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
Collaborative Goal Setting
Working together to set achievable goals using an adapted SMART process Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting one of the new activities added to the updated toolkit. This activity helps participants work together to set practical and...
Who are We The People — and who is being pushed out? A Community Conversation Series
Who is democracy for? In this discussion series, together we will explore who belongs as a full participant in American democracy – and who gets excluded. We’ll explore our questions and concerns about people who are excluded and we’ll discuss how we can respond to...
Just Imagine…a Senator of Conscience
George Norris was born in 1861 in Ohio. He was the eleventh child of largely poor and uneducated parents. He was able to rise above his start in life and eventually earned a law degree and practiced as an attorney in Nebraska. Norris became active in politics and...