Perspectives Course

Constructive Dialogue Institute  

is a blended learning program supplied for all campus affiliates which equips you with practical skills to engage in dialogue across lines of difference.

Perspective鈥檚 core principles

  • Let go of winning
    • Enter conversations with curiosity and the goal to understand
  • Get curious
    • Ask questions that invite others to share something meaningful
  • Share stories
    • Share a story about why an issue matters to you or how it affects you
  • Navigate conflict with purpose
    • Be aware of your fight/flight response and pause if needed before responding
  • Find what鈥檚 shared
    • Finding similarities can help you move forward together, even in disagreement

Perspectives Lessons (from the Constructive Dialogue Institute website):

  • Lesson 1 (鈥淭he Divided Mind鈥)covers foundational concepts from psychology about how we process information, cognitive biases we are prone to, and how this can lead to disagreements.
  • Lesson 2 (鈥淯s and Them鈥) explores the psychology of where our differences in values and worldviews come from. It offers frameworks for better understanding opposing views.
  • Lesson 3 (鈥淕et Curious鈥) teaches the first two CDI principles of constructive dialogue: let go of winning and get curious.
  • Lesson 4 (鈥淪torytelling鈥) describes how to put CDI鈥檚 third principle of constructive dialogue into practice 鈥 share stories.
  • Lesson 5 (鈥淣avigating Conflict鈥) introduces students to the fourth principle of constructive dialogue 鈥 navigate conflict with purpose 鈥 as a way to help move forward when tension arises.
  • Lesson 6 (鈥淢oving Forward Together鈥) explains the importance of the fifth principle for constructive dialogue: find what鈥檚 shared.