Ideation Exercise –Carousel Brainstorming
“When group members are given the opportunity to brainstorm ideas without criticism, to
discuss opinions, to debate controversial issues, and to answer questions…wonderful things can
happen that naturally improve comprehension and higher order thinking.” Marcia Tate, 2004
Carousel brainstorming is considered a Best Practice Ideation strategy that “informally assesses
the knowledge of the participants and frames the learning around a particular focus, by thinking
about subtopics within a broader topic. This is also known as Rotating Review, which is a
variation of the Walkabout Review process.” The real value here is that all members of the group
contribute to the discussion.
A Carousel Brainstorm is good for generating large numbers of responses to questions or issues.
This strategy can be used in any discipline. It is “an active, participant-centered method for
generating and sharing large amounts of data. It provides scaffolding for new information to be
learned or existing information to be reviewed through movement, conversation, and reflection.”
Proponents of this process point out that “because this is somewhat anonymous, even the most
reluctant learners are motivated to participate.”
A variation of this strategy is called graffiti — particularly if it has participants producing images
as well as words. The difference is that with Graffiti, the sheets are posted on the wall, and the
students move around from sheet to sheet. With Carousel Brainstorming, the students stay seated
and the sheets are passed. Otherwise, it's hard to tell the difference.
A Carousel Brainstorm is usually about 45 minutes in length. The process begins with a number
of different questions posted around the room on easel paper. Participants are divided into small
groups and assigned a starting point to begin the brainstorming process. After a few minutes of
brainstorming as a small group, they move on to the next question and repeat the brainstorming
process. This continues until all groups have had the opportunity to brainstorm around each
question.
Purposes:
The specific purposes of the Carousel Brainstorm are the following:
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Assessing Knowledge, Needs, Interests, and Attitudes.
Building a Common Vocabulary.
Collecting and Analyzing Data.
Exploring Multiple Perspective.
Reflecting on Practice.
Starting Conversations.
Structuring Learning.
Tapping Prior Knowledge and Beliefs.
Ground Rules
Set the ground rules for brainstorming activities prior to the exercise.
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Set a time limit for the brainstorming session.
Point out that all ideas are good ideas
This is not a time for finger pointing or ridicule
Do not judge ideas when presented to the group
No talking while people are thinking
Record each brainstorming idea
Only the person that offers an idea can rescind the idea
Everyone takes turns in presenting the idea
No talking over each other during the idea presentation.
Someone leads the brainstorm session so the group remains focused on the task at hand
ACTIVITY: CAROUSEL BRAINSTORMING
This "Carousel Brainstorming" activity was created for the purpose of examining both individual
and group beliefs about mathematics and science teaching and learning. It provides a background
for creating a collaborative "vision" related to systemic reform.
Materials:
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Individual "Thinking Logs" which include a section for "reflecting on beliefs."
Easel paper labeled with each of the belief questions (4).
Four different colored markers for recording small group brainstorming on the easel
paper.
Facilitation Process Notes:
Ask individual group members to think about their personal beliefs by reflecting and responding
in writing to four questions as their first thinking log entry (4-5 min.)
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Take a few minutes to individually brainstorm and record your ideas related to the
following four questions:
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What are your beliefs about what math and science are?
What are your beliefs about how children learn math and science?
What are your beliefs about what it means to teach math and science?
What are your beliefs about how we know that children have learned math and
science?
Describe for group members that they will be sharing their beliefs with a small group (3-5
people, depending on the size of the larger group) and then will be asked to record their
individual ideas on the easel paper by either piggy-backing on an idea that is already listed or
adding a new idea. Explain that effective brainstorming requires that all ideas are accepted
without judgment.
Ask group members to "count-off" by fours and explain the steps in using the "carousel"
brainstorming technique: Small groups will begin by responding to one of the four questions and
then will rotate clockwise every few minutes to the next question, similar to a real carousel.
Develop a signal (preferably a silent one) to let groups know when it is time to move to the next
question.
References
Carousel Brainstorming
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/1989
Carousel Brainstorming (Instructional Strategies)
http://its.guilford.k12.nc.us/act/strategies/carousel_brainstorming.htm
Strategies for Reading Comprehension: Carousel Brainstorm
[recommended by Susan Rubel of Connecticut]
http://www.readingquest.org/strat/carousel.html
A “Carousel Brainstorm” Group Process
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/hrd/actionresearchstudies/toolbox/Brainstorming.pdf
CAROUSEL BRAINSTORM
http://www.stemresources.com/static/tools/Assessments/CarouselBrainstorm/CarouselBrainstor
m.pdf
Demonstrating Understanding of Authentic Pedagogy
http://www.macalester.edu/geography/mage/teachers/institutes/2005nclb/pedagogy/Carousel_Br
ainstorming.pdf
Carousel Brainstorming
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/educatrs/profdevl/pd2reach.htm
Carousel Brainstorming
http://www.quality-assurance-solutions.com/Carousel-Brainstorming.html
Carousel Brainstorming AKA Rotating Review
http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/brainstormingreviewing-using-carousel-30630.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=wkshp+model+carousel+brainstorming&ie=utf-8&oe=utf8&aq=t&client=firefox-a&rlz=1R1WZPB_en___US359#about:blank