"I came with an open mind and I found this innovation exciting", "empowered" and "real democratic process". This was some of the feedback from participants who attended the first ever Community Wide Study Circle Orientation Workshop ever conducted in Australia.

Since returning from the US on June 3, after spending four months on a Fulbright Scholarship sponsored by the Federal Department of Education, Science and Training, Mark Brophy has conducted the first two Community Wide Study Circle Orientations ever presented in this country, at both the Western Australia Department of Education and Training VET Teaching and Learning Workshop on June 14 and the ACE Making Connections Conference in Perth on June 15.

Study circles originated in Sweden over 100 years ago, and now 3 million Swedes participate in over 350,000 study circles annually. 75 percent of Swedes aged between 18 to 75 have at some time participated in a study circle.

Mark's Fulbright host in the US was the Study Circles Resource Centre who has assisted over 400 communities across 43 states with hundreds and sometimes thousands of participants.

Based upon the Swedish model, the Study Circle Resource Centre in the US was formed in 1989 and has continually supported community wide study circle initiatives addressing challenging community issues such as race relations, multiculturalism, terrorism, educational reform, immigration, police and public relations, student achievement, small rural town poverty, crime and justice, the environment, religious and interfaith tensions and community development.

A study circle is a small, diverse group of 8 to 12 participants who meet for about two hours weekly for four to six weeks to address a critical public issue in a democratic and collaborative way. Led by a neutral facilitator, people consider the issue from many points of view while the discussion progresses from a session on personal experience of the issue, to sessions that examine many points of view on the issue, to a session that considers strategies for action and change.

A community wide study circle program is organised by a diverse coalition that reflects the whole community. It includes a large number of participants from all walks of like, uses easy-to-use nonpartisan discussion materials and trained facilitators who reflect the community's diversity. It results in specific opportunities to move to action when the study circles conclude.

Community Wide Study Circle Orientations, such as those Mark facilitated in Perth, are based on the US and Swedish informal workshops and provide participants with an overview of study circles, community wide study circle initiatives and include sample study circles for all to participate in.

During the Workshops in Perth, "Some sample circles ran for over an hour and participants still wanted to keep going - I couldn't break them up, and had to repeatedly urge them to come together for the de briefing. It was fantastic." said Mark.

While in the US, Mark was fortunate enough to have seen and been an active participant in many study circles on issues such as race relations, student achievement and religious diversity.

He also delivered a presentation at La Guardia Community College in New York to staff on his research, facilitated a study circle in Little Rock, Arkansas for the Study Circles Resource Centre and Arkansas Study Circles Project and participated in meetings at the Montgomery County Public Schools Study Circles Program in Maryland and at the Study Circles Resource Centre in Connecticut.

"Australia's experience with study circles has been sporadic and piecemeal. Initiatives commence and end with little follow up. Individuals are out there, on their own trying to put study circles together with varying degrees of success and little or no networks or support; we lose what we learn in study circle activity around Australia. Based upon the Swedish experience, the US now has a structured model, developed and tested over the past 18 years. We can use this model here to address many issues.

For example, while in the US it became clear that these informal and unique programs have been extremely successful in re-engaging disadvantaged learners back into education and training, as well as increasing the take up, retention and completion rates of marginalised groups" Mark said.

Mark has returned from the US with an abundance of resources and while in the US fostered an extensive range of valuable relationships with highly skilled professionals who have been practicing and developing community wide study circle programs for many years.

Mark himself has worked in the education and training sector for over 22 years in universities, TAFE institutions, industry associations and the government.

Interest in study circles began during Mark's post graduate studies. For 10 years he continued his research into study circles and in 2002 was awarded a PhD from Victoria University for an extensive participatory action research investigation into the study circle process. He has had several articles published on his research and presented at many conferences across Australia and overseas. He has produced a study circle discussion guide on unemployment; assisted Learning Circles Australia in developing the Discovering Democracy Discussion Guide and supported the Aboriginal Reconciliation Study Circle initiative. He has also been a member of many study circle seasons on a range of topics in Australia and the US. He is also the recipient of several other awards including an Australian Postgraduate Award, Seacomb Conference Award, Victoria University Distinguished Academic Achievement and Visiting Research Fellowship from Adult Learning Australia.

While in the US, Mark compiled an insightful and reflective Report which has received much acclaim from those he worked with while in the US. He has also organised an informal conversation for those interested in exploring new opportunities on June 29 2007.

For those interested in attending the event on June 29 or obtaining copies of the Report, email Mark on Brophy.mark.m@edumail.vic.au

17 June 2007

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