Slide deck from a workshop presented at LILAC 2016 conference in Dublin in March 2016. This workshop gave an overview of appreciative inquiry, and then rounded out with how appreciative inquiry has been used in Champlain College library within its teaching librarian group.

1. Appreciative InquiryStrengths-based approach to information literacy instruction
Alan Carbery
Lindsey Godwin

3. Questions for Reflection
Exceptional moments
Think about a time when you felt that your library felt like an
exceptional learning environment for your patrons. Remember
the emotions you had when you were able to work on
something you were excited about or proud of. What was going
on at that time, and why it was such a high point for you?

4. Paired Conversations
• Person A à Person B (3 min)
• Person B à Person A (3 min)

5. ADJECTIVES?

6. How many times
do the players
wearing white
pass the ball?

7. Our Society Focuses on “Problems”
Look across society and you will find that
most of our theories, media, and
research relies on a deficit-based
mindset.
Most schools, companies, families and
organizations function on an unwritten
rule…Let’s fix what’s wrong and let the
strengths take care of themselves.

8. What is Appreciative Inquiry?
• A philosophy and way of
looking at the world
• A strength-based
framework for “positive
organizational change”
• A methodology for
engaging all stakeholders in
co-creation of change

10. #1: Inquiry and Change are
NOT Separate Moments
• Inquiry IS Intervention
• Our Questions Set the
Stage for What We Find

11. Questions:
•Are the heart of any change
•Shift the focus of attention, conversations, actions
•Alter the way we see ourselves and our work

12. Consider the Impact of
YOUR Questions
Why are we still having these problems?
VS.
What is the smallest change that would have
the biggest impact?

13. The Art of the Question
• What’s the biggest
problem in our
organization?
• Why do our
customers leave?
• Why are employees
disengaged during
meetings?
• Why do we still have
these problems?
• What are the most unique
assets we have?
• What is the smallest change
that could make the biggest
impact for our customers?
• How can we re-envision our
meetings to be more
engaging?
• When have we been proud of
our organization?

14. 4 “Classic” Areas for Inquiry
• Reflecting on your History and
“High Point” Moment
• Learning from Others: Exploring
best practices from others
• Building on What We Value Most
(continuity questions)
• Our Images of the Future

15. Consider asking…
• More of (not less of)?
• To start (not stop)?
• To create (not remove)?
• To support (not prevent)?
• To reinforce (not weaken)?
From Jackie Kelm: Appreciative Engagement
What do I want...

17. #2: What We Focus on Appreciates
OR
Magnify and learn from
moments of
highest engagement
and enthusiasm?
Do an organization survey of
low morale?

18. An Example of Re-framing
How can we recover lost
baggage at lightening
speed?
How can we reduce
baggage loss?
How can we create
outstand arrival
experiences?
A Topic Can Be TRANSFORMATIONAL!

19. It’s not a blind focus
on the positive….

20. Decreasing Obesity in
our Schools….

21. Creating Healthy Kids,
Healthy Schools:
Leveraging the Power of
Our Community

23. • AI Practitioner Certification Program
• Graduate Certificate in Positive Organizational
Development
For more information:
Appreciativeinquiry@Champlain.edu

24. Appreciatively Growing
reflective teachers

25. “There are moments in the classroom
when I can hardly hold the joy.

26. When my students and I discover
uncharted territory to explore, when the
pathway out of a thicket opens up before us
… then teaching is the finest work I know.

27. But at other moments, the classroom is
so lifeless or painful or confused—and I
am so powerless to do anything about it
that my claim to be a teacher seems a
transparent sham
Parker J. Palmer – The Courage to Teach
”

28. Teach courageously,
with your whole heart

29. inquiring together
A team of librarians,

30. Joy in teaching comes from
student engagement

31. Growing as reflective teachers

32. Teaching Philosophies are a blueprint towards
our aspirational teaching selves

33. What’s your
teaching
philosophy
?