In this newsletter, read about:
- New resources and participatory opportunities
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A brief (2-minute) survey to indicate areas of greatest interest for future online learning
- Grants available to support the development of deliberative practices
- News from the National Issues Forums network
- Opportunities to share what you are doing with the network
- Newly elected National Issues Forums Institute board members
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New resources and participatory opportunities |
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Fostering Ongoing Learning and Collaboration |
Over 180 people from 143 organizations in 43 states and several other countries participated in the National Issues Forums Institute’s workshop on moderating deliberative discussions in communities, on campuses, and in classrooms—in both in-person and online settings. The workshop served as an introduction for new moderators and as a refresher and deeper dive for those who are experienced. In addition to overviewing what has been learned about effective moderator practices, a wide range of materials were shared that can be adapted for use in locally-organized workshops.
Participants explored insights gathered from practitioners throughout the National Issues Forums (NIF) network in a format designed to increase learning from each other’s work. Experienced moderators from the NIF network led small group breakout discussions to provide time for reflections, discussion, and deeper exploration. NIFI is following up with the 350+ workshop registrants with a range of future workshops and with resources to support their local work.
Future online workshops – What areas would you like to explore with others in the network?
If you would like to participate in future online learning opportunities, please complete this brief (2-minute) survey to indicate areas of greatest interest.
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Campus Compact 2022: Democratic Deliberation in Civic Learning & Democratic Engagement on March 31 |
The civic practices of using deliberative discussions to build understanding and shared purposes across differences will be explored, and participants will have the opportunity to engage in a forum using the issue discussion guide Youth and Opportunity. A range of resources available for convening such deliberative discussions on their own campuses as well as micro grants available by NIFI’s partner Up to Us to support their civic work will be shared with participants.
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Spring 2022 Cross-Campus Forum Series for Students
April 11-16
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During the week of April 11-16, students will have the opportunity to participate in National Issues Forums online using the Common Ground for Action platform.
In these forums, students will deliberate with others from colleges and universities across the country over the tough choices facing us on--
The national scope and online setting of the forums will provide an opportunity to interact with students beyond their own campuses and to examine a wide range of views and experiences from across the country.
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Mark your calendars: April 24-30 |
The full array of National Issues Forums offerings will be the focus of a follow-up newsletter and posted on the NIF website in the near future.
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Grants to Support the Development of Deliberative Practices |
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$150 Micro Grants Available for Qualified Forum Moderators |
To be considered for the grant, fill out a simple application. The program will run through June 2022.
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Accepting Applications - The Elizabeth "Libby" Kingseed Teaching with Deliberation Memorial Award |
National Issues Forums Institute is accepting grant applications for the grant period beginning July 1, 2022 and ending on June 30, 2023. The deadline to apply is April 18, 2022. Grants will be in the range of $500.
This award is open to any K-12 teacher who is inspired to implement deliberation or deliberative pedagogy in the classroom and who is new to using the practices. The teacher should have a demonstrated commitment to fostering the civic development of students, though it is not necessary that they be a civics or social studies teacher. All K-12 teachers are encouraged to apply.
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News from the National Issues Forums Network |
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Deliberative Dialogues Program at Illinois State University Expands to Meet Growing Demand |
A February 11, 2022 article published in the Illinois State University News describes a rapidly expanding program of deliberative dialogues in classrooms at Illinois State University.
The article by Emily Nafziger is titled Deliberative Dialogues: New program seeks to depolarize opinions and connect students and provides details about how work by Harriett Steinbach and Christine Bruckner led to the creation of the Deliberative Dialogues program at the Illinois State University's Center for Civic Engagement (CCE).
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Opportunities to share what you're doing with the network |
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Do you have news or events related to the deliberative public forums work you do? We'd love to be able to share what you're doing. Please send information to Patty Dineen.
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National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI)
Welcomes New Board Members
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At the December 9, 2021 meeting, the National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI) elected four new members to the NIFI board of directors.
The incoming members are Hollie Cost, Assistant Vice President of Auburn University Outreach and Public Service; Sara Mehltretter Drury, Associate Professor and Chair of Rhetoric at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana; Jon Gant, professor and dean at the School of Library and Information Sciences at North Carolina Central University; and Robert Richards, assistant professor of communication at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.
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Support public deliberation
Would you like to make a difference in how people talk about public issues in our society? There are three ways to support our work: donate to the National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI), the Taylor L. Willingham Legacy Fund, or the Elizabeth "Libby" Kingseed Teaching With Deliberation Memorial Award. Click below to learn more and to donate.
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About Deliberation in National Issues Forums |
National Issues Forums issue guides are designed to stimulate public deliberation, which is a way of making decisions together that is different from discussion or debate. The purpose of deliberative forums is to inform collective action. As citizens, we have to make decisions together before we can act together, whether with other citizens or through legislative bodies. Acting together is essential for addressing problems that can't be solved by one group of people or one institution. These problems have more than one cause and therefore have to be met by a number of mutually reinforcing initiatives with broad public participation.
About the National Issues Forums Institute
The National Issues Forums Institute's mission is to promote the use of public deliberation in schools, colleges, civic organizations, and religious institutions in the United States. The institute's members are volunteers drawn from leaders in government, colleges and universities, libraries, civic organizations, the media, and medicine. For more information visit www.nifi.org.
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