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Midwest Scholars Conference

Indiana Wesleyan University

Indianapolis Education Center

21 February 2008

Mark Eutsler

Indiana Wesleyan University

Adjunct Faculty Member

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Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it might benefit those who listen.

Ephesians 4:29 NIV

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Ap-pre’ci-ate, v., 1. valuing; the act of recognizing the best in people or the world around us; affirming past and present strengths, successes, and potentials; to perceive those things that give life (health, vitality, excellence) to living systems 2. to increase in value, e.g. the economy has appreciated in value. Synonyms: VALUING, PRIZING, ESTEEMING, and HONORING.

In-quire’ (kwir), v., 1. the act of exploration and discovery. 2. To ask questions; to be open to seeing new potentials and possibilities. Synonyms: DISCOVERY, SEARCH, and SYSTEMATIC EXPLORATION, STUDY.

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Appreciative Inquiry is about the coevolutionary search for the best in people, their organizations, and the relevant world around them. In its broadest focus, it involves systematic discovery of what gives “life” to a living system when it is most alive, most effective, and most constructively capable in economic, ecological, and human terms.

AI deliberately, seeks to work from a “positive change core”—and it assumes that every living system has many untapped and rich and inspiring accounts of the positive. Link the energy of this core directly to any change agenda and changes never thought possible are suddenly and democratically mobilized.

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Positive Image,

Positive Action

Key Concepts …

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The artful creation of a positive, shared image of the future may well be the most prolific activity that individuals and organizations can engage in if their aim is to help bring to fruition a significant future.

Organizations (and people and societies) are largely heliotropic in character -- they exhibit a largely automatic tendency to evolve in the direction of positive anticipatory images of the future.

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Imagery: “Imagination is more important than knowledge." -- Albert Einstein

Relationship between positive image and positive action: Positive imagery -- the placebo effect in medicine. Positive images lead to positive actions.

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The rise and fall of images of the future precedes or accompanies the rise and fall of cultures.

Nearly everything society has considered a social advance (women's suffrage, full employment, universal education, total health care access) has been prefigured first in some utopian writing.

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We can create our own future-determining imagery (golf, bowling).

Implications for societies and organizations: Societies and organizations need less fixing, less problem solving and more positive images born of appreciation.

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The appreciative eye -- as Churchill had -- apprehends "what is" rather than "what is not.“

Appreciation not only draws our eye toward life, but stirs our feelings, excites our curiosity, and provides inspiration to the envisioning mind.

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Our objective is to nourish the appreciative soil. Creating the conditions for appreciation -- in and around the organization -- is the single most important act that an organization can engage in if its real aim is to bring to fruition a new and better future.

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Complete Part 1 of the Appreciative Inquiry Inquiry

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Advances in Appreciate Inquiry Thematic Framework

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The Five-Minute MRI—Finding the Artist within You—

1. Pair up with someone you do not know.

2. Find out what kinds of experiences in the arts they have had or are having.

3. Ask her/him, what kind of art they s/he would create or participate in and why.

4. Have your interview partner complete the phrase, “I know there is beauty in my life when …”

5. Introduce your new arts friend.

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Conventional Approach

 Identify the problem

Study the causes of the problem

Consider possible solutions

Develop a plan to solve the problem

Basic AssumptionAn organization (organism) is a

problem to be solved

 

Appreciative Inquiry

 Finding the best of what exists

Projecting what might be

Determining what could be

 

Basic Assumption:

An organization is a mystery to be embraced

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Conventional:

Have you had any bad experiences (while speaking English)?

Appreciative:

What are some good experiences you had while (speaking English)?

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Conventional:

What are some difficult things about learning (English)?

Appreciative:

What had helped you improve your (English) the most?

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Conventional:

What classroom exercises have been the most difficult?

Appreciative:

What classroom exercises have helped you improve your (English)?

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Used in both Conventional/Appreciative:

Do you think you are a good (English speaker)? Why/Why not?

Please give yourself an (English speaking) score:

poor (speaker) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (good speaker)

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Complete Part 2 of the Appreciative Inquiry Inquiry

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Appreciative Pedagogy:

•Bias for experiences of success

•Valuing success as the building block of positive vision

•Belief in the profound connection between positive vision and positive action

•Valuing social (face-to-face) inquiry

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Facilitation affirms that

•All humans have worth

•All students have abilities and qualities that need supported

•Focus be on the positive

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Facilitation process (4-D) includes:

•Discovering and dialoging to identify student-subject related exceptional/peak moments

•Dreaming and envisioning possibilities if peak moments were the norm (not the exception)

•Designing and developing provocative propositions to achieve vision and implementation strategies

•Delivering the destiny by presenting the provocative propositions that show new relationships and mobilize resources

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Triangulates theories:

•Appreciative Pedagogy (Yballe & O’Conner 2000)

• Constructive Discourse (Cooperrider &Avital 2004)

• Dialogical Pedagogy (Danaher, Danaher, Moriarity 2006)

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Uses preexisting methodologies:

•Small Group Break Out Discussions/Exercises

•One-on-One Interview/Dialog Scenarios

•Facilitator-Led Interactive Presentations

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Classroom MRIs allow

Appreciative Inquiry to be

Generative Teaching

that embrace as culture of

Positive Appreciation and

Fearless Exploration.

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I don’t see mistakes. I only see better ways to do things.

Dr. Bill Moffit

Purdue University Professor of Bands Emeritus

Third Director of the All-American Marching Band

Indiana Music Arranger Laureate