Today I helped to run an activity for Murdoch Uni teaching staff based on the “world cafe” method. It was fantastic to see it in action, consider the modifications already made for accessibility and then discuss other things that could change. So many ideas!
The World Café is a structured conversational process for fostering participatory learning and knowledge sharing within large groups, where participants rotate through small-group discussions at different tables to explore various topics, share ideas, and build collective understanding. It’s designed to be a relaxed and informal yet purposeful method that encourages open dialogue, collaborative problem-solving, and the generation of collective intelligence. Using the large size butcher paper (or 2 x A3 sheets taped together) per table is a must to allow for larger writing spaces.
The cherry on top of my world cafe sundae was definitely how engaged all 45 people were!
Melissa Smith 