The dominant themes of an experience might be defined as the enduring feelings or key characteristics that remain with us. Noticing and naming the dominant themes can be a powerful way to capture the value of the experience. We are better able to live into our experience when we have had the opportunity to synthesize the impact it had on us.
Undertaking a Designed InGenuity Learning Sprint with colleagues is an experience that fosters deeper connections between individuals. It is truly an experience that is difficult to describe and to unfeel. By naming the dominant themes, we illuminate the residuals that will stay with us and the elements that we might choose to bring to our classrooms.
Illuminating the dominant themes can be a simple reflection activity where each individual within the experience articulates the powerful elements or features they noticed and felt. Using the three Learning Questions as a reflection tool, participants are encouraged to reflect on the deeper learning. Through noticing the similarities in individual descriptions, collective and often deep Meaning Making emerges.
As a learner undertaking a DiG journey, the staff at Griffin State School synthesized that Trust, Personal Connection, Authentic Voice, and Mindset were the dominant themes of their collective experience. These then became the driving force for taking the DiG experience to their learners. These themes captured 'the why' and motivated the beginning of our innovation journey.
Dominant themes can be used to guide our experimentation. They anchor our choices by connecting us back to the feeling of our own experience. They keep us focused on our quest for the new.
Dominant themes are a flashlight on an uncharted path.