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The Kettering Process:
A) Description. One tool for sustainability education incorporates a moderated dialogue process developed by the Kettering Foundation. TCSF has used the process to identify different community viewpoints relating to sustainability issues, to understand the common ground, where fundamental differences lie, and to provide a basis for implementing community solutions to the issues identified. In the school setting, this process can be used to demonstrate a town hall approach to discussing community concerns. The Kettering process is one format for student role playing of stakeholder perspectives. It can also be used as a powerful joint student and community exercise. The South Lake Tahoe chapter of American Association of University Women (AAUW) has also used this process successfully in the community and included high school students as important stakeholders.
Groups can use the process to develop their own issues and arguments, or use a series of prepared books and parallel audio and videotape materials devoted to research and education about public issues. The Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company prints and distributes these materials, as part of the National Issues Forum (NIF). The materials have been used by more than 5,000 civic and educational organizations interested in addressing public issues. Materials are available on a wide range of topics, including some that are specifically relevant to sustainability:
Prescription for Prosperity: Four Paths to Economic Renewal
People and Politics: Who Should Govern
America's Role in the World: New Risks, New Realities
The Environment at Risk: Responding to Growing Dangers
B) The Process. Professional training sites for facilitators of the Kettering Process are located throughout the country. UC Davis is the Northern California site and usually offers its Public Policy Institute in August or September. However, local groups have successfully conducted NIF Forums in their communities without bringing in a professional facilitator, if they have staff or volunteers with other types of professional facilitation experience. An outline of the process follows:
Convene a community or classroom forum.
Invite stakeholders who have information or interest in the topic selected. Include representatives of different viewpoints (e.g., business people, environmentalists, scientist, educators, and students).
Define the problem to be addressed and explore actions available to address it.
Group the actions into categories based on similar viewpoints and state those viewpoints in clear and concise language.
Develop statements supporting the viewpoints that reflect both pro and con.
Clarify the underlying values of each viewpoint and determine similarities.
Restate viewpoints, consolidating agreement among different viewpoints. Define available actions for the new views.
Other options for use include:
Simplifying the process for middle school and high school students. High achievers on the secondary level can use the process without modification. Another simple adaptation of the process is to have the class review the prepared issues and material on a chosen subject and role-play the various stakeholder views. A component of the process that can stand-alone is to invite community stakeholders to the classroom to present their points of view on the particular topic in a moderated panel discussion. Students can then break into small groups to discuss issues and report back their conclusions to the class.
C) Learning Outcomes:
appreciation of different viewpoints
understanding of values underlying diverse political positions and approaches to issues
learning a communication process that allows for calm discussion of controversial subjects
learning how to find the common ground amid difference.
creating a basis for cooperative approaches to school or community problems
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