Sample Activity
How Are We Doing? An Inquiry Guide for Adult Education Programs
Activity 4. Planning Next Steps
Purpose
To begin planning using Merrifield’s “next steps”
Time
20 minutes
Materials
Next Steps newsprint
3'' x 5'' stickies – any color
Process
1. Tell the group that while some aspects of performance accountability are currently mandated, as a program, you also have opportunities to use performance accountability for program improvement. This activity focuses on ways you might do that.
2. Post the Next Steps newsprint. Leave space to write between each item. While you are writing ask a group member to give everyone at least 5 stickies.
Next Steps:
— Agree on performance.
— Build capacity to perform.
— Build capacity to be accountable.
— Develop and use tools to measure the performance that you value.
— Develop mutual accountability.
3. Ask the group to think silently of at least one step your program could take toward each of these. They should write one suggestion per step on a stickie and after they are done put their stickies under the appropriate step.
4. Look at the suggestions and group quickly. Read the categories of suggestions for each step and ask if there are others. Tell the group you will reproduce this into a combined list and give them a copy at the next meeting.