The Interactivity Foundation’s development has followed two interactive paths. The Foundation works, internally and continually, on developing its own processes and procedures for public discussion. The Foundation also works publicly and continually and “learns by doing” by conducting various Project Discussions, Public Discussions, and Classroom Discussions.
The Foundation was incorporated in 1965 as the “Upper Ohio Valley Self Help Foundation.” The name was changed in 1987 to the current “Interactivity Foundation”. In the 1990s, the Foundation conducted seven different discussion projects around the country. In 2001, IF hired several “Fellows” to further develop its discussion processes and then engage in another series of Project Discussions. The first series of Project Discussions began in the fall of 2002, with additional Project Discussions beginning in later years and ongoing.
In 2005, IF began working on ways to incorporate a facilitated, student-centered discussion process into college classrooms. These Classroom Discussion efforts led to our Summer Institute program—first in 2006, then in 2009, each of which resulted in sponsored college courses at several college campuses around the country in the following academic years.
In 2007, IF Fellows began testing IF’s Discussion Reports in shorter, “citizen” discussion series. We now refer to these discussions as Public Discussions, and they are both central to IF’s mission and very helpful in further developing the Discussion Reports. IF continues to sponsor and support Public Discussions by its Fellows, summer institute faculty, and other trained facilitators around the country.
IF History
The Interactivity Foundation’s development has followed two interactive paths. The Foundation works, internally and continually, on developing its own processes and procedures for public discussion. The Foundation also works publicly and continually and “learns by doing” by conducting various Project Discussions, Public Discussions, and Classroom Discussions.
The Foundation was incorporated in 1965 as the “Upper Ohio Valley Self Help Foundation.” The name was changed in 1987 to the current “Interactivity Foundation”. In the 1990s, the Foundation conducted seven different discussion projects around the country. In 2001, IF hired several “Fellows” to further develop its discussion processes and then engage in another series of Project Discussions. The first series of Project Discussions began in the fall of 2002, with additional Project Discussions beginning in later years and ongoing.
In 2005, IF began working on ways to incorporate a facilitated, student-centered discussion process into college classrooms. These Classroom Discussion efforts led to our Summer Institute program—first in 2006, then in 2009, each of which resulted in sponsored college courses at several college campuses around the country in the following academic years.
In 2007, IF Fellows began testing IF’s Discussion Reports in shorter, “citizen” discussion series. We now refer to these discussions as Public Discussions, and they are both central to IF’s mission and very helpful in further developing the Discussion Reports. IF continues to sponsor and support Public Discussions by its Fellows, summer institute faculty, and other trained facilitators around the country.