Co-funded by the European Union
SEA-EU 2.0 · Task 2.2 · Algarve Staff Week · Facilitator reference

Facilitation guide — core components

Days 2–4 · March 2026
Print and keep at hand
Component 01

Brainstorm

How to run the idea generation session — Day 2, 11:45

Before the session
Post-its × 3 colours Markers (1 per person) Dot stickers × 5 per person Visible countdown timer Large header stickies Challenge cards printed × A5
The warm-up — 5 min before brainstorm
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Ask around the room — one word each, no explanation:
"One word that describes AI's relationship to your work right now." Write answers on the flipchart as they come. Don't discuss. The words stay visible as a provocation.
Step by step
1
Seed the space 5 min
Reveal the three challenge cards. Read each aloud. Say:
"These are provocations, not a menu. You're not voting on these — they're meant to unstick thinking."
2
Silent writing 8 min
Everyone writes individually — one idea per Post-it, as many as possible. Strict silence. Start the timer visibly. Add one instruction:
"Try to write at least one note that lives at the edge of your expertise — something connecting your field to someone else's in this room."
3
Share & post 12 min
Go around the room — each person reads one note and sticks it up. No discussion yet. Keep moving: read it, post it, next person. Repeat 2–3 rounds until the wall is full.
4
Cluster & name 12 min
Whole group moves similar notes together. Facilitate — ask "does this go with that?" Anyone can move notes. Aim for 4–7 clusters. Name each with a large header sticky. Clusters with fewer than 3 notes: merge or park.
5
Dot voting 8 min
5 stickers per person. Before they vote, say exactly this:
"Vote for ideas you would personally help produce — not just ideas you think are good."
Distribute in silence. Count dots during lunch.
The three challenge cards
Card A — dare

How might we inspire a teacher at a partner university to try something they have never dared to try in their teaching?

Card B — thinking

How might we share a way of thinking about teaching — not just a tool or technique — that travels across cultures and disciplines?

Card C — collaboration

How might we create a module that could only have been made by people from more than one institution — where the collaboration itself is visible in the content?

Watch out for The moment most likely to go wrong: people wanting to discuss ideas during the posting round. Hold the line — "We discuss after we post." The silence is productive even if it feels uncomfortable.
Component 02

From ideas to working groups

Turning dot-vote results into committed teams — Day 3, 10:00

Decision rule for group formation
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A cluster becomes a working group if it has ≥3 dots AND ≥3 people willing to contribute. Dots alone don't count — you need committed people. Apply this rule firmly during lunch before announcing groups.
Announcing the groups — 10 min
1
Show the dot results
Present the count simply — cluster name + number of dots. Name the 3–4 working groups. Any cluster below threshold: announce the merge or park decision briefly, no discussion.
2
People move to tables
Ask people to physically move to their group's table. Stragglers who didn't vote: let them choose now.
Working group time — Day 3, 10:15–12:30
4
Hand out Module Design Cards
One card per group. Walk through the 5 sections in 2 minutes. Say:
"Sections 1–3 this morning before the coffee break. Sections 4–5 after the break. Storyboard runs alongside — do it between sections 1–3 and 4–5."
5
Circulate — 10 min per group
Check three things at each table:
  • Do they have a working title?
  • Is there a named module owner?
  • Do they have at least one clip idea?
6
Unblocking stuck groups
If a group can't define their learning outcome, ask:
"What would a teacher at another SEA-EU university be able to do differently after this module?"
Usually resolves in 2 minutes.
7
Whole-group readout — 10 min 2 min/group
Each group: working title + owner name + one clip idea. No discussion — just reporting. This creates accountability and lets groups hear what others are making.
Day 3 — storyboard + design flow
A
10:15–11:15 — Card sections 1–3 + storyboard
Groups complete card sections 1–3 (identity, team, clip idea). Then move straight to the Moodle storyboard — place activity cards in sequence across the five phases. Co-facilitator circulates. This is where the real design thinking happens.
B
11:45–12:30 — Script brief + card sections 4–5
Storyboard done → write the script brief (what ONE thing the clip communicates, from what angle). Then complete card sections 4–5: remote tasks, deadline, LMS platform, SEA-EU connections. End: 2-min readout per group.
C
Filming — by individual arrangement
Filming is not in structured programme time. Make individual agreements with participants during Day 2 lunch. Slots available: lunch breaks Day 3 and Day 4 (12:30–14:30), and the 14:30 seminar window by arrangement. Script brief must be done before any filming slot.
Day 4 — feedback questions
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Ask this question of every group during presentations:
"Who at your institution will actually use this — and do they know it's coming?"
Watch out for Groups spending too long on card sections 1–3 and not reaching the storyboard. The storyboard is where the real design decisions happen — if a group is still debating their learning outcome at 11:00, redirect them: "Write your best guess for now and move to the storyboard — the design will clarify the outcome."
Component 03

Module Design Card

How to guide groups through the five sections

What the card is for
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The card is the transition from idea to commitment. A completed, signed card is the deliverable from Algarve — not a finished module. The card drives the remote work that happens after the week. One card per working group.
Walking through the five sections
① Module identity
Day 3 morning, 10:15. Title, primary audience (teachers at partner universities), one-sentence outcome. The outcome is the hardest — use the unblocking question if needed.
② Team & ownership
Day 3 morning, 10:15. One named module owner — the accountable person after Algarve. Contributors listed with their specific role. Language + subtitle plan. Without a named owner, nothing happens remotely.
③ What we produce
Day 3 morning, 10:15. Describe each clip: who speaks, what about, approx. length. Script brief written after storyboard is done. Filming by individual arrangement — lunch breaks or 14:30 slots.
④ Remote tasks
Day 3 morning, 11:45. What needs doing after Algarve: editing, quiz writing, Moodle page build, voiceover, review. Deadline column must show a date before June 2026. Which Moodle instance will this live on?
⑤ SEA-EU connection
Day 3 morning, 11:45. Which other partner institutions connect to this? Four pillars — check all that apply. Reuse potential — can another partner adapt this?
The sign-off — Day 4
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Each module owner states out loud: module title + deadline + one person they'll contact first week back. Then signs the card. You photograph every signed card — your accountability record. Public commitment in a group makes follow-through significantly more likely.
The script brief (Day 3 — for each clip)
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Before filming, each group writes one paragraph answering these four questions — not a full script, just a brief:
What is the one thing this clip communicates?
Who speaks?
What is their angle / entry point?
How long (target: 2–4 min)?
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For groups with existing scripts
Review and adapt: Does it speak to a colleague at another SEA-EU university? Is the context explained, or assumed? Is the tone peer-to-peer, or lecture-like? Aim for peer-to-peer — "here's what I tried, and here's what happened."
What good module content looks like
Qualities to aim for
  • Teacher speaks to teacher — peer voice, not expert lecture
  • Concrete: shows or describes one specific practice, not general advice
  • Honest: includes what didn't work, not just success stories
  • Transferable: usable in a different country, discipline, or platform
  • Short: 2–5 min video; learner can complete module in under 30 min
Filming tips — for speakers
Brief every speaker before their slot
  • Speak to one imaginary colleague — not to an audience
  • Start mid-thought: "Something I've found really useful is…" not "Hello, my name is…"
  • Two or three takes is normal — first take is warmup
  • Hands visible and relaxed; slightly forward energy
  • If you lose your thread: pause, breathe, restart the sentence
Watch out for Groups writing the module for a generic "student" instead of a specific "teacher at a partner university." The audience is educators, not learners. Redirect with: "Picture a specific colleague at one of the other eight partner universities — what do they need to hear?"
SEA-EU 2.0 · Task 2.2 · Algarve Staff Week · March 2026 See companion documents: Week Schedule · Day 2 Run-Sheet · Module Design Card