Discussion Guides & Other Resources
Looking for discussion guides or other materials to help facilitate or organize an interactive discussion program? We have over 30 discussion guides on a wide variety of public policy topics. Our discussion guides are non-partisan, presenting 5-9 different approaches or policy “possibilities” for the topic. You can view them online or download them for free. We also have other discussion resources available without charge, including “how-to” guidebooks on facilitating and other practical aspects of planning and conducting a discussion program.
Planning a Discussion Program?
We may be able to help. We have partnered with a wide range of organizations, including public, private, educational, nonprofit, and other groups, to provide direct in-kind assistance in planning, organizing, and conducting different discussion programs and initiatives. We’re always looking for new partners to work with in developing more and better exploratory and generative conversations. Depending on the particular goals and circumstances of your program, we may be able to help with planning, facilitating, or training facilitators.
Resources for Educators
Interested in using student-facilitated discussions in your classroom or online course? For over a decade, we have partnered with faculty to integrate our discussion process into higher education settings. We have a number of different resources for instructors and students for use in both in-person and online courses. These resources provide practical guidance on implementing student-facilitated discussions and include guidebooks, workbooks, sample syllabi, evaluation forms, and other course materials.
Recent News
Toward A More Perfect Union – What IF…? Online Conversations
Please join us on Zoom for this 4-session community conversation series to explore the state of our democracy and how we might move toward a more perfect union (register here). This free discussion program is open to all and organized in partnership with the...
Just Imagine…Preserving Cultural Heritage
Debra White Plume was a member of the Oglala Lakota Tribe. She spent her life trying to protect the Oglala Lakota way of life. As a child, she was encouraged to leave her traditional land and relocate to California as part of the Indian Relocation Act of 1956. This...
Facilitating While Avoiding Panic Attacks
It was the first day in Dr. John Tatum’s class. After class he was approached by Eddie Gibson, a freshman. “Professor, I get panic attacks whenever I’m in front of a group. I don’t think I can do the discussion facilitation that’s required. Can I be exempt from...