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Check out our Pre-conference sessions held at NCDD 2023

Avoiding Confirmation Bias

To avoid confirmation bias, we first need to be aware of what it is and why it is important for us to seek confirmation in our lives - professionally as well as personally, and at what cost. We also need to differentiate between confirming evidence and confirmation bias, asking ourselves: Are we doubling down on the need to be right, or are we trying to sidestep uncertainty? During this workshop we will discuss these two ideas. We will also spend time examining personal interpretation, social interaction and the media's influence on confirmation seeking behavior. There will be a Q & A period as well as an opportunity to address lived scenarios with the group. (All Levels)

Presenter:
Jamila Mindingall, Executive Director, South Fulton Community Mediation Center

Embracing Silence in Dialogic Practice

In this session, we will discuss using silence as a language for connection, reflection, and resistance in dialogue. Silence is not the polarized opposite of talk or dialogue. Rather, we believe silence and dialogue are deeply rooted in conversational practices. Participants will explore various cultural meanings of silence and engage in observational group activities to experientially practice embracing silence, including:

1. Listening to audio clips that embody silence.
2. Analyzing moments of pause that occurs throughout an example.
3. Imagining silence in your own thoughts and action, and making space for it in your daily life and work.

The activities will emphasize curious observing and noticing, attention to liminal spaces, and unpacking the under-examined meanings of silence. The session will include viewing examples, reflecting on the relational, counter hegemonic, and in-betweenness aspects, and imagining application within your own work. (Beginner)

Presenters:
Asmi Desai, Assistant Professor, Communication Studies, San Francisco State University
Hoa Nguyen, Associate Professor, Marriage and Family Therapy, Valdosta State University

Deliberation Bootcamp

This session, specifically designed for newcomers to the conference, will provide an overall introduction to NCDD and to many of the key concepts, organizations, and challenges related to the field. The session will be led by Martín Carcasson, Director of Colorado State University’s Center for Public Deliberation and former NCDD Board Chair. (Beginner)

Presenter:
Martín Carcasson, Director, Center for Public Deliberation at Colorado State University

Interactivity Foundation Collaborative Discussion Coach Training

This will be a small group, interactive workshop designed to certify collaborative discussion coaches. This training is part of the Collaborative Discussion Project (CDP), a 3-part initiative created by educators and dialogue and deliberation practitioners. The CDP includes: 

1. An open-access toolkit with over 50 ready-to-use activities designed to nurture specific creative, critical, culturally responsive, and civic collaborative discussion skills. 
2. Trainings and workshops to certify coaches in collaborative discussion. Coaches can design and offer their own certificate program in collaborative discussion. Upon successful completion, program participants receive certificates and digital badges from the Interactivity Foundation. 
3. A community of practice, supported through monthly gatherings, weekly newsletters, working teams, financial support, and professional collaborations.  

 
Questions or want to propose a cohort training? Email CDP Director, Shannon Wheatley Hartman at [email protected]  & Join our newsletter!

Presenters:
Shannon Wheatley Hartman, VP of Interactivity Foundation & Director of the Collaborative Discussion Project
Lori Britt, Director, JMU Institute for Constructive Advocacy and Dialogue and Development Team, Collaborative Discussion Project
Ritu Thomas, Assistant Director of the Collaborative Discussion Project