Mary Emery, North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
Barbara Radke, University of Minnesota
Dawn Newman and Melissa Hanson, Fond du Lac Tribal & Community
College

Appreciate Inquiry: An Overview
Appreciative Inquiry, originally developed by David Cooperrider as a approach to organizational management and change, is now used in many circumstances including those related to community and economic development. AI is not just a tool, but rather an approach from which many tools can be derived.
Appreciative meaning a focus on the positive and inquiry meaning an investigation are the two key elements of this approach. Generally, AI work follows five steps:
 Define the focus of the work
 Discover the strengths and positive aspects of the people and organizations connected to that focus
 Dream of what the future can look like using the strengths identified in the discovery stage as a foundation for the future
 Design that future by developing compelling and urgent goals and implementation plans
 Deliver (sometimes this stage is referred to as Destiny) on the design to make the future a reality
Most AI approaches involve asking participants to tell stories about past successes and future possibilities. When the stories have been shared, participants work together to identify key themes. These themes provide a framework for further planning activities. The focus on individuals’ experiences and story telling makes this approach appropriate in many cultural settings, with all age groups, and with people challenged in other ways.
This approach reflects the glass is half full approach to planning – focusing on assets, not deficits. Cooperrider and his colleagues have developed a number of research-based articles to support the value of this approach in organizations.
Additional materials on the use of this approach in community settings are available from the AI Commons site. In addition, AI is currently the foundation for many coaching activities. Finally, AI is becoming widely used as an evaluation tool, particularly in relation to formative evaluation work and the collection of promising practices.

Resources on Appreciative Inquiry
Appreciative Inquiry discussion list: http://mailman.business.utah.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/ailist
Gervase Bushe’s website: http://www.gervasebushe.ca/appinq.htm
Five Theories of change: http://www.gervasebushe.ca/ai5.htm
Working with teams: http://www.gervasebushe.ca/aiteams.htm
Appreciative inquiry (David Cooperrider) http://www.appreciative-inquiry.org/AI-
Life.htm
and http://www.appreciative-inquiry.org/AI-Life-part2.htm
Additional general site: http://www.appreciative-inquiry.org/
Creating Energy for change (AI in Community colleges) http://www.league.org/publication/abstracts/leadership/labs0702.html
Appreciative Inquiry Commons: http://connection.cwru.edu/ai/
The AI model: http://www.clergyleadership.com/clergy/ai-resources/AI-modelorg.pdf
Related Books:
Malcolm Gladwell, Tipping Points: How Little Things Can Make a
Difference
Ludema, et al. The Appreciative Inquiry Summit
Howard Rheingold, Smart Mobs
Mary Beth O'Neil, Executive Coaching with Backbone and Heart
Jane Watkins and Bernard Mohr, Appreciative Inquiry Change at the Speed
of Imagination

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONS
Discovery Stories
The version used depends on the specific audience.
1.
Please share a story about an exceptional (peak) experience you have had with Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College…OR
Please share a story about an exceptional (peak) experience you have had in a formal learning environment.
2.
Tell us a time when Native American culture played an important part in your learning experience…OR
Tell us a time when Hmong culture has been an important part of your educational experience…OR
Tell us a time when cultural content was important to your educational experience.
3.
Please share what you value most in a learning experience. [Facilitator should be prepared to provide examples in case the group needs ideas.]
Dream Question
Small Group Work
4.
Please tell us your wishes for Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College.
[Groups should brainstorm a list of wishes, then prioritize the list and choose the top
3 to report back to the large group.]
Summary Question
Back together as a large group
5.
Of all the things we’ve heard here today, what one thing do you think is MOST important to higher education and the future of Fond du Lac Community College?