Better Conversations Together is a collection of programs aimed at developing 21st century skills for talking about difficult, complex issues across polarizing divides for JMU students and residents in the Shenandoah Valley. As the model of an engaged university, JMU is leading the nation in providing robust, considered, and transformative learning experiences for dialoguing across differences.
The program features two options for in-depth learning and skill building, each with different learning objectives and methods. First year and new transfer students are automatically enrolled in the Better Conversations Together: Deliberation track while the entire student body can participate in the Dialogues track. Faculty and staff have opportunities for professional development in this area through a partnership with the Center for Faculty Innovation. The Madison Center also offers Better Conversations Together workshops for student clubs and organizations.
The Madison Center for Civic Engagement is partnering with the Center for Assessment and Research Studies (CARS) to assess program efficacy.
About the Programs
What is deliberation?
Through deliberation, people tackle complex, “wicked” issues by coming together to reason and weigh which actions they can live with despite drawbacks. It’s about looking at the costs and consequences of possible solutions to daunting problems and discovering what we, together, will or will not accept as a solution. As people reason together in deliberation, they listen to each other, explore facts, test ideas, weigh options and balance tradeoffs to find where their various interests overlap—where purposes can be joined towards a shared future. Juries are a good example of deliberation and how it works in daily civic life.
What is dialogue?
Dialogue is about understanding the views, values, and history of another person. Through dialogue, people share their personal stories, ask each other curious questions about their experiences, and plumb differences as ways of productively exploring disagreements. Contrasted with deliberation which seeks to make reasoned decisions about wicked issues, dialogue is about exploring other perspectives, even when those perspectives are very different.
How do these programs help students?
Each program has its own learning objectives and methodology. Across both programs, students will learn key 21st century workplace and civic skills for talking across divides. These skills include critical listening, curious questioning, fairly considering ideas that you might disagree with, and confidence in having difficult conversations.
