Easy
Teaching tip: the Postcards activity
Postcards have existed in France since 1870. They have made it possible to send memories, communications and feelings all over the world. The idea is to use postcards as an educational tool.
With this trick, you allow the students to answer a thematic, personal or professional question that they will receive a few months after the training.
Resources produced as a result of a project: Escapade
Group size : Small group (4-5 persons), Group (10-15 persons), Classroom (20-30 persons), Amphitheater, large group
Modality : Presential, Hybrid
Duration of the teaching method : In a session
Special equipment : Buy a batch of postcards according to the number of people and provide stamps.
Type of knowledge developed : Social skills
Target Audience : Students, Professionals in training
Course Type : Tutorials (TD), Course
Preparation time :Almost none. Anticipate the purchase of postcards.
Author and persons who made changes : Julien Rose
Why am I using this technique?
For my learners...
An activity like postcards is a great engagement tool. It doesn't cost much time to set up and it is very fun.
For learners, receiving a written card corresponding to a moment in the past training allows them to validate and become aware of their commitment at that moment.
For me, teacher or trainer...
For the fun and playful side of the activity. One can also imagine using the reception of these cards to have a discussion/debate with the learners, if they have respected the written commitments.
Framework and steps / Instructions
The framework
This tip clearly belongs in the fun activities of a training course, event, etc.
The preparation
Plan to buy enough postcards and think about the question to ask the learners.
The process
- Lay out the postcards on the desk
- Have each learner choose one card
- Announce the question to be answered, it can be in the form of "What did you learn from the training?", or "What do you commit to do as a result of this training?", or "What skills do you think you have acquired during the training and why?" or "What was, for you, the best moment of the training?
- Learners write down their answers and postal addresses
- 1 or 2 months (depending on needs), send the postcards to the learners
Evaluation
This is not an exercise for evaluation.
Variants
There are many possible variations on this activity.
If you have in-house illustration skills, you can create drawings that you print on the cards (for example, the visual on this sheet was made during the Escapade Summer School, and is used as a visual on the postcards sent to students).
The choice of cards remains important, as it allows you to leave a trace and memories for the learners.
Points of vigilance
For the activity to be effective, the question to be asked of the learners must be well prepared
What if it doesn't work?
It is unlikely to happen.
Useful links
Examples https://www.edutopia.org/blog/the-power-of-the-postcard-matthew-friday