NIFI News

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Attend an In-Person Workshop about Using the New Online Deliberation Tool, "Common Ground for Action"

We need some way to be able to take National Issues Forums online.

NIF moderators and conveners have been telling us this for years.

Well, we heard you.

NIFI and Kettering Foundation have been collaborating with a working group of NIF members for over two years on an online version of the NIF forums we all know and love. It’s called Common Ground for Action, and it’s now available to all NIF moderators to use anytime.

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  • Text, Talk, Act

April 14 and May 7, 2015, Join Two National Dialogues Using Text Messaging, "Text, Talk, Act"

  • Text, Talk, Act

The National Institute for Civil Discourse at the University of Arizona has announced two upcoming national dialogues using the text messaging project called Text, Talk, Act. In addition to the April 14, and May 7th event dates, anyone can participate anytime during April and May by texting START to 89800 (7785881995 in Canada). Click here to learn more about Text, Talk, Act.

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  • David Mathews Center for Civic Life

The David Mathews Center for Civic Life (Alabama) Seeks Executive Director

  • David Mathews Center for Civic Life

Position Announcement for Executive Director at the David Mathews Center for Civic Life. The David Mathews Center for Civic Life (DMC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization located in Montevallo, Alabama, on the campus of American Village. DMC assists communities, groups, and citizens across the state to make more effective and productive decisions through the use of dialogue and deliberation.

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  • Iowa Writing Project

"Teaching Deliberatively" - Sixth Annual Workshop, July 13-17, 2015, Des Moines, Iowa

  • Iowa Writing Project

Many believe public schools should teach students to weigh the costs and consequences of a range of "perspectives" (actions) that might be chosen – maybe in instances of provocation or over tough issues. Teachers and administrators can “lead” by demonstrating a preference for dialogue. Kids can learn to engage in substantive “talk” when schools make dialogue and deliberation a part of a school or classroom.  This workshop teaches how to do that. To view the schedule, see the workshop website at: www.iowapartners.org.

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  • Over the Edge

FREE Issue Guide about Alcohol and Drug Abuse - "Over the Edge: What Should We Do When Alcohol and Drug Use Become a Problem to Society?"

  • Over the Edge

This new issue guide about drug and alcohol abuse is available as a free pdf download.

The guide was jointly produced by a number of groups and organizations including: the Community College of Baltimore County, San Diego Deliberation Network, Tennessee State University, University of Alaska Anchorage, Walden University, SUNY Broome Community College, and the West Virginia Center for Civic Life.

The following is excerpted from the guide's introduction:

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Brown, DiMascio, Foley, and Molnar-Main Elected to National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI)

The National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI) is pleased to announce its 2018 class of members.

Jerry Elijah Brown, William DiMascio, Dolores Foley and Stacy Molnar-Main were elected during the institute’s annual meeting in Dayton, Ohio, on December 4, 2014.

“Jerry Brown, Bill DiMascio, Dolores Foley and Stacy Molnar-Main bring to NIFI vision, commitment and broad experience with citizens and communities,” said NIFI president William Muse.

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  • Forum poster

From Scott Corley, a Report about Racial and Ethnic Justice Deliberations at SUNY Broome Community College

  • Forum poster

The following is a report from Scott Corley on “Equality and Justice for All: How Can We Improve Racial and Ethnic Justice?” deliberations. It summarizes what happened in National Issues Forums (NIF)-styled deliberations on racial and ethnic justice that took place in Broome County, New York, during the fall and spring semesters at SUNY Broome Community College.

The image accompanying this blog post is a poster that Binghamton University used for advertising the racial justice deliberation on their campus.

 

OVERVIEW AND EXPLANATION

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  • Seminar in Yellowstone National Park

A Few Positions Still Open - July 27-August 1, 2015, Seminar in Yellowstone National Park

  • Seminar in Yellowstone National Park

(From George Mehaffy) We’re planning another great week-long faculty seminar in Yellowstone National Park in late July 2015.  In addition to the summer Seminar, some of you know that we’re also working on a national course that grows out of our work at Yellowstone, one of a series of four national blended courses.  There may be opportunities for a faculty member participating in the Yellowstone Seminar this summer to be introduced to the national blended course that we’re in the process of developing, pilot the course on their campus, etc.  The national blended courses are going to b

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