The information below provides participants with one method for incorporating the agenda building activities into a class. By no means is this the dominate model, but it provides many key elements that can be modified or changed to meet individual circumstances.
Part I:
Class Time: 15- 30 minutes (or a single class session)
· Students are divided into small groups of 3-6 students each
o Students discuss what they see as the most pressing issue(s) that would be aided by a governmental and nongovernmental organizational response (policy, law, or simply political attention).
o A series of questions can be used to start the process (students should first answer questions on their own, then share their answers with group members.)
o Each small group should limit the number of issues to 3.
o A discussion of the importance of limiting their agenda to have an ability to impact the political agenda by creating a focus and a viable coalition
· Students write issues on chalk/white board to see each groups’ issues.
· Homework: discuss issues with family, friends, and neighbors. Find out what issues they feel are important. Each student should find one article, (summarize the article in a paragraph and bring this article and summary to share with group) on one issue they wish to champion.
Part II
Class Time: 30 minutes to 60 minutes (if you wish to integrate lecture) (single class session or can be broken up)
· Start in small groups and have students discuss their issue(s) and a strategy for getting their issue adopted on the class agenda. (Each student should be able to articulate why their issue(s) need to be addressed.)
o Meet in small group, then after about 10 minutes students’ should report out their group agenda (1-3 issues) by placing these issues on the chalk/whiteboard.
o If time is available, then allow lobbying between groups.
(Can link this to a discussion on lobbying, campaigning, and the overall importance of articulating the issue/concern to increase the VOICE that the student’s have.)
o If time is allowed, then you can use it to perform several straw votes illustrating the importance setting the rules for discussion, debate, and voting.
Voting, Procedure, and how the voting rules can impact the outcome (Before final vote on class agenda you may wish to provide participants with some basic lessons on agenda setting and democratic politics described below).
1. Discussion on the importance of limiting the agenda to create a focus for the action.
The importance of limiting the agenda allows for the creation of a stronger voice.
For instance, if a group of 30 collaborate together on a single issue they can magnify their voice. If 30 students work on 30 issues, then their voice is just a single person advocating their favorite issue. Hence, the ability to build an agenda and a coalition at the same time is a very effective political tool to have one’s voice heard.
A brief discussion on success in failure in politics and diversionary politics can be helpful in illustrating the importance of gaining and maintaining the coalition. Basic examples of everyday politics can clearly articulate this practice such as those seen with divisive issues that aim to divide the public and get them to focus on a non-issue or an issue that can not be resolved with the current acrimony among citizens and politicians (e.g. might be the Gay Marriage Amendment --2004 and 2006).
2. Discussion on voting rules and the final agenda.
a. The voting rules can determine what issues make it on the class agenda, and even the larger conventions that will be determine later in the semester.
1. Determine how many issues are to be on the agenda can be done as the first item of business or after the ranked agenda is made. However, if students’ know how many agenda issues are likely to be on the final agenda, then they can use their votes and their coalition activities more wisely.
2. Determine how many votes for each student. If there is to be 3 issues on the class final agenda, then does each student have 3 votes to cast? If so, can they cast all of their votes on a single issue? The more votes the students have the more political maneuverability they possess –and those who are savvy can have better control over the agenda. (Here a discussion of logrolling might be helpful).
(Once again, if time permits, then instructors can have a few preliminary votes to illustrating the impact of the voting rules on outcome of the class agenda as well as where the entire class stands on the issue(s)).
3. Propose, discuss, and vote on RULES for Determine the Class Agenda
a. Use Robert’s Rules or Modified Robert’s Rules to determine and vote on voting rules.
4. Vote on class agenda
(Try to limit class agenda to no more than 7 issues. The final Global Agenda we will limit to 10 issues and there will be an attempt to develop a consensus and reduce the number of issues).
(If students feel they need more time to actively research or to lobby their fellow classmates, then instructor can make the decision based observing the process and how they wish to proceed depending on the course and time available.)
5. Norms and Values
Once final class agenda is determined then have a discussion on winning and losing in the democratic political process. There is always the next round of voting, the next agenda phase. So, if the student’s did not have their issue on the final agenda, then they still have the opportunity to be heard (to make their DEMAND), during the further debate on-line and possibly at a convention. If they did not win, then they must develop a good message and build a coalition to get their issue more attention (this includes lobbying during the interim weeks). Of course, this works both ways, just because your issue made it on the class agenda, does not mean it will make it on the final semester (convention) or the global agenda. (This pertains to each level from group, class, institution, region, nation, and international building of the agenda).
6. Build a consensus
Also, try to have students build a consensus with their class agenda. This will allow them to gain a greater voice. They can do research in groups based on the agenda issues. Even if there is only 1 issue, quite often these issues can be addressed from many different perspectives. For instance, a class might have the AIDS epidemic as their top concern. Within this AIDS epidemic concern, we might see a group focusing on funding, another group looking at education, another might look at what the G-8 countries are doing, while another group addresses religions impact on the issue, and so on.
Part III
Depending on how instructors plan to integrate the agenda building into their class, the first two parts might be more than you wish to do. However, you may want to incorporate these activities throughout your course including possibly a research project. Also, students can do further research outside of class and instructor and can share the results of all of the classes with each other.
If instructors are just developing their class agenda for inclusion in the Global Agenda, then they can pull part I and II activities together in a single class session to develop their class agenda.
Instructors can combine all of their individual class agendas into a single school agenda. The school agenda could occur by having all of the classes developing an political agenda meet and vote (a mini convention)–or the instructors can be the messenger, articulating what is happening with the agenda process in the other classes. Much of this depends on the goal set.
Henry Ford Community College will host the Michigan Regional Global Issues Convention, we will not combine our classes until the convention day. (see web-site for previous convention programs).
(What HFCC will do during Part III for the building a consensus on the agenda)
Class Time: about 15 minutes per week – sometimes no time, others a little longer
· Divide students into groups based on issue they wish to champion. The groups should be fewer than 10 students. Ideally these groups should relate to the class agenda, however there may be students who wish to champion another issue(s), that did not make it on the class agenda. (Student’s in small group should exchange emails to share information on their issue.)
· Homework to find a single article related to issue. Summarize article in no more than a paragraph.
· Small issue groups meet (15 minutes)
Students share their articles (research) with each other. They develop key talking points and they begin to develop a issue paper (using the sources available from their fellow students).
Homework students work on issue paper. Options can be given for students. At a minimum each student will have a 2-4 page issues paper surrounding their issue.
This can be a starting point for other assignments that provide students with the skills for more effectively making a demand on the political system. For instance, students could in their group develop any of the following to articulate their message:
· Letters to Elected Officials
· Letters to the Editor
· Sign-On Letters
· Powerpoint presentation for workshops at the convention
· Posters for the Convention
· Web-page for Issue Articulation
· Video/TV ads –depending on students abilities and such
(Much of these activities can be done outside of class. The time used in class is to determine who does what and for planning).
Developing a coalition strategy
· Students in small issue groups should have a strategy to have their issues addressed and championed. Such a strategy might include a combination of above activities. What students determine to do will be up to the students. Students talents and ambitions are usually the driving force in determining the strategy.
(Also, the strategy will depend on who will be included in the final agenda, and the ultimate goal of the students.)