New IF Website & Newsletter
Explore the new Interactivity Foundation website and newsletter, access free discussion resources, and register for trainings, gatherings, & events!
Dear collaborative discussion friends,
We are excited to share with you the Interactivity Foundation’s (IF) new website and newsletter! Visit the IF website and access over 50 free resources created to help you have meaningful discussions in your classroom, community, and workplace.
You can join the IF community, stay up to date, and learn more about new resources and events by subscribing to the IF newsletter.
Learn more about the Interactivity Foundation and our 3 main initiatives
The About Us and What We Do pages offer an overview of the Interactivity Foundation’s mission, vision, values, history, process and 3 main programs. You can also learn more on each program’s page: Collaborative Learning, Community Conversations, and Sustained Discussions.
Access free resources to help you have better discussions
The Interactivity Foundation website includes a searchable resource library to help you easily find free resources designed to improve discussion and collaboration. You can also view resources by type and topic.
How To Guides
Our how-to guides will show you how to organize, facilitate, and participate in a successful discussion.
29 Facilitation Plans
Our collection of facilitation plans offer structured guidelines and questions to help you lead conversations on a wide range of topics.
24 Discussion Guides
Our non-partisan discussion guides cover a wide range of topics of public concern and the diverse ideas & possibilities included in these guides can be used to lead expansive and exploratory discussions on these topics.
Register for discussion events, gatherings, trainings and more!
Visit the IF Events Calendar to learn more about all our events, including CDP gatherings and trainings, as well register for general IF events, like IF Open Houses.
Become a Sustained Discussion Visiting Fellow
Do you believe in the power of bringing people together to explore important social topics and issues of public concern? Would you like to create new tools for better conversations? Do you think we think better when we think together?
The Interactivity Foundation’s Sustained Discussions Program (SDP) offers a select group of Visiting Fellows the chance to lead independent, exploratory discussion projects focused on topics of public concern that are currently under-examined or not in the mainstream consciousness, yet. This program builds on IF’s long history of sustained, exploratory discussions.
Apply to become an IF Sustained Discussion Visiting Fellow and receive $5,000 to support a discussion project focused on an emerging public concern. Applications open on July 15. Register for the upcoming information session on July 31 to learn more.
Become a Collaborative Discussion Coach
The Interactivity Foundation offers regular trainings for educators, community leaders & organizers, civic professionals, and workplace training consultants to become a Collaborative Discussion Coach. After this training, coaches will be able to better use activities from the Collaborative Discussion Toolkit in their work, as well as design and offer their own certificate programs in classrooms, communities, or workplaces. You will be joining a growing community of coaches (100+) who award certificates in collaborative discussion (700+).
By the end of the Collaborative Discussion Coach Training you will have...
Deeper understanding of key collaborative discussion concepts
Greater familiarity with the Collaborative Discussion Toolkit and intentional design of toolkit activities
Access to Coach Only Resources, assessment suite, certificate program templates, and more!
Administrative support to award certificates and digital badges in collaborative discussion
Access to post-training one-on-one consultations with the program director and support team
Invitation to monthly gatherings, workshops, webinars, and opportunities to join working teams
Opportunity to be part of a growing community of educators, dialogue practitioners, and civic professionals
Registration will open tomorrow, July 9, for these upcoming coach trainings:
September 2024 Collaborative Discussion Coach Training. The training will be from 9 am - 4 pm (eastern) on September 28, with an optional follow up session from 10 am - 12 pm (eastern) on September 29. The cost is $265. The deadline to register is August 25, 2024.
October 2024 Collaborative Discussion Coach Training. The training will take place from 6 pm - 8 pm (eastern) on October 2, 9, 16, and 23. The cost is $265. The deadline to register is August 25, 2024.
January 2025 Collaborative Discussion Coach Training. The training will be from 12 pm - 6 pm (eastern) on January 4, 2025. The cost is $425. The deadline to register is November 17, 2024.
Summer 2025 Collaborative Discussion Coach Training. The training will take place from 12 pm - 3 pm (eastern) on May 28, May 29, May 30, June 2, and June 3, 2025. The cost is $425. The deadline to register is April 27, 2025.
Upcoming Events
Mark your calendars! Our next community gathering is Thursday, July 18th at 12 pm (ET). All are welcome! Register here.
We also have a gathering planned for Wednesday, August 7th at 12 pm (ET). This gathering will be a workshop introducing the Collaborative Discussion Toolkit. All are welcome! Register here.
Looking forward to collaborating,
Ritu Thomas & the Collaborative Discussion Team