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
Just Imagine…Asserting Our Rights as Citizens
Lucille Bridges was the daughter of sharecroppers living in the Deep South. She had to leave school after the eighth grade so that she could work to help her family make ends meet. She wanted much more for her daughter. After the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown...
Civic Sweet Sixteen: A Podcast Interview with Jessica Friedrichs
Exploring Civic Passions Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting Activity 5.1 Identifying Your Civic Passion, designed to help discussion participants figure out which civic topics are of greatest concern to them as individuals and as a...
Reflecting on Social Identity in Collaborative Discussion
Introducing the Identity Pie Activity Dear collaborative discussion friends, This time we are highlighting an activity that helps to build self-awareness about our social and cultural identities. It explores the meanings we ascribe to these identities and how they...