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
Nine Minutes of Wisdom with Jack Byrd
Nine minutes of wisdom, a conversation with Jack Byrd, President of the Interactivity Foundation, with insights from his 50+ years of teaching at WVU. The Main Thing Podcast, Episode...
Financial Fragility and the Future of Retirement Discussions
You have probably heard that 40% of Americans cannot cover a $400 emergency expense, or that about half of Americans are not saving anything for their retirement, or, which might be worse, that there is a shame in our society associated with talking about finances...
Summer Concert, Conversation, and Lunch Series
What’s a wonderful way to spend a summer afternoon? There are many. Last summer, IF, in partnership with Culture Saves, IONA, the D.C. Public Libraries, and the D.C. Department of Aging and Community Living, invited Washington residents to a series of four events...