We turn down the heat on controversial topics so educators and students can untangle complex issues together. We teach the mindset, skills, and ground rules needed to broaden conversations and expand knowledge.
We Work With
- High School and College Students
- K-12 Teachers, Parents, and Administrators
- College and University Faculty, Administrators, and Staff
Learning Resources
Our learning resources use multimedia to explore controversial issues with a critical thinking lens. You can use this free video series and accompanying discussion guides to serve as a starting point for broadening conversations on sensitive topics by asking questions and thinking critically.
Beyond Bigots and Snowflakes Video Series:
. Before We Begin (Start Here) Click here
. Building Community through Viewpoint Diversity Click here
. The Problem of Unintentionally Treating Beliefs as Facts Click here
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The Problem of Excessive Social Penalties Click here
. The Problem of Telling People to Stay in Their Lane Click here
. The Problem of Telling People to Stay in Their Lane Click here
Training for Educators
and Education Leaders
Professional Development and Coaching
We’re here to support you as you transform your learning environment. We offer learning sessions for educators who want to create the conditions for classroom conversations that expand students’ knowledge-building capacities. We can tailor our sessions to your specific needs and we offer ongoing support.
Teacher Institute
Thanks to a generous grant from the Mercatus Center’s Program on Pluralism and Civil Exchange, we will be launching our inaugural Teacher Institute for high school educators in the Fall of 2022. This institute will bring together teachers from across the U.S. to collaborate on the design of new classroom resources that promote open inquiry and viewpoint diversity. Click here for more information and to apply!
Learning Resources
We have developed a free video series and accompanying discussion guides to serve as a starting point for broadening conversations on sensitive topics by asking questions and thinking critically.
Beyond Bigots and Snowflakes Video Series:
Before We Begin
Building Community Through Viewpoint Diversity
The Problem of Unintentionally Treating Beliefs as Facts
The Problem of Excessive Social Penalties
The Problem of Telling People to Stay in Their Lane
The Problem of Relying on Science to Bridge