Contents
What is CIRAL?
CIRAL is the intellectual and physical space where strategies for the amplification and institutionalization of civic intelligence are generated and implemented.
CIRAL is the Civic Intelligence Research and Action Laboratory at The Evergreen State College. It is intended to provide one possible "home" for academy-comunity collaborative problem-solving relationships that persist indefinitely.
What makes CIRAL different?
Over the years Evergreen has developed an amazing portfolio of community-related projects. Additionally, Evergreen has the Center for Community-Based Learning and Action. On the other hand, some limitations have been observed (many have been documented in Local Knowledge in an Era of Globalization, by Anne Fischel & Lin Nelson) including the difficulty in engaging in long-term projects. The Internship model, while tremendously important, also is not ideal for long-term, collaborative, action-oriented problem-solving relationships -- especially those involving research and other activities that higher education institutions focus on.
How can people and organizations outside of Evergreen get involved with CIRAL?
Join the CIRAL listserv: CIRAL@GoogleGroups.com
Frequently Asked Question about the Open Text Book project
What's the purpose of this project?
We are trying to create an Open Text book on Civic Intelligence — the first as far as we know.
Who should use this book?
Everybody! But some people are more likely candidates than others.
Is it true that students are creating this book?
Yes! As we speak, students in the Civic Intelligence: Research and Practice program at The Evergreen State College are entering their thoughts into this Wiki.
When will you be done with this project?
Although the project may never be "done", we hope to make some good progress this quarter which ends the first week in June, 2011. Realistically ??? Perhaps a class or two may decide to use the book in some way as early as August or September, 2011.
How will you transfer the Wiki text into book form?
Presumably the ultimate aim is a pdf. And hopefully there are tools that can convert Wiki text into more book-like materials. But — we don't how we're going to do it yet.
