Inquiry Based Learning
Here you will find information about the inquiries that are on-going within Oasis.
Overview of Research Inquiries
On-going Inquiries
Transpersonal Learning Community
Collabor8
By Invitation
Whole Person Learning - Feeling and Personhood
Overview of Research Inquiries
Co-operative Inquiry is one of a number of participative approaches to qualitative research (and the most radical). There is an increasing recognition that we need to promote more and better ways of creating dialogue that bridges differences without willing them away; that acknowledges differences without competing for one set of differences to triumph over another and yet for the engagement of those involved to be purposeful, strong and committed.
Many people are beginning to recognise that the kinds of challenges we face are not to be solved by individuals or even select groups coming up with answers for the rest of us, but since we are all part of the problem we all need to find ways to engage in how we discover together something of the solutions that are needed.
This is a move to a ‘we’ based form of social action; personal change and ecological transformation. We cannot know our problems until we work out what ‘we’ agree enough they are. I cannot ‘know’ what ‘we’ need without you joining in the dialogue about how you see the ‘we’ that ‘we are’.
These are what are often termed Meta questions about the position we are in and the influence they have upon developing dialogue and participative approaches.
Oasis has spent over twenty years pioneering Whole Person Approaches to Learning (WPL) and peer based methods of assessment. For over a decade we have been engaged in Co-operative Inquiry. During that time our connection with John Heron has increased (John pioneered many of these approaches as well as designing the method of cooperative inquiry with his colleague of the time Peter Reason (now professor at Bath) and have worked closely with him on a number of inquiries, beginning with an inquiry into Integrated Practice and Holistic Learning in Italy in 1998.
Since then we have had three inquiry groups visit and work in New Zealand where John is now based at the South Pacific Centre for Human Inquiry where he continues to evolve the inquiry approach with groups and the workshops he offers there.
On-Going Inquiries
Transpersonal Learning Community
The Transpersonal Learning Community (TLC) has been meeting for ten years. It is an ongoing group that explores the ‘inner life’ of those involved as well as providing a space for individuals, as part of such a group, to extend their transpersonal experiences collaboratively and collectively
The community arose out of the first Oasis Transpersonal Diploma and built upon the format of a cooperative inquiry model of shared decision making; agenda planning; reviewing and reflecting. Over the years individual membership has changed though only two people have left from the original group who formed TLC.
Currently TLC meets for twenty days per year over six weekends with three of these meetings as residential time together. From time to time we have been more ambitious and travelled further afield. We visited Cyprus (in connection with the group EREVNA) in 2001 at the time of the Twin Towers attack (when we should in fact have been going to the USA). We went to the USA in 2002 and most recently have been to Lindisfarne (Holy Island) in the North East of England.
The group combines a deep commitment to its own interpersonal life as well as its emerging transpersonal understanding. Administration is kept to a minimum and the focus is upon how individual working in the world but with a dedicated commitment to the inner life can share their differences overcome their conflicts and continue to explore the vast realms of the transpersonal together.
We have been the subject of one research study and individuals have contributed to the research of a number of people looking at the future of spirituality the modern world.
To find out more about this on-going inquiry and how you might be able to become involved please contact The Oasis Office.
Collabor8
Collabor8 has been meeting for one year. It grew out of our first Leadership Inquiry and explores the true meaning and practice of collaboration within and between organisations and communities. It builds upon the work undertaken in 2004/5 in examining collaborative approaches to globally responsible leadership. The members are each leaders or directors in not-for-profit or public sector organisations.
If you are interested in working with these kinds of issues and with this approach to research, we recommend you consider taking part in a UK Leadership Inquiry. For more details please contact Nick Ellerby or Bryce Taylor
By Invitation
