Learn how to facilitate Appreciative Inquiry online in a blended learning experience.
Virtual AIFT PROGRAM OVERVIEW:
The Virtual Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (vAIFT) © is a two-week online certification program. It engages participants to learn about the foundations and principles of Appreciative Inquiry as well as provide the skills necessary to facilitate Appreciative Inquiry sessions in all human systems (large or small). This course teaches the basics of Appreciative Inquiry (e.g. principles, 5-Ds, supporting theory and research, etc.) and delves deeper by providing experiential exercises that teach participants how to define the topic of inquiry, practice positive framing, work with core teams, design and field test an interview protocol, and more…
This Appreciative Inquiry foundations course includes mini-lectures, and experiential learning (individual, pairs, trios, small group, and large group) as well as auditory and visual materials to enhance the learning experience.
This program has been developed and is presented by the Center for Appreciative Inquiry, along with the Company of Experts, to provide a cost effective way for communities, people and organizations to dialogue and action for creating positive change.
This Training is Designed For:
Leaders in businesses and corporations, community development, other educational organizations (four-year colleges, universities, schools), governmental organizations, and nonprofit organizations–in short, anyone who wants to learn how to facilitate Appreciative Inquiry.
TRAINING SCHEDULE AND HOURS:
Portions of the vAIFT course will be delivered synchronously (in real-time through services like Zoom) and asynchronously (you read and participate in activities and exercises at a time/pace/place that works best for you to be ready for the synchronous session) for a total of 26 training hours (same as our face-to-face AIFT program). Participants need to complete the program in its entirety to be eligible to earn their AI Facilitator Certification, this includes participating in all synchronous sessions.
The synchronous portions of the vAIFT are highly experiential and will not be recorded. The vAIFT Trainers will be utilizing breakout rooms to develop community and trust amongst participants, conduct paired interviews, and engage in small group discussions and reflections.
MODULE 1: DEFINE APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY AND BUILD COMMUNITY
Build community collaboratively, both asynchronously and synchronously in order to function as a strong AIFT learning community and also reflect on how they will build community as future AIFT facilitators. Define appreciative inquiry and arrive at a common understanding of what AI is and how it is applied.
MODULE 2: EXPERIENCE APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
Experience the five generic processes of appreciative inquiry as they apply to designing your learning within the AIFT.
MODULE 3: UNCOVER THE POWER OF APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
Identify and integrate key theory components of AI to support your foundations as an AI facilitator.
MODULE 4: CREATE APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY TOPICS AND INTERVIEW GUIDES
Demonstrate the power of AI interviews as the cornerstone of an appreciative inquiry. Identify various processes to define an appreciative inquiry topic. Utilize one process to define the topic. Modify a generic interview guide. Discuss field testing.
MODULE 5: KEY APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY FACILITATION CONSIDERATIONS
Assess and integrate key appreciative inquiry facilitation considerations.
MODULE 6: GROUND APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY IN EVIDENCE
Discover the research and evidence that underpin the work of appreciative inquiry and integrate these ideas into your facilitation toolkit.
MODULE 7: LIVE AND FACILITATE APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
Integrate facilitator skills and knowledge and seek to clarify how you will proceed as an AI facilitator.
MODULE 8: CELEBRATE AND APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY PRACTICUM
Celebrate participant success and review practicum guidelines.
KEY LEARNING OUTCOMES:
As a fully engaged participant in the Virtual Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (vAIFT©), you will leave the workshop better able to:
- Create/enhance your personal way of being and doing in order to use an appreciative approach; focus on what’s right in your world, so that you can deeply inquire into what’s right and why, and then find ways of intentionally creating more of what’s right in your world.
- Facilitate individuals, groups, organizations, and communities to create collective ways of being and doing using an appreciative approach; that will help them focus on what’s right so that they can deeply inquire into what’s right and why, and then find ways of intentionally working with them to both create more of what’s right and envision innovation and new ways of being and doing.
LETTER OF COMPLETION:
To obtain a letter of completion (and to be eligible for consideration for AI Facilitator Certification) each participant must complete 26 training hours. Letters of completion include your name, date of your training, and number of classroom hours earned.
APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY FACILITATOR CERTIFICATION:
Each of our certification courses require a written practicum (‘narrative’) of your work. The learning management system will be accessible to you to review materials for a full year after the vAIFT. The purpose of your practicum is to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the principles of Appreciative Inquiry, its various applications, what you learned, etc. Participants will submit their practicum for review by our Practicum Review Committee which consists of 2-4 seasoned Ai practitioners. It is standard practice for the panel to engage participants in a conversation (conducted virtually) about their practicum. Typically, they will respond with questions to deepen their and the participant’s mutual understanding of, and learning about, AI. The practicum review is therefore a dialogical and interactive process.
Participants have up to one year from the date of their training to submit their practicum for review. During this time, your trainers make themselves available to you for mentoring and support (at no additional cost) as you work through your first inquiry. Your mentoring/support can be done via telephone, skype, zoom, etc. You and your trainers can arrange a time and platform in which to conduct these sessions. Learn more about our Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Certification requirements here.
Once certified, your Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Certification lasts for 2 years. AI Certification with the Center for Appreciative Inquiry includes:
- Appreciative Inquiry Certification document that will be emailed to you for your records;
- Center for Appreciative Inquiry Certification logo that you are welcome to embed on your website or include in your email signature;
- Listing on our Appreciative Inquiry Directory. Your Ai Directory listing is an editable profile page that includes your photo and professional biography that highlights your specialties, articles, videos and testimonials. Directory profiles are easy to create and update and will make you locatable by our worldwide audience. All Directory profiles will remain visible on our website for the duration of your certification. Our Appreciative Inquiry certification is good for 2 years; after which you may renew your Ai certification. You can learn more about the benefits of our AI Directory here.
ADDITIONAL TRAINING INFORMATION
Online Learning Platform
Participants will receive login information to the Center for Appreciative Inquiry’s (CAI) online learning platform closer to the training date. We will open the online platform to participants three business days prior to the start of the training. This allows participants time to navigate the software and become acquainted with the various features and tools it offers, introduce themselves to their trainers and other vAIFT participants, and access all pre-workshop reading and materials.
Refund Policy
All fees are due upon registration. Your full participation is very important to us and we know that from time to time, your plans to attend one of our workshops or programs may change. Our refund policy reflects our interest in your continued growth and learning journey as well as our planning needs and expenses incurred based on your enrollment. For more information about our Refund Policy, please click here.
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Group pricing is available for three (3) or more people and scholarships may be available for individuals. For more information, please email Kathy Becker at Kathy@CenterForAppreciativeInquiry.net.
