Debriefing to Deepen Learning

Activities, such as group-building activities, role-plays or visioning through art creation (to name a few) are a central part of a girls’ program. The purpose of having a debriefing session after an activity or workshop is to support participants in their reflection on the activity they have just experienced, as well as to deepen their learning.

Facilitating a discussion to reflect on lessons learned is just as important as the exercise itself. There are a few guidelines that we have found helpful in facilitating a meaningful debriefing session. We like to break it down into three phases that guide the conversation and answer the questions: “What?” “So What?” and “Now What?” Also, any and all of the approaches used in the previous section:Ideas for Facilitating Discussion could be used for debriefing.

What?

In this phase of the discussion you are clarifying exactly what took place. Everyone will have a different perception of what was notable or important about the activity and this is an opportunity to share these perspectives. You can learn a lot about what is important to all members of the group by answering the following “What?” questions together.

Questions to ask in this phase could include:

• What was that activity or experience like?

• What did you notice and observe?

• What was the most challenging thing about that activity or experience? What was the easiest?

So What?

The "What?" questions can quickly go into the “So What?” phase. In the “So What?” phase, the girls identify what they think, feel or learned from the activity or experience.

Questions to ask in this phase could include:

• What did you learn?

• Was this activity or experience important to you? Why or why not?

• Do you have any new insights? If so, what are they?

• So what did this experience mean to you and your life?

Now What?

The last phase is meant to focus on the learning that is applicable beyond the activity or experience.

Questions to ask in this phase could include:

• What are you going to do now with what you have just learned?

• What goals do you have?

• What are the next steps you and/or the group are going to take?