Page 194 - Mike Ratner CC - WISR Complete Dissertation - v6

Chapter III: Methodology

Introduction

My research originally sought to explore how local dialogue efforts called Community

Conversations were initiated but after attending some I became fascinated by the dialogue process

and flow. Community Conversations are localized, small-group discussions where participants

identify what they want for their community, what needs to change to reach those goals, and the

challenges they face in moving change forward. Part of my research has been the participation

experience within my role as co-facilitator and observer assisting with guiding and monitoring this

type of group dialogue to occur and understanding how the process serves to evolve communities

by informing and engaging diverse viewpoints, aspirations, and challenges that are shared. I am

curious to learn how groups interrelate, process conflict and tension, whether overtly or covertly,

and how elements shape the experience of the dialogue situation, and what can be learned from

the collaborative interactions of participants and facilitators during the engagement.

Community engagement (CE) is a core function of the Western Institute for Social

Research in Berkeley California. In the field of education, the imperative to pursue and promote

CE provides an exciting opportunity for graduate students as ‘conduit researchers’ to work within

their communities to address the many challenges and social issues that pose for an opportunity of

greater learning and impact. Yet, relatively few researchers in education faculties have expertise

in this emerging area of scholarship and practice. There is therefore a need to develop among

academics a capacity for community-based research and deep knowledge of how to approach it

effectively. (Hacker, et al., 2012)

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