Deliberative Dialogue Training: Reclaiming the Public’s Role

Posted by on August 25, 2006

NERCHE is pleased to invite you or an appropriate colleague on your campus to attend a National Issues Forum (NIF) training focused on the topic of ?Democracy?s Challenge: Reclaiming the Public?s Role.? We are providing this opportunity for those in higher education who are interested in advancing the civic mission of higher education and developing skills for facilitating deliberative dialogue on campus. We are extremely pleased to have Nancy Thomas, a Senior Associate at NERCHE, heading up this project.

“Deliberative dialogue” is easier said than done. In our efforts to educate for personal and social responsibility, we might overlook some essentials: framed questions, meaningful dialogue, respectful listening, knowledge-based deliberation, visioning, and collaborative action. National Issues Forums are one way to engage citizens in “public making.” NIFs can also be valuable teaching and learning tools.

NERCHE invites you and/or your colleagues to a one-day workshop on deliberative dialogue and convening and facilitating issue forums. The workshop will take place on Thursday, September 14 at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. It is designed for college and university leaders, faculty, and staff — anyone who has an interest in exploring ways to build democracy through deliberative dialogue into teaching, institutional governance, or community/university partnerships.

You may learn more at http://www.nerche.org.

Best Wishes,

John Saltmarsh
Director

New England Resource Center for Higher Education
University of Massachusetts Boston
Graduate College of Education
100 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125-3393
(617) 287-7740