The Collaborative Discussion Project
an Interactivity Foundation (IF) Learning Program
The Collaborative Discussion Toolkit
An open access resource designed by dialogue and deliberation experts, practitioners, and educators.
It includes 50+ learning activities, each designed to intentionally develop collaborative discussion skills in areas of creativity, criticality, cultural responsiveness, and civic engagement.
Collaborative Discussion Toolkit Activities share common features:
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Executed within 30 – 60 minutes
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Adaptable for various audiences and group sizes
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Experiential learning loop: practice, reflect, dive deeper, and repeat
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Tested, rated, and revised by our community of experts
How can you use the toolkit?
The activities can be incorporated into most classrooms (regardless of discipline), community workshops, or professional development training. They can be used singularly or as a collection. We encourage users to explore the various modules and select activities based on desired learning outcomes. Users are encouraged to modify the activities to fit their audience. Please rate and share your experience with the activities!
How can you get involved?
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Contribute activities to the toolkit!
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Subscribe to our newsletter and receive a new collaborative discussion activity each week
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Join our monthly community of practice gatherings to discuss with others how best to adapt and implement activities
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Join one of our collaborative discussion coach trainings to learn how to thread activities into a certificate program
The Collaborative Discussion Project Community
The IF Collaborative Discussion Project is an on-going, developmental experiment aimed at supporting the skills necessary to function in democratic societies. Our project is only as strong as its members.
We invite you to join this community by:
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Using the toolkit (and sharing feedback)
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Submitting new toolkit activities
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Subscribing to our weekly newsletter
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Joining our monthly community of practice gatherings
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Joining a working team (assessment, training, promotion)
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Diving deeper with a webinar, workshop, or training
Certificates in Collaborative Discussion
Certificate programs are offered by Collaborative Discussion Coaches in classrooms, communities, and through professional development workshops. All certificate programs offer an intentional scaffolding of at least 8 toolkit activities and culminate in a final group project. Programs may focus on creating inclusive communities, increasing workplace creativity, activating youth in community, etc. Some programs will have specific learning goals while others might be focused on collaborative discussion skills more broadly.
Regardless, all participants who earn certificates in collaborative discussion will:
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improve their practice and understanding of essential collaborative discussion concepts
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develop collaborative discussion skills and support the development of these skills in others
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better understand how they show up and present themselves in collaborative discussions
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identify and address collaborative discussion challenges
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harness opportunities with others that will help shape shared decision-making opportunities
Successful participants will receive Certificates of Completion from the Interactivity Foundation as well as the opportunity to claim digital badges in collaborative discussion via LinkedIn. Participants may be invited to join exploratory, online community conversations facilitated by the Interactivity Foundation or other community members so that they may have regular opportunities to practice and further develop collaborative discussion skills.