APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY (AI) What is AI, and how can it help schools and school systems develop? Presentation to Contact Seminar arranged by The British Council 28 th February 2010 © Barrie Joy

Using Vision Vision alone is daydreaming Action alone is passing the time of day Vision and action together can change the world (Barker)

Appreciative Inquiry: some definitions Appreciate: to form an estimate of worth, quality or amount; to be sensitive to; to esteem adequately or highly ;to raise in value; to recognize the positive in people and situations; to affirm past and present strengths, successes and potentials; to perceive those things that give life (health, vitality, excellence to living systems); to increase in value. Inquiry: to explore and discover; to ask questions; to gather data; to amass evidence; to be open to seeing new potentials and possibilities

Some Key Points AI is based on positive growth not negative deficit William James and how we perceive reality How the process is conducted is of critical importance. The importance of unconditionally positive questioning

Appreciative Inquiry The 4-D Cycle The cycle comprises four main stages: Discovery Dream Design Destiny

5 Core Principles of AI Constructionist: to be effective leaders in any situation, we must be skilled in the art of understanding, reading and analyzing organisations as living, human constructions Simultaneity: inquiry and change are simultaneous Anticipatory: the image of the future guides the current behaviour of any person or organisation Poetic: human organisations are open books, continually being co-authored by the people within the organisation as well as by those outside who interact with it Positive: the more positive the questions used the more long lasting the change

The Eight Assumptions of Appreciative Inquiry In every organisation something works well. Whatever you want is already there in some form What we focus on becomes our reality Reality is created in the moment and there are multiple realities The language we use creates our reality The act of asking questions to an organisation influences that organization. The nature of the questions is crucial It is important to value differences People have more confidence to journey to the future when they carry forward parts of the past We should carry forward only positive parts of the past

Appreciative Inquiry Readings Cooperrider,D. L. and Whitney, D. (1999) Appreciative Inquiry: A positive revolution in change. In Holman, P. and Devane, T. (eds.), The Change Handbook: Group methods for shaping the future. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. Cooperrider, D. L. and Whitney, D. (2005) A Positive Revolution in Change: Appreciative Inquiry. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler. Henry, R. (2003) Leadership at every level: appreciative inquiry in education. Available at : Whitney, D. and Trosten-Bloom, A. (2003). The Power of Appreciative Inquiry: a practical guide to positive change. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers,Inc.