Designing Effective Discussions about Diversity

Discussing issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom can be challenging and sensitive to navigate, yet those discussions can be essential for student learning. These conversations do not need to be perfect. An imperfect conversation is likely to have a more positive impact than avoiding talking about diversity altogether (Gurin et al., 2011). The following are strategies designed to help conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion be more effective.

Be clear about your goals for the conversation

Before engaging in a classroom conversation about issues related to DEI, it is important for you as an instructor to be very clear with students about the goals for the conversation. This keeps the discussion on track and helps students see the importance of the topic for your discipline.

There are three common forms that these conversations can take: debate, discussion, or dialogue.

• Debate: In a debate, two sides oppose one another, and the goal is to convince others that your side is right. This style puts a focus on defending one’s own position and critiquing the other position.
• Discussion: While the format of a discussion is less structured than a debate, there tends to be a similar focus on defending one’s own position as being ‘right’. The goal is to increase clarity and understanding of the issue, but the conversation tends to take the form of individuals sharing their perspectives rather than trying to make connections with other perspectives through deep listening.
• Dialogue: In contrast to the other formats, the goal of a dialogue is to have people work collaboratively to create a shared understanding and find common ground. There is an emphasis on listening and learning from others.

Each of these forms meets different academic goals, but dialogue is generally the preferred method of facilitating conversation around DEI topics because of the way that it encourages exploration of identities and differences, emphasizes learning from others, and creates connections with diverse perspectives. Whichever format you choose, be sure to clearly explain to students which form the conversation will take so you can better meet your goals and have a more productive conversation. This guide explains more about the distinctions between these forms of conversation.

Creating guidelines for discussion

Having clear guidelines for discussion is an essential first step in fostering effective discussions about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Clear guidelines help students develop a sense of community, be more comfortable participating in discussion, and be more engaged during the conversation (Michalec & Burg, 2007). It also models good collaboration and sets the stage for more effective and productive discussions.

There are many different approaches for creating guidelines and the best approach can vary based on the class size, instructor's teaching style, and the nature of the course. Instructors can provide guidelines for students or co-create guidelines with students. Co-creation of guidelines takes more class time but increases students buy-in and helps personalize the class to meet students' needs (DiClementi & Handelsman, 2005).

Sample guidelines

Here are some sample guidelines you could use or adapt. 

• Sample Guidelines for Classroom Discussion Agreements from Brown University
• Handout with General Discussion Guidelines from Columbia University
• Variety of examples for several types of courses and discussions from University of Michigan

Co-creation of guidelines

You can also generate guidelines for discussion together as a class. There are many approaches you can take, but here is one that often works well:

1. Explain the value of discussion guidelines, the co-creation process, and why you are writing the guidelines together as a class.
2. Share any non-negotiable guidelines that you want to have included.
3. Give students time to individually list guidelines they would like to have included.
4. Put students in groups of four or less to further develop ideas and write a list of guidelines.
5. Have groups share their thoughts, either orally, on the board, using a flipchart, or in a google doc.
6. In smaller classes, the class can discuss guidelines to reach consensus. In larger classes or when class time is tight, the instructor can compile the recommendations then have students give feedback and vote on the guidelines outside of class.

To save time, you can also give students an initial list of guidelines and have them revise that list, either in small groups or as a class. Ask students to consider what guidelines are missing and what guidelines they would want to see removed or changed.

You can also include a broader reflective component if you want students to consider what makes for an effective discussion or learning environment. You can ask students to discuss or write about a series of reflective questions such as:

• What occurs in an effective classroom discussion? How can you tell it is a good discussion?
• What policies might help our class achieve that type of discussion?
• What helps make students feel safe participating in class?
• What helps facilitate effective learning during discussion?
• What makes learning more difficult during discussion?

Fostering effective discussions about diversity related topics

Once you’ve laid the groundwork by developing guidelines and explaining the purpose of the activity, here are some additional tips that can help students in your class feel more comfortable participating.

