Six Degrees of Separation

This activity helps students get to know each other and foster collaborations by allowing students to use digital brainstorming platforms to facilitate their discussions and small-group interactions.

Activity title: Six Degrees of Separation

Author(s): Shannon Hervey

Course: PWR 2

Activity length and schedule: This activity takes place sometime at the beginning of the quarter for students to familiarize themselves with each other and to help students master different digital tools for brainstorming. It requires students to do some pre-class brainstorming and in-class small-group activities through the Zoom breakout rooms.

Activity goals: This activity builds class community, helps students learn and practice using the brainstorming platform, MindMeister, and foster peer collaboration with digital tools.

Activity details: Six degrees of separation is the theory that any person on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries. Are we connected in ways we may not be aware of? This activity asks students to brainstorm all the ways in which they might already be acquainted by sharing details about their Stanford lives. See this handout for instructions for students and a more detailed explanation of the activity.