New skills, fresh ideas, and a stronger community committed to creating environments that encourage meaningful conversation: this September the Interactivity Foundation (IF) held Collaborative Discussion Coach Training, inviting educators, civic professionals, and community leaders to deepen their skills using IF’s Collaborative Discussion Toolkit.
The training’s primary goal was to foster participants’ ability to facilitate collaborative discussions and develop collaborative intelligence. They learnt about key concepts, experienced a selection of Toolkit activities, and explored facilitation strategies. As Jane Case, a long-time educator, remarked, “As an academic, I’m always looking for ways to create more involvement in the classroom. When I heard about the Interactivity Foundation’s tools through the SNF Ithaca Initiative, I thought, ‘This could be a great way to enhance engagement.’”
“I found this training to be very valuable in clarifying how important collaborative discussion skills are in various learning environments, groups and organizational settings.”
Participants appreciated the intuitive design of the Toolkit, which provides a structured approach to incorporating discussion activities without being overwhelming. Jane noted, “The Toolkit is incredibly well-organized and clearly laid out. It could have been overwhelming with the amount of information provided, but it was designed in a way that made it easy to navigate and apply in real classroom settings.” Another participant shared, “I am digging and exploring all of the wonderful resources. This was very impactful training. I can’t wait to use at least five of the resources!”
“The modules can be modified to support all learning contexts across age and cultural backgrounds and would support the important work of providing a more collaborative and inclusive approach to discussing complex issues and topics. Highly recommended!”
Like all Interactivity Foundation programming, this training was designed to be hands-on. As such it included live practice sessions that allowed participants to apply the Toolkit’s methods in real-time, followed by debriefs to consolidate learning. By experiencing activities for themselves, attendees not only learnt the material but also gained confidence in their facilitation abilities.
“The facilitators were very knowledgeable and engaging. The material and content were relevant, and I am very excited to bring this back to my campus community.”
Beyond the Toolkit and training itself, participants have been invited to join a collaborative community of practice, offering access to ongoing resources, one-on-one support, and a network of like-minded professionals. Monthly gatherings and workshops provide ongoing development and the opportunity to exchange ideas with others working to cultivate collaborative intelligence in their own communities. “The training introduced me to others interested in engaging in difficult conversations,” shared a participant. “It’s a step in building a community around these discussions.”
Get Involved
👉 Start using the free Collaborative Discussion Toolkit
👉 Interested in becoming a Collaborative Discussion Coach? Learn more here
