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
Films & Conversations – a Fall 2021 Online Community Conversation Series
Sept. 3rd update (see below). Please join us on Zoom on Thursday afternoons this fall, from 1:00 PM to 2:15 PM (eastern time) for this 5-session community conversation series to watch short films and then participate in facilitated, generous, and exploratory...
Just Imagine…A Cool Technology with a Big Impact
The availability of food has long affected urban development. Prior to the availability of refrigeration, cities tended to grow vertically because they needed an agricultural green belt for their food supply. Once refrigeration became widely available, food...
Creating a Collaborative Classroom Culture
Dr. Hunter McHenry was reviewing the syllabus on the first day of class. After going over the standard components of the syllabus, he said, “I believe in the power of collaboration. So, I’m going to place you in learning groups. A lot of what you do in this class...
Just Imagine…Thinking about How We Work
Lillian Moller was one of nine children born to a prosperous family. She was a very good student, but her father didn’t think his daughters needed college degrees. She was able to persuade her father into letting her try college. She excelled and graduated with a...