Delphi Technique

Penelope Walters Swenson

How do school personnel determine a best course of action? How can they develop consensus? Prediction or forecasting is part of running a classroom, school, district, or any organization. School plans, district strategic plans, technology planning, and more depend on understanding the present and predicting the future. How to best decide a course of action has itself been a discussion with a variety of expert opinions. Building consensus is a constant quest. At one time, an expert might be called upon and his or her opinion would be the forecast or recommended course of action. Others used panels or groups of experts, thinking that the intelligence of the group might overcome prejudices or lack of useful information. Reaching consensus with a group often is very difficult. A strong vocal minority can overwhelm others. Popularity, strong speaking abilities, perceived or real professional status, and many other factors blur the objectivity of ...

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