Assignment title: Active Listening
Course: HUM 2020: Experiencing the Humanities
University: Seminole State College
Professor: Kathryn Steinhaus

Compassionate & Active-Listening Exercise

This activity was designed for students with little to no background in the discipline (humanities) to practice expressing their opinions and listening to others in return. When it goes right, students can see an object of culture, art, or writing from another person’s perspective. Active listening involves dedicated time for pairs of students to engage in a structured conversation. The listener, typically, does not interrupt. But they might ask clarifying questions after a designated time.

Stage One

• Consider giving students a pre-test/assessment on existing tastes & interests relative to the topic of the class on the first day of class
• Assign readings (for example, Umberto Eco’s History of Beauty and On Ugliness)
• Share definitions and lead in-class discussion of virtues: beauty, honesty, & humility
• Facilitate an in-class discussion of active listening and/or Buddhist compassionate listening process

Stage Two

• Students create lists of 5 best and 5 worst traits or features of the assigned reading (or artefact) before being paired to discuss.
• Reinforce virtue definitions before exercise.
• Active listening exercise
• Follow-up reflection on reaction to partner’s opinions and impact.
• Repeat three times over the semester. (Partners change each time)

Stage Three:

• Final exam where students reflect on how seeing through another’s eyes impacted taste & interests in light of the discussion of virtues