F.
Lesson
Plan – suggestions on how you might want to run the case.
i. Introduction
ii. Engagement
1.
Small
groups
2.
Role
play
3.
Video,
pictures
iii. Flow of discussion
1.
Guided
2.
Open
iv. Closure
1.
Vote/rank
options
2.
Reflect
and discuss
3.
Next
steps
G. Suggestions for questions
that might be useful for discussion
H. List of materials needed
I.
List
of written resources
4. Suggestions on teaching with an HMDC
·
Must
be real and engaging (you as teacher and an engaging story)
·
Interaction
is valuable
·
Have
a plan but be ready to dance
·
Integrity
is key:
o Audience
o Learning Objectives
o Content is focused
o Clear Decision
·
Input/output
with respect
·
Ability
to ask the “right” questions to get at the information you need
·
Create
a plan (tactic) for teaching, such as:
1.
Allow
participants to read the case slowly.
Distribute the Exhibits but they can be read later.
2.
Read
the case out loud together.
3.
Ask
an opening question. The purpose of
this question is to help the participants engage personally in the
decision.
4.
Form
groups of 4-5 people each and ask them to meet to discuss the case. Suggest the group assign individuals to
review each exhibit carefully and report to the others. Discuss the core issues, which make this
decision difficult for the decision maker. Discuss how each of the exhibits
adds relevant information.
5.
Answer
the following questions:
What exactly is the dilemna?
What are the decision makers objectives in this
situation?
What are the major issues influencing the decision
maker?
What are the options?
6.
Decide
what clarifying questions would you want to ask the decision maker if
available. Remind participants to use
the Holisticgoal and to think about the Holistic Management Testing
Questions.
7.
Interview
the decision maker if available.
8.
Ask
each group to meet and reflect on what they learned. Review the questions above (a-d). Determine if there is a consensus among group members regarding what
the decision maker should do. If a
consensus can’t be formed, you may vote and record the tally.
9.
Report
back to the entire group on the results.
During this discussion, consider how the Holisticgoal and answers to the
Holistic Management Testing Questions influenced the decision.
10.
Finally, reflect on the Decision Case as a
learning tool. Did it serve the
learning objectives?
5. Teaching materials that may be useful
·
Appendices
geared to learning objectives
·
Video/audio/pictures
– capture the voice of the decision maker – use quotes
·
Core
information is in the body of the DC
·
Supporting
materials is in the appendices
·
Teaching
notes are uniform for HMDC’s (see handout)
·
List
of materials needed for facilitator
o Powerpoint
o Flip chart
o Handouts
o Etc.