Stakeholderlense 2[1]. . . encourages deeper research, critical inquiry, and often problematizes the very notion of an objectively correct answer. All inquiry starts with questions and currently the Internet offers answers that are objective, subjective, biased, distorted, partial, uninformed or downright prejudiced.

On the other hand, the Internet also offers almost every possible approach to answering those questions.

Stakeholder Lens is a methodology, through which students filter and make sense of the myriad perspectives by asking questions such as: “Who are all the stakeholders with an interest in this question?” and “What is their point of view?” With this information gathered students are offered a simulation of the challenges that face them as citizens and scholars– who and what to believe. They necessarily must use critical thinking mechanisms to figure it out.

What is a stakeholder?

Stakeholders are individuals or groups of people (organized or unorganized) who care about an issue, who have a stake or interest in it; who may have something to win or lose.

 

Typical stakeholders

Individuals and families with something to win or lose (citizens, civilians, consumers of products & services)

Nonprofit organizations (e.g. community, national or international organizations, consumers associations)

Workers (Labour, professional associations)

Governments

Educational institutions / academics (Peer-reviewed publications)

For profit businesses & industries (their associations, management)

 PR firms who create advertising & spin

Social media, citizen journalists on the ground

 


Context

The stakeholder lens is grounded in the concept of the*town hall meeting where students consult as many points of view as possible; analyze the arguments and evidence, and draw thoughtful conclusions.
 
The *town hall meeting, as a democratic decision-making tradition enables everyone who attends the meeting, an opportunity to speak and to vote. Underlying it is the understanding that diversity is essential to the whole and respect is afforded to all individuals and their ideas.

The Internet enables us to gain insight into a multitude of points of view not formerly accessible when we were dependent on print resources.

How to use this tool in the classroom

As a stand-alone tool 

Model one: Start with a community or group of stakeholders

e.g. People who live in BC, People in your school or neighbourhood, Chernobyl survivors

Who lives in this community?
  • Why does this person or group care about this community?
  • What would they have to gain or lose if.... (e.g the legal drinking age was lowered )?

Model two: Start with a research question

  • What individuals and groups would care about....(e.g. the building of the Enbridge pipeline).
  • What would they have to gain or lose if it was built?

 As a jumping off point for further research or activities.

Examples

  1. Ask students to do open-ended online searching. Who are the stakeholders in a current controversy? Take notes about their arguments and evidence.
  2. Compare persons or group (stakeholder) in this community to others and their points of view. Draw conclusions
  3. Debate
  4. Dramatization of involved voices (modern or historical)
  5. Historical empathy – Use the inside information of primary source stakeholders only (created at the time being studied, or very soon after) such as:
    • Original documents (excerpts or translations acceptable): Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, official records 
    • Creative works: Poetry, drama, novels, music, art 
    • Relics or artifacts: Pottery, furniture, clothing, building