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Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 DRAKE, Matthias C., 1938- qUAKER CONSENSUS; HELPING LEARNERS UNDERSTAND AND PARTICIPATE IN THE QUAKER WAY OF REACHING GROUP DECISIONS. The ( M o State University, Ph.D., 1973 Education, adult University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan © 1974 MATTHIAS C. DRAKE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. QUAKER CONSENSUS: HELPING LEARNERS UNDERSTAND AND PARTICIPATE IN THE QUAKER Y/AY OF REACHING GROUP DECISIONS DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University « By Matthias C, Drake, B.Sc., M.A. ***** The Ohio State University 1973 Reading Committee: Approved 3y: Ross L. Mooney John Ohliger Richard Stov? Department of Adult Education a c k i ;ov ;l 5 d g ::t :;t s I have been aided throughout this study by the encouragement, guidance and assistance of many persons. For such support I especially thank ny advisor, Dr. John Obligor, ny committee members, Drc. Ross Mooney and Dick Stow, and my wife, Lynn. At the early stages of the study I gained a great deal by par­ ticipation in weekend workshops sponsored by Pondle Hill, Wallingford, Pennsylvania and by Quaker Hill and The Sarlhan School of Religion, Richmond, Indiana. During the study the contributions of the Delphi participants were essential. Also the Quakers who suggested names of possible experts for the Delphi study and who helped with one phase of the study provided valuable assistance. I was aided in the later stages of my work by the opportunities to discuss the results of the study with participants of workshops sponsored by Friends General Conference, Indiana Yearly Meeting and Powell House, the retreat center of How York Yearly Meeting. Further aid came from graduate students, from the library and other personnel of The Ohio State University, and from ny typist, Sandy Keiderling. Thank you. i VITA March 2, 1938 . Born, Wilmington, Ohio I960 B.Sc, in Education * The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1960-1961 World Service Worker - Hong Kong, International Committee of the YMCAs of the United States and Canada, New York 1961-1962 Program Director, Student YMCA- YWCA, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1962-196/f Peace Corps Volunteer - Dekina, Nigeria, Peace Corps, Washington, D. C. 1965 M.A. in Political Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1965-1966 . Teacher, Blanchester High School Blanchester, Ohio 1966-1968 . Research Assistant/Associate, Ohio Legislative Service Com­ mission, State House, Columbus, Ohio 1969 Student, Pendle Hill, Quaker Center for Study and Contempla­ tion, Wallingford, Pennsylvania 1969-1970 . Research Associate, Department of Educational Development, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1971-1972 . Research Associate, Center for Vocational/Technical Education, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio ii VITA CONTINUED 1972-1973 • • • . • Consultant, Center for Vocational/ Technical Education, The Ohio State University, Colunbus, Ohio Y/orkshop Leader, The Religious Society of Friends, Friends General Conference, Philadelphia, . Pennsylvania iii PUBLICATIONS Community Involvement in Career Education: An. Overview (with Dr, Robert itfeishan), Center for Vocational and Technical Education, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 1973. Continuing Education; An Annotated Bibliography, Association Referral Information Service (ARIS) of the Ohio Education Association, Columbus, Ohio, 1972. Educational Change; An Annotated Bibliography, Association Referral Information Service (ARIS) of the Ohio Education Association, Columbus, Ohio 1971. A Systems Study of the Student Personnel Offices, College of Education, Ohio State University: Interim and Final Reports, (with Drs, Desmond Cook and Gregory Trzebiatowski), 1970, Substandard Housing in Ohio, Editor and Contributor, Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Report Number 97» Columbus, Ohio, 1968. Highway Safety in Ohio, Contributor, Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Report Number 67* Columbus, Ohio, 1967. Inter-party Competition and Legislative Voting on Welfare Bills: A Theory Applied to a Single State. M.A. Thesis, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, August, 1965 (unpublished). FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Adult Education Studies in Adult Education. Professor John Ohliger Studies in Educational Development. Professor Ross Mooney TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........ i VITA ii LIST OF T A B L E S ............................... iii INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY ...... 1 Chapter I, INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND .... k Background of the Problem Significance of the Study The Research Problem Assumptions Scope Methodology Relationship to Adult Education Definitions Search for a Definition of Consensus The Quaker Setting II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON THE QUAKER WAY OF REACHING GROUP DECISIONS ...... 35 The Literature on Quaker Consensus The Quaker Consensus Process The Monthly Meeting Context Answers in the Literature to the Research Questions III. THE RESEARCH PROCTESS ..... 7k Reasons for Contacting Practitioners Selection of the Delphi from Among the Alternatives Background and Literature of the Delphi The Selection of Experts Experts and their Experiences The Delphi Process in this Study Delphi Procedures Chronicled v Page IV. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS . Sk SECTION 1: Round I Delphi Results Round II Delphi Results Round III Delphi Results Minority Opinions of Experts SECTION 2: The Experts' Responses to the Statements Suggested Additions to the Statements Discussion of the Experts' Comments and Added Statements SECTION 3: An Ordering of the Delphi Statements Combination of the Delphi Statements and the Statements from the Literature Possible Significance of the Similarities and Differences V. LEARNING AIDS AND EXPERIENCES . 150 « The Learning Task Learning Aids and Experiences Experts' Suggestions Suggestions from the Literature A Search Strategy VI. SUMMARY, DELPHI EVALUATION, POSSIBLE FUTURE ACTIVITIES, AND IMPLICATIONS . 159 Summary Evaluation of the Delphi Areas for Future Research Next Steps Implications A Final V.'ord A P P E N D I X .........................................................176 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................... 231 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Summary of the Round II Ratings . 105 2. Summary of the Round III Ratings . 113 3. Summary of the Experts' Ratings of the Suggested Additional Statements ..... 228 vii INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY This study looks at the process of group decision-making by consensus from the viewpoint of adult education. The study is concerned with the "learnings" and the "knowings" which a participant should bring to the process. The setting for the study is the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).* Several reasons exist for this choice. One reason is that Friends have utilized a form of group decision by consensus throughout their 300 year history. Their accumulation of experience in and practical knowledge about the process may surpass that of any other group. Another reason for the choice is the researcher's own background in the Religious Society of Friends. The researcher grew up in a Friends Meeting, became a member during childhood, and has, over the years, continued an active relationship with Quakerism. For the past three years the author has served as clerk of a monthly meeting, "presiding" at group sessions in which the Quaker way of reaching group decisions was utilized. From these and other experiences, the researcher has become aware of the