Active Citizens 101 - National Service Inclusion Project

Social Capital and
Democracy
Civic Action Guide
MODULE FIVE: SUPPLEMENTAL LESSONS
WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM
CONTINUED
4. Have each group present its charts.
Hang up each chart and, after all the presentations,
give members time to go up
and look at all of the charts.
Selecting A Problem
1. Regroup and explain that it is now time
to select the problem. Participants should
determine which problem they want to
work on through a vote or show of hands.
2. Once decided, write this problem on this
board and review its causes and effects.
Ask for any additional causes and effects
from the group as a whole.
3. Participants now need to refine the selection
to a workable aspect of the problem.
The selection at this point should be
narrowed to a cause, effect, or smaller
piece of the problem (subproblem). Have
participants brainstorm a list of sub-problems
to add to the list of causes and effects
that has already been generated.
4. You may choose to have members repeat
step 3 (under Cause and Effect); to
further identify causes and effects for each
subproblem.
5. Have participants vote on which subproblem
is most important. This vote determines
the final problem selection.
Cognitive Reflection
Select one or more of the following ideas
for cognitive reflection activities with
participants.
1. During the forced-choice activity, which
of the arguments you heard were the most
convincing and why Have participants
discuss this.
2. Is it more important to address a cause
or effect of a problem Defend your position.
This can be either a group discussion
or a journal entry.
3. Ask others (friends, parents, children,
community members) which problem they
think is the most important to work on and
why.
Follow-up Suggestions
Participants should start researching the
problem using the techniques spelled out in
Handout: “Narrowing Down the Problem.”
DRAFT
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