The Warriors Learning Cobweb in

7 easy steps

1. REFLECTING ON PERSONAL
EXPECTATIONS
Ask students to individually write down their expectations and goals for the course,
using concrete examples.
I want to improve my English is not a concrete example.
I would like to improve my listening comprehension to be able to understand videos
and films that I enjoy watching better is.
The latter could be said to follow a SMART criteria

Specific
Measurable
Ambitious
Realistic
Time-framed (in this case, the no. of hours of course)
2. COLLECTING IDEAS
Collate all the individual ideas to a single list, with no structure of any kind at
this stage.
3. MAKING GOALS RELEVANT
Ask each student to indicate a number from 1-7 (1= minimum 7 = maximum)
beside each of the groupss expectations.
It is common to find that their own expectations are similar to others and this
helps to create common group goals
4. CATEGORISATION
a) In smaller groups students read through all the expectations and
categorise them into 5 - 7 categories, (whatever best suits the group
objectives).
note: simplicity here usually works best as too many categories can
overcomplicate the exercise.
b) Collate categories of each group on the board
Negotiate the final 5-7 categories that that group feels best reflects the
expectations of the whole.

5. DESIGNING THE WARRIORS LEARNING COBWEB

a) On a piece of coloured card, ask students to draw their cobweb with the
number of sections according to categories agreed on.
b) Divide each line going from the centre to the perimeter with 7 lines
intersecting
c) Indicate each category OUTSIDE each segment, with any key ideas that
reflect the category
6. DEFINING CURRENT PERCEPTIONS OF ABILITY
a) Define that the middle of the cobweb means present time and that the
perimeter represents where they would realistically like to be by the end of
the course. It is very important to keep the expectations within the reality of
the time-frame of the course design
b) Students draw a box outside the cobweb and designate a pattern and/or
colour to represent the starting date
c) Students colour in the segments, according to the pattern/colour in their
box of where they see themselves now
d) This last stage is repeated periodically, (each time the box changes
pattern/colour) so that at a glance progress can be appreciated over the
course of time. The last box will represent the end of the course.

7. SHARING PERCEPTIONS
Individual perception is often as or more effective than applying formal
evaluation criteria.
Students share their perceptions of what they have learned from creating
their cobweb, (normally I do this in pairs or small groups and then full group
discussion):
a) at the start
This is a crucial part of the process, whereby the individual sees their own
current situation, learning curve up to the present moment and future
potential, in relation to a whole. In a visual way it enables them to understand
how each person starts from a different place and the expectations of each
are equally different. Each cobweb is unique in the same way that each of the
students is also unique.
Nevertheless the individual perceives their learning journey within a whole
that is relevant to all the group. Most importantly all the criteria being
measured has been generated integrally by the group.
b) at the end of a period (eg. at the end of month 1)
From an instant, visual photo of where they are, from their cobweb they are
able to perceive individual and group progress and the cobweb acts as a
trigger to remind them of the stages of the journey and their accomplishments
along the way. Looking back while looking forward.
Periodic reflection also provides the opportunity to see which areas are
progressing and to question why others are not and to make any necessary
adjustments or changes and determine possible new priorities for the
individual and the group.
c) at the close
Lastly, using the cobweb to share their final perceptions of what the course
has meant for them has proved to be a very effective way of closing the
time spent together, leaving a memory of comradeship, support, achievement
and friendship.
With thanks to CECO
(Cordobean Confederation of
Entrepreneurship)
and dedicated to the:

Warriors of Learning
Luisa
Karine
Lucia
Rafa
Araceli

Transito
M Angeles
Juanjo
Natalia
Mercedes