by Jay Ekleberry
Director of Wisconsin Union Mini-courses
GLP Certified Teacher
How does Dialogue Education effectively impact the power structure at the major university level? It does so by staying especially true to one of the central principles of effective dialogue education – the principle of respect – and always recognizing that each of us is both a learner and a teacher.
...always recognizing that each of us is both a learner and a teacher.It does so by recognizing that change is the organizing force in any human system. It does so by recognizing that the political (or power) in any human system is both personal, practical and structural. Only by keeping to this both-and philosophy can it have real impact.
At the University of Wisconsin–Madison this approach has manifested itself in a whole variety of ways (as it should and must). Here are a few notable examples.
First, the use of the Seven Steps of Design model is promoted, modeled and taught. As a result it is used by many across campus to do everything from planning meetings and designing workshop curriculum to writing (successful) grant proposals. By putting the learner (WHO) first the principle of respect is continually reinforced! By putting the learner (WHO) first the principle of respect is continually reinforced!
Offered to faculty and staff are a number of free-of-charge academic year learning communities. The Leadership Institute brings purposefully diverse groups together around a curriculum that starts with the individual and the journey inward, moves through perspectives on others and on work, and finally goes to personal meanings of leadership.
Another learning community is known as the SEED Seminar – Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity. Creating a critically and creatively reflective group it seeks to foster organizational change and a multicultural resource network though visions of provocative possibility and reflective practice. Those completing the SEED Seminar can then continue in SEEDED – Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity for Experienced Doers.
This approach has also manifested itself in the conversion of the UW-Madison Office of Human Resource Development from a presenter of an administratively-determined curriculum of workshops to a facilitator of peer-to-peer learning. As a result, while this office’s own resources have declined, the number of workshops and learners engaged in learning for positive change has more than doubled!
..the best directors of the change... are all the learner-teachers in the system!Along with a variety of other examples of staying true to the principle of respect at UW-Madison, the above provide instances that illustrate where both the personal, practical and structural are being addressed, resulting in positive impact and change. For all it is recognized that the best directors of the change that is the organizing force at UW-Madison are all the learner-teachers in the system!
Jay Ekleberry is the Director of Wisconsin Union Mini Courses
at UW-Madison. He also facilitates the Madison Appreciative Inquiry Network, another dialogic example of positive power change at UW-Madison. Jay is a GLP Certified Teacher.
<<back
