Structured Activities
This section offers sample activities to promote student engagement around civic discourse and related skills. The sample reflection questions prompt students to think about how they engage with others and how they might learn to engage more constructively. In contrast, these activities prompt students practice constructive engagement. The process will likely be messy. For that reason, the collection of exercises contains a range of types and levels of “seriousness.”
Consider scaffolding
As instructors choose from the exercises below, they are encouraged to scaffold into more serious topics. There is something to be said for allowing students the opportunity to build their capacity for civic discourse before being asked to practice on difficult topics.
Consider the stakes
Low stakes assignments can be a way to reduce pressure on engaging with difficult topics. Discussions of controversial issues can be difficult under the best circumstances. If students feel that their grades are also on the line, then it can raise stakes in ways that may not serve skills development. Each of the sample activities could be graded as complete/incomplete. Alternatively, instructors might choose a threefold — excellent, satisfactory, unsatisfactory grading scheme. The point is that instructors can find ways to reduce stress around already potentially stressful engagements.
Consider meta-explanations
This guide encourages instructors to be as explicit as possible about how these skills are related to other course material. This could be as simple as offering meta-explanations about the process — “we are now considering the role of evidence, now assumptions, and now the possibility of bias…” Or it could be a meta-explanation about why activities are being assigned — “one of the goals of this course is to build capacity for constructive engageent with others. Because this is a skill and skills require practice, I want us to practice together with this activity…”
Consider practice (practice, practice)
Time is limited and there is much to do during the semester. Even so, skills require practice. Instructors are encouraged to look for ways to align practice opportunities with other course materials. This need not mean that students are regularly asked to engage with “hot button” issues. Instructors are encouraged to build in course-appropriate-opportunities to have students practice civic discourse, critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and related skills.