1 Welcome to Oklahoma Moderators and Recorders Academy Prepared by: Renée Daugherty, Ph.D. Oklahoma State University.

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Welcome to Oklahoma Moderators

and Recorders Academy

Welcome to Oklahoma Moderators

and Recorders Academy

Prepared by:

Renée Daugherty, Ph.D.Oklahoma State University

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At the OMRA,you will learn to…

At the OMRA,you will learn to…

• Deliberate rather than debate or just discuss important public issues

• Develop public understanding and knowledge about issues

• Create common ground for action

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And, you will learn to…And, you will learn to…• Convene forums• Moderate deliberative forums• Record comments at deliberative forums• Report deliberative forum outcomes• Connect with office holders• Stimulate public action – commit to work together

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Without the people’s will,the people won’t.”

Without the people’s will,the people won’t.”

Harry WestCoalition of the Willing

Atlanta, GA

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Role of Public in PolicyRole of Public in Policy . . . The people must be actively involved in

making public judgments . . . . To preserve American democracy, there is something for everyone to do – average citizens, institutions, people in positions of leadership, experts, government officials, the media – all of us

Yankelovich, 1991

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The Public Decision-Making Process

The Public Decision-Making Process

Public Problem

Facts Myths Values

Public Decision

Ways to Get Public Input on

Public Problems/Issues

Ways to Get Public Input on

Public Problems/Issues• Voting

• Polling

• Debate

• Letters to the editor

• Civil disobedience

• Demonstrations / protests

• Town Halls

• Boycotts

• . . . and . . . Public deliberation

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Public Deliberation helps peopleweigh alternative policies . . .

. . . to solve challenging public problems.

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The Roots ofPublic Deliberation

The Roots ofPublic Deliberation

• Tribal decision making• New England town hall

Public Deliberation Methods

Public Deliberation Methods

• Deliberative forums (NIF)

• Study circles (Everyday Democracy)

• Deliberative polling (Dr. James Fishkin, Stanford University)

• Citizen juries• Conversation cafes

• World cafes• Wisdom circles• Appreciative inquiry• Sustained dialogue• Tetra• . . . and many others

Change Handbook (2007)

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If the only tool you have in your toolkit is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail . . .

If the only tool you have in your toolkit is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail . . .

If the only tool you have in yourIf the only tool you have in yourcivic engagement toolkit iscivic engagement toolkit is__________, then everything looks__________, then everything lookslike __________.like __________.

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Kettering FoundationKettering Foundation• Founded in 1927• American tradition of inventive research

– Charles Kettering, 200 patents– Getting at “the problem behind the problem”

• Research objective: to learn what it takes to make democracy work as it should

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National Issues Forums (www.nifi.org)

National Issues Forums (www.nifi.org)

• Non-partisan, non-advocacy• Nation-wide network and international• 20-30 issue guides available

– Current issues– Historic Decisions series (“Before it was history,

it was a choice”

• Local deliberative forums

Everyday Democracy(formerly Study Circles Resource Center)

Everyday Democracy(formerly Study Circles Resource Center)

• Community study circles– Printed guides on several public issues– Meet 5-6 times for 2-3 hours– Community Action Report– Community committees

• Turning the Tide on Poverty– Poverty in Oklahoma leader lesson

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Deliberative ForumsDeliberative Forums

• A public problem– Complex, with no simple answers– There is time for deliberation; not an emergency

• Deliberative; go beyond debate or simply sharing ideas• A structured dialogue / issue guide• Public understanding about issues• Learning the people’s concerns about an issue• Tough choices about policy directions

– Wrestling priorities out of complexities– Moving from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty

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Deliberative Forums, cont’dDeliberative Forums, cont’d• A way of reasoning and talking together

– Weighs the views of others– Considers consequences, costs and benefits– Challenges people to identify trade-offs– Respects the perspectives and values of others

• Requires that people:– Interact peacefully.– Share knowledge and perspectives on issues.– Organize to act publicly on these issues.

• A means to find common ground for action; secure commitment to work together

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What Happens in aDeliberative Forum?What Happens in a

Deliberative Forum?

• 15-25 people in a circle• Diverse participants &

perspectives• Facilitated by a trained

moderator and recorder• Issue guide with 3-4 options• 2 to 2½ hours:

– Opening– Deliberation of approaches– Reflections/Closing

• Common ground• Tradeoffs• Understanding of others’

perspectives

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IssueBook

Issue guides Issue guides • Non-partisan / non-advocacy• Booklets, place-mats, on-line

• NIF creates 3-4 guides/year• Life span of several years

• Format• Introduction to the current state of the issue (25 %)• 3-4 options to be deliberated (75%)

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After the ForumAfter the Forum

Nationally through NIF– Moderators from multiple forums report

outcomes to NIF– NIF prepares national reports (3 or 4 per year)

– “A Public Voice” – one-hour PBS special

– Presentation at National Press Club in Washington, DC

– Presentation to Congress and/or staff

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After the ForumAfter the Forum

• In Oklahoma or locally:– Forum outcomes compiled into a final local

report– Report is shared:

– A community meeting

– News releases

– Printed materials, etc.

• Public action• Connecting citizens & officeholders

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Studies ofPublic Deliberation

Studies ofPublic Deliberation

• Deliberative Forum Participants:– Come from every part of society

– Reconsider their own opinions and judgments

– Approach issues more realistically considering costs, consequences and trade-offs associated with policy options

– Define their self interests more broadly

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Study Findings, cont’dStudy Findings, cont’d

– Reconsider & develop greater understanding for the views of others

– Develop greater sense of confidence in what they can do politically

– Become more interested in political and social issues

The WetlandsA Metaphor for Civic Engagement

(Dr. David Mathews, Kettering Foundation)

The WetlandsA Metaphor for Civic Engagement

(Dr. David Mathews, Kettering Foundation)

• Natural coastal wetlands– Nurture wildlife– Minimize the impact of storms

• Communities as “political wetlands”– Authentic involvement of Oklahomans to

minimize the impact of public problems– Build community capacity

• Informal gatherings as basis for community conversations and deliberative forums

• Ad hoc associations evolving into civic organizations 23

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Developing an Oklahoma Habit of Public DeliberationDeveloping an Oklahoma

Habit of Public Deliberation

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Oklahoma Partnershipfor

Public Deliberation

OKdeliberates.org

Oklahoma Partnershipfor

Public Deliberation

OKdeliberates.org

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Oklahoma Partnership for Public Deliberation

Oklahoma Partnership for Public Deliberation

• Trainings– Oklahoma Moderators and Recorders Academy– Framing Issues for Deliberation Workshop– Convening Workshop– Reporting Workshop

• Statewide forums & reports• Issue framing

– “Domestic Violence”– “Drawing Straws: Oklahoma’s Water Resources”– “Moving Toward Better Health in Stillwater”

Community EffortsCommunity Efforts• Norman Area NIF Network• Stillwater SPEAKS (Stillwater People Expressing Attitudes and

Knowledge): ”In Search of Common Ground”

• Other possible sites:– Your community?

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“Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world; indeed that is the only thing that ever has.”

--Margaret Mead

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Questions?Questions?