TECH GUIDE
GENERAL STRUCTURE OF THE TECH TOOL WORKSHOP
1.5 - 2 HR WORKSHOP PER DAY/SESSION
INTRODUCE THE TECH TOOL
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You can open with asking the participants what they think the tool is used for or if they have used it before
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Discuss: what the tool is used for, who made it, how it has been used for social justice before, has it been wrongly used
SHOW EXAMPLES
You can show examples of your teams’ own work and pull from the internet. An example might be a poster created in Adobe Illustrator. Tip: Find examples that relate to the chosen social justice issue
DISCUSSION & REFLECTION
Discuss how participants have seen this tech tool used in their communities and the world around them. Do they have ideas on how else you can use this tool?
DEMONSTRATE HOW TO USE THE TOOL
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Demonstrate the basics of how to use the tech tool
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You can quickly demo the tool and have them replicate as best they can after or have them replicate what you do step by step
ACTIVITY ENGAGING WITH THE ISSUE & THE TECH TOOL
Relate the chosen tech tool back to the issue with a transitional assignment where they can use the tool to analyze how the issue impacts them. For example, when learning Twine we spend a lot of time storyboarding around the issue
WORKING TIME
Spend the remaining time working on this connected tech tool deliverable
STEPS TO CREATING YOUR TECH TOOL WORKSHOP
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Choose a tech tool that matches well with the chosen social justice issue and decide how you want to use that tool. We’ve used Adobe Illustrator and Twine/Coding but you can repurpose any tech tool in service of your issue
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Choose your tech workshop developers and facilitators but everyone on the team will need to have some knowledge of the tool
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Research the history and context of the chosen tech tool and innovative ways to use it. Tip: try to find examples of people using this tool in the service of social justice
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Train yourself on how to use the tool by reading documentation, watching tutorial videos, taking an online course and most importantly...practicing! Create example deliverables with the tech tool and be able to create what you ask your participants to make.
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Help train the team. When you’re ready, your tech facilitators can onboard the rest of your team to the tool by giving a demo and having them try to create their own example deliverable. Remember this is a near to peer learning process!
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Create a powerpoint or alternative visual guide for introducing and demonstrating the tech tool. Check out our customizable templates that you can download below!
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Write a script or bullet points on what you need to say during your powerpoint/visual presentation to help you
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Practice facilitating the PowerPoint and doing a live demonstration of the tech tool with the rest of your team. Be sure to go over the activities and role-play possible questions you may receive about the tech.
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Finalize your workshop agenda, script, and powerpoint. Then go on to facilitate a fantastic tech workshop!
HOW TO MAKE A TECH CURRICULUM
Choose a tech tool that partners well with your social justice issue, choose workshop facilitators
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Research the tech, create an overall tech workshop agenda, create a ppt and onboard the rest of team with tool
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Solidify agenda and powerpoint, rehearse workshop multiple times to master the tech
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TECH FACILITATION TOOLBOX
Readiness Checklist
A checklist to confirm everything that needs to be completed to run a tech workshop
TIPS FOR CHOOSING A TECH TOOL
Think about the current technical knowledge and capacity of your team. Choose a tech tool that everyone on your team will be able to learn and help participants use
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Consider your participants and think about the usability and public perception of the tool. Choose a tech tool that participants you’re marketing to would be excited to learn
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If you’ve done an Impactathon before, analyze the post-survey results you collected. What suggestions for tech tools did participants have?
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BEST WAYS TO FACILITATE TECH WORKSHOPS
When a participant gets stuck, talk them through the steps to get started, do not take the mouse and do it for them
Build in time for feedback from you [the facilitator] and other participants
If someone goes deeper than expected, try to relate on a personal level and connect it to the topic at hand
Remind that you’re not an expert and encourage peer support and initiative
If participants are stuck, ask them to relate their tech creation or ideas back to their personal experiences