Documentation:Fishbowl

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What is it?

Fishbowl discussion technique involves a small group of people (usually 5-8) seated in a circle (i.e., fish), having a conversation in full view of a larger group of listeners (i.e., bowl). This discussion format fosters dynamic participation; its process is largely self-organized and may have a facilitator or moderator to focus the discussion. The "fish" (participants in the inner circle) will be engaged in dialogue, while the "bowl" (participants in the outer circle) will remain silent to observe the content and the dynamics of the conversation. The fishbowl is almost always part of a larger process of dialogue and deliberation.

When to use it?

Fishbowls are useful for addressing controversial topics or sharing ideas or information from a variety of perspectives.

It is particularly useful to help students

  • articulate and defend their positions/perspectives,
  • engage in active and attentive listening,
  • respect other people's perspectives,
  • observe, analyze and learn from another group’s thinking process,and
  • reflect on their own positions/perspectives.

How to implement it?

Make sure that the physical space permits a fishbowl setup. Flip-chart easel stands or paper on walls for written or graphic recording of key ideas is sometimes helpful.

  1. Invite a small group of students (6 to as many as half the class) arrange themselves in a circle in the middle of a room to be the "fish", while the rest of the class forms the "bowl" as silent observers.
  2. Explain to the group how the process will work and initiate the discussion with an open-ended question.
  3. Allow for 5-10 minutes for the fishbowl discussion; the inner circle engages with one another in conversation while the outer circle observes, takes notes, as they will later pose questions and analyze interactions.
  4. Invite observers in the outer circle to switch places with the inner circle to repeat the discussion process (step 3) with another open-ended question.
  5. At the end of the fishbowl discussion, the whole class will discuss what they observe and experience during the discussion.

Riffs and Variations

  1. Visitor Fishbowl: Have one or more chairs are open to “visitors” (i.e., members of the audience) who want to ask questions or make comments.
  2. Fishbowl Battle: A one-on-one debate on a given topic. There are two chairs (or standing positions) which anyone can come and occupy to advance an argument in favour or against, one by one. People can switch sides but there's always one pro followed by one con (or the other way around), until the discussion peters out and is finalised with whatever remaining views.

Additional Resources

Practical tips on how to implement fishbowl discussion in the classroom:

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When reusing this resource, please attribute to: Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology of University of British Columbia (Vancouver Campus), TLPD Team.