Files
Abstract
This study aimed to examine key factors affecting rural
female facilitators’ role in participatory rural development
in Tehran Province. Since the researchers intended to have a
better insight into the facilitators’ role and employ inquiry as a
learning forum for bringing about changes for all participants,
they preferred to use a case study based upon an appreciative
inquiry method. The study divided the factors affecting the
facilitators’ role into two main categories: driving factors and
preventing factors. The former are: two-way communication,
election of rural eligible facilitators, participation, sense of
responsibility, and the latter are: cultural and tribal fanaticism,
lack of permanent female extension workers and frequent
management changes. Appreciative inquiry as a positive mode
of action research could facilitate the process of education and
communication for all stakeholders. We suggested that there
should be a shift from the extension as a knowledge transfer to
facilitation as people’s own knowledge creation. This study
showed that appreciative inquiry could facilitate the process of
change and gender-awareness. This research method could
also facilitate mutual communication between the rural facilitators
and extension workers.