Brainstorming, Buzz session-Meaning, rules, merits and demerits

Brain storming:

        This is a strategy for generating ideas. In a classroom, the teacher can select a problem-oriented topic and ask the students to express themselves freely on various aspects of the topic. The teacher assures the students that their expression will not be criticized or commented upon a negative way. The views/opinions of the participants would not be viewed as relevant or irrelevant but the students are encouraged to come out with their ideas, opinions, feelings, expressions and comments. Brainstorming founded in 1953 was popularized by A.F.Osborn.

Procedure:

 Brain storming is an instructional procedure similar in many ways to an exploratory discussion. Brainstorming is used to generate a wide purpose of creative ideas concerning a problem in a short period of time. The major purpose is to stimulate thinking and bring out a range of ideas. Students are encouraged to come up with exciting and radical ideas without fear of criticism or evaluation. The strategy is easily operationalized.

1. Divide the class into small groups consisting of 5 to 10 members. Let them select a record and a chairperson.
2. Explain the basic rules of Brainstorming.
3. Present the issue to be brainstormed. The recorder should record all ideas. Brainstorming does not include critical judgement and /or editing of ideas.
4. At the first stage of brainstorming, even far out or wild ideas are also accepted.
5. After students have had sufficient time to generate ideas, list all ideas on a chalkborard.
6. A number of creative activities can be framed out of the brainstorming session, such as presentation, discussion of ideas and making bulletin board displays.

For encouraging creative thinking and co-operation, brainstorming is an excellent strategy.

Guidelines for using Brainstorming:

1. Identify the problem or issue to be brainstormed and present it in simple language.
2. Write everything down; do not judge it or evaluate their ideas.
3. Consider using more than one recorder so that no ideas are lost.
4. Emphasis some basic rules, which should be enforced.

Stages in Brainstorming:

1. Warm-up:  Attracting the members to the subject, arousing their interest and preparing them for free expression is the first stage. This is the duty of the anchor. The teacher can act as the anchor at the beginning to give an idea of this role to the student. The warm-up can be done through the narration of an appealing incident or a short story.
2. Ideation: This stage is of free expression of ideas. Ensure that all ideas are recorded.
3. Evaluation: In this stage, ideas expressed are evaluated. Using the criterion formed through discussion, each idea is evaluated and the appropriate idea for problem solving is found out.

Principle of Brainstorming:

     Brainstorming to be effective is carried out on the basis of four principles.

1. Free wheeling: Once started, the brainstorming session should progress like the lubricated wheel. That is, expression of opinions should be possible without interruption. The idea may irrational, comical or strange. But all such ideas may be accepted.
2. No criticism: It must be ensuring that expressions and gestures do not reflect a critical attitude.
3. Quality breeds quality: The more number of ideas generated, the number of qualitative ideas also increase. Hence maximum number of ideas should be collected. Each person may be given opportunity to present ideas again. Prompting those students who remain silent, without hindering others is the duty of the anchor.

Rules:

1. No judgement or evaluation of ideas.
2. The sky is the limit (thinking is unlimited.)
3. The more ideas, the better.
4. Keep the brainstorming process informal and relaxed.
5. Record all ideas.
6. Use brainstorming when a lot of ideas are needed, or when time is limited.

Merits:

1. It makes the pupil creative and innovative.
2. It gives opportunity for pupils for analyzing and solving a problem.
3. Useful in problem-oriented themes.
4. Recording of all ideas of pupils is considered.
5. Encourages participation and can be used by all students.

Demerits:

1. Difficulty in selecting a problem-oriented themes.
2. Problem of discipline.
3. Lack of adequate library and laboratory.
4. Finding out a tentative solution is challenging.

Buzz session:

    In buzz sessions, we allot a fixed amount of time for the students to discuss a problem or a task in a small group (in pairs, or in threes). Clear instructions may be given so that the discussions are productive. The efficiency of such a session would be enhanced by the teacher moving around and getting a feel of the discussions without interrupting. Once the small groups finalize the solutions to the problem, the representative of the group reports back to the teacher. The teacher has to compile all the reports and provide his judgement to the students.

     Buzz session can be organized in a regular class of large strength or form group the students and ask the group to take their leisure time to discuss their problem and report back to you. This is called ‘Buzz session’ because group “buzz” like bees while discussion the problem. The uniqueness of Buzz session is that it is useful in deriving creative and innovative solutions to tasks and problems.

Merits:

1. Develops classroom interaction.
2. Gives training the discussion.
3. Teacher becomes an active participant.
4. Develops skills among pupils.

Demerits:

1. Time consuming.
2. Difficulty in forming groups in class.
3. Most of the students lack imitativeness.