Enhancing skills for inclusion: using appreciative inquiry to improve classroom dynamics

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What is Appreciative Inquiry?

Appreciative Inquiry is a management change process, most commonly used within large organisations and communities. Its use within classrooms is less established. The authors acknowledge that although this method has become popular, particularly in the USA, there is little critical evaluation of this methodology in the research literature. It works on the premise that in any group there is potential for growth and that investing energy into exploring what to do next is more likely to promote change and development than focusing on the difficulties and problems that are preventing progress.

Appreciative Inquiry is based on a set of assumptions:

simultaneity – enquiry and change are not separate;
listening to and sharing pupils’ and teachers’ stories enables everyone to feel part of a community with shared experiences, values and aspirations;
visualising a positive future helps that future to occur; and
momentum and sustainable change require the energy that stems from positive emotions and relationships.

The projects began by using affirmative questioning to explore the existing social dynamics within a class. For example:

‘What strategies have you already tried to improve working relationships? What do you like about being a member of this class?’

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Research Home Themes \| Find digests \| About the digests resources glossary researchers contact TRIPS Introduction What is the basis of the Growing Talent for Inclusion project? What is the process of Growing Talent for Inclusion? What is Appreciative Inquiry? What were the researchers’ findings? How was the research carried out? What are the implications of this research? Where can I find out more? Send us your feedback Collated digests To find out more about collated digests click here Get Word Reader Enhancing skills for inclusion: using appreciative inquiry to improve classroom dynamics This digest found in Inclusion Behaviour Send to a friend Word doc 60KB Printer friendly Collate for later What is Appreciative Inquiry? Appreciative Inquiry is a management change process, most commonly used within large organisations and communities. Its use within classrooms is less established. The authors acknowledge that although this method has become popular, particularly in the USA, there is little critical evaluation of this methodology in the research literature. It works on the premise that in any group there is potential for growth and that investing energy into exploring what to do next is more likely to promote change and development than focusing on the difficulties and problems that are preventing progress. Appreciative Inquiry is based on a set of assumptions: simultaneity – enquiry and change are not separate; listening to and sharing pupils’ and teachers’ stories enables everyone to feel part of a community with shared experiences, values and aspirations; visualising a positive future helps that future to occur; and momentum and sustainable change require the energy that stems from positive emotions and relationships. The projects began by using affirmative questioning to explore the existing social dynamics within a class. For example: ‘What strategies have you already tried to improve working relationships? What do you like about being a member of this class?’