One Campus: Many Perspectives Uniting and Engaging Student Leaders through Powerful Conversations

Session Objectives 1.Describe the World Café as a leadership learning tool 2.Highlight Virginia Tech’s Stepping Into Leadership Conference as an example of using a World Café 3.Demonstrate World Café techniques for practical application

Key Concepts Learning is a relational, social process Conversation and interaction leads to new meanings, interpersonal skills, and identity development Increases capacity to practice effective citizenship (Baxter-Magolda, 2004) Increases capacity for leadership

The World Café A simple, effective, and flexible format for facilitating group dialogue that is designed around the following design principles: 1.Creating a Hospitable Environment 2.Clarify Purpose and Set Context 3.Explore Questions That Matter 4.Engage in Small Group Conversation (Multiple Rounds) 5.Collect and Share Insights and Results 6.Connect Diverse Perspectives

Stepping Into Leadership Conference Uniting Student Leaders Student Centers and Activities Residential Leadership Community

Engage in meaningful conversation around knowledge and experiences Learn from leaders in various communities Synthesize and apply concepts from the conference concepts to their lives Goals for these Student Leaders

Topic: Using a world café strategy in your own learning environment/contexts Let’s try it out … Round 1 What are some topics or contexts in which you could use a world café? How do you see yourself using the world café? Why do you think the world café would be effective?

Topic: Using a world café strategy in your own learning environment/contexts Round 2 What are some key learning considerations for you and your context as you seek to use this strategy? What would help you be successful? What could be a challenge? What value does a world café bring to your learning context?

If there was a single voice in the room, what would it be saying? What deeper questions are emerging as a result of this conversation? Do we notice any patterns and what do those patterns point to, how do they inform us? What do we now see and know (or plan to do) as a result of these conversations? Final Round/Reflection

World Cafe images in this presentation are sourced from The World Cafe Community Foundation ( and used by permission. For more information about the World Cafe and to access their numerous resources including a large international community, visit their website at World Café Resources

References Baxter Magolda, M. B. (2004). Self-authorship as the common goal of 21st century education. In M. B. Baxter Magolda and P. M. King (Eds.), Learning partnerships: Theory and models of practice to educate for self-authorship (pp. 1-35). Sterling, VA: Stylus. Brown, J., Isaacs, D., & Associates (2005). The world cafe: Shaping our futures through conversations that matter. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Komives, S. R., Owen, J. E., Longerbeam, S. D., Mainella, F. C., & Osteen, L. (2005). Developing a leadership identity: A Grounded theory. Journal of College Student Development, 46(4), DOI: /csd