By Brooke O’Brien, Center for Teaching and Learning
What is the Fishbowl Teaching Strategy?
In its simplest form, as described in the Center for Teaching and Learning’s Instructional Strategy Cards, the fishbowl teaching strategy gets its name from the way it organizes students. A “closed conversation” includes a smaller “inner circle” made up of “conversationalists,” who engage in a focused discussion on a topic or problem, while a larger “outer circle,” made up of “active listeners,” closely observes the conversation.
There are variations to the fishbowl strategy. One common variation includes placing extra, empty chairs in the inner circle. These chairs are open for active listeners to dive into the fishbowl to join the discussion. Similarly, conversationalists can move to the outer circle if they feel they’ve shared enough, need a break, or need to think before contributing more (Knowledge Sharing Toolkit, 2014).
Why Use the Fishbowl Strategy in Higher Education?
The fishbowl technique allows active listeners to learn vicariously through the conversationalists, fostering a deeper understanding of diverse perspectives. It is an effective approach for facilitating authentic dialogue while incorporating principles of universal design, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and constructivist teaching methods (Hertling et al., 2022; Sutherland et al., 2012; Tricio-Pesce et al., 2019).
Curious to See a Fishbowl in Action?
Join the Center for Teaching and Learning on Tuesday, November 19, from 3 to 4:15 p.m., in the MU Horizon Room for a fishbowl discussion. Six conversationalists will share tips for Navigating Civil Discourse in Teaching. This session offers a chance to actively observe and learn through diverse perspectives. Register now!
About the author: Brooke O’Brien, Ed.D., is the Director of New Initiatives for the Center for Teaching and Learning
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