• Share discussion prompts ahead of time. Student discomfort often stems from not feeling fully prepared for the conversation. Sharing the specific discussion questions ahead of time allows students to conduct additional research on the topic to prepare their responses.
• Acknowledge your own positionality. We want students to be open and honest during discussions, but power structures can result in students just parroting what they think instructors want to hear. You may want to start the conversation by acknowledging your positionality on the topic and welcoming disagreement and academic debate throughout the session.
• Create a warm, inclusive environment. Students need to feel comfortable before they are willing to take the risks required for effectively engaging in meaningful discussion about sensitive topics. Give students the opportunity to learn about one another and develop a sense of trust before engaging in discussions of sensitive topics. Think carefully about the language you use to introduce the discussion to ensure you’re welcoming to all students.
• Familiarize students with inclusive terminology. Students will feel more comfortable and be able to have more effective discussions about diversity related issues when they know the proper terminology. Additionally, students knowing inclusive terminology can help prevent students using offensive terminology during discussions, creating a more positive and inclusive classroom atmosphere.
• Normalize making mistakes. Students are sometimes hesitant to talk when discussing diversity related issues because they are afraid they will inadvertently say something that is offensive. Make clear it is expected that people will make mistakes, teach students how to politely correct each other, and discuss how you as a class will handle instances when people do make mistakes. Consider sharing an example of a time you made a mistake when discussing DEI and how you responded.
• Encourage diverse perspectives. A variety of perspectives can be brought into the course in several different ways. Using readings, videos, and podcasts made by people who have a variety of different perspectives and positionalities. Invite guest speakers who belong to a variety of diverse groups to speak to the class. Asking certain types of questions during discussion can help students consider different viewpoints and perspectives. For example, you might ask:
  • What is another perspective on this?
  • Why might someone disagree with this?
  • What perspectives are being excluded or have not been discussed yet?
  • How might people who think Y perceive this issue?

When integrating different perspectives in the course, there are a few important things to keep in mind and to let students know. First, the people within any group are highly diverse. Because of how the human brain works, it can be easy to think of everyone in a group as being the same. Marginalized groups tend to be viewed as more homogenous than groups with power (Rubin & Badea, 2012). Recognize the diversity of experiences and perspectives within groups. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie discusses the ways in which overgeneralizing from one person's experience can be dangerous in her TED talk.

Second, students should be welcome to share their experiences as a member of a group if they choose to, but never ask students to speak about their experience as a member of a marginalized group. Those experiences may be sensitive for the student to share, may cause the student to feel tokenized, and put an unfair burden on the student to educate their classmates. Consider including this in class policies so students do not put their classmates on the spot during discussion. This resource from Carnegie Mellon University gives additional tips for ensuring students do not feel pressured to speak for an entire group.

Resources

• Guidelines for discussing difficult or high-stakes topics: This guide from the University of Michigan discusses strategies for fostering effective discussion about controversial topics.
• Difficult dialogues: This guide from Vanderbilt University gives general guidelines and some specific tools for discussing sensitive topics in the classroom.
• Consider reaching out to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion or your instructional designer at the CTT to learn about trainings on facilitating difficult conversations.

References

DiClementi, J. D., & Handelsman, M. M. (2005). Empowering students: Class-generated course rules. Teaching of Psychology, 32(1), 18-21. DOI: 10.1207/s15328023top3201_4

Gurin, P., Nagda, B., & Sorensen, N. (2011). Intergroup dialogue: Education for a broad conception of civic engagement. Liberal Education, 97(2), 46-51.

Michalec, P., & Burg, H. (2007). Transforming discussions from collegiate to collegial. Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue, 9(1-2), 311-326.

Rubin, M., & Badea, C. (2012). They’re all the same!. . . but for several different reasons: A review of the multicausal nature of perceived group variability. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 21(6), 367-372.