Appreciative Inquiry

Flipping the script on critique toward deeper inquiry and understanding.

A Faculty Tool: Giving student feedback and perspective through Appreciative Inquiry:

We are often taught that being smart and observant means being critical of something. Much of my graduate school experience and education was reading books and breaking down the flaws in the author’s arguments. I remember 3-hour long seminars where we would talk endlessly about what was wrong with a book and how many ways it was problematic and could be improved- if only they had a wider audience base and were more inclusive or had cited other authors and noted other theories, etc. I remember being so tired and negative that by the end of each seminar I would come home and sleep, completely exhausted by the level and depth of critique we had to provide. While there is a time and place for critique, it is not everything.

I am here to offer another perspective and tool that we can use, especially at College Unbound, where most of our students have experienced some educational trauma. The last thing we want to do with CU students is start with more negative critique.

What if we started with the positive first and our lens was that of appreciation more than looking to find holes or gaps within an argument? This is the power of Appreciative Inquiry. It helps us find the beauty and best in things before going into critique.

I learned about Appreciative Inquiry from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice, and have found myself to be a better, more mindful, and intentional educator and employee by practicing Appreciative Inquiry.

What is Appreciative Inquiry you ask? Appreciative Inquiry is an approach to organizational development, focusing on positive change through a 4-D cycle:

Discovery: Acknowledge and appreciate what 'is.'
Dream: Imagine and appreciate what 'will be.'
Design: Decide what 'should be' and strategize the path from reality to the envisioned ideal.
Delivery: Create and implement ways to achieve the 'dream' while applying strategies to practice.

Appreciative Inquiry is an approach to change that focuses on strengths, successes, and positives rather than problems and negatives. For many people, their primary experience of self-development is through a deficiency model, such as problem-solving. Typically we look for a solution and apply this to fix the problem. So in assessment processes, we often find feedback given on what was wrong, rather than what is good.

Utilizing appreciative inquiry with students is crucial as it fosters a positive and empowering learning environment. Focusing on strengths, achievements, and what works well enhances motivation, collaboration, and overall student engagement in the educational process. I would love for you to test out using Appreciative Inquiry in your CU classroom.

The 4-D Cycle of Appreciative Inquiry

To get a better sense of what Appreciative Inquiry is, please see below in the chart on how it is different from more traditional problem-solving methods. We encourage you to utilize Appreciative Inquiry as one of the tools in your tool box.. We find it to be a gem in the development of “Organizational Leadership and Change,” our singular major here at College Unbound.

Problem-Solving

Identify the problem

Conduct root cause analysis

Brainstorm solutions and analyze

Develop action plans

Mataphor - organizations are problems to be solved

Appreciative Inquiry

Appreciate 'what is'

Imagine 'what might be'

Determine 'what should be'

Create 'what will be'

Metaphor - organizations are a solution/mystery to be embraced

So how can you begin to use Appreciative Inquiry with your students this semester?

Here are ten potential questions that you can use in 1-1 meetings with students or in your assignments:

1. What aspects of our learning environment do you find most inspiring and motivating?

2. Can you share a memorable experience in this class where you felt fully engaged and excited to learn?

3. How have your classmates positively influenced your learning journey?

4. Reflect on a time when you overcame a challenge. What strengths did you tap into during that experience

5. What goals do you have for your personal growth in this subject, and how can we support your progress?

6. In what ways can we build on our past successes to make this learning experience even more fulfilling for everyone?

7. Describe a moment when you felt a strong sense of collaboration and teamwork with your peers.

8. How can we leverage your unique talents and interests to enhance the overall learning dynamic?

9. Share a project or assignment where you felt your creativity made a significant impact. How can we replicate that success?

10. What learning activities bring you the most joy and satisfaction, and how can we incorporate more of them into our lessons?

Some of you might already be using Appreciative Inquiry or already know of it. Please share your thoughts and additional questions or suggestions with us in Lifelong Learning! We want this to be a place of open dialogue and learning best practices and tools together. Feel free to write to me, Sage at Sage.Morgan-Hubbard@collegeunbound.edu to continue this conversation. ook out for other resources to come!

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