TEACH ANOTHER PERSON:

Have students sit down with a family member, friend, or other person not in this course. Ask them to teach this person either a particular concept from the course or one of their choice. Then ask them to report on the interaction: what was easy? What was difficult? What did they learn about the subject matter by having to teach it to someone else? What medium(s) did they use to hold the lesson, and how did it affect the conversation?

• Activity may take place: in person or via phone call, videochat, messaging app
• Submit assignment: in person, email, learning management system / online post

HOLD AN INTERVIEW:

Have students prepare questions in advance and then interview a family member, friend, or other person not in this course about a concept or topic related to the course. The interview should focus on how or whether the interviewee has experienced some aspect of this topic in their own lives. Students should treat the interviewee as the expert and resist contradicting or correcting the interviewee during the interview. They should take notes and/or record the interview, with the interviewee’s permission. Then ask the students to write up a piece that reports on the interview in a concise, well-organized way, quoting the interviewee regularly. Finally, students should write a reflection on the experience: What did they learn about the concept or topic by speaking to someone in their life about it? What felt frustrating? What was enlightening? What medium(s) did they use to hold the interview, and how did it affect the conversation?

• Activity may take place: in person or via phone call, videochat, messaging app
• Submit assignment: in person, email, learning management system / online post

SALON / SCIENCE CAFÉ:

Ask students to invite a number of people (e.g. classmates, friends, family members) and ask them to lead a discussion related to a reading, a topic, or a question of their choice related to the course, to be agreed upon with the other participants beforehand. The meeting can be held in person or using a videochat application. Then ask the students to report on the interaction: What did they learn about the subject matter by having a group discussion with both experts and non-experts? What were the challenges of having a group discussion and how did they overcome it? What medium(s) did they use to meet, and how did it affect the conversation?

• Activity may take place: in person or via phone call, videochat
• Submit assignment: in person, email, learning management system / online post

See also: Design a meal, Curate/Attend a media festival (for assignments that can be shared with local communities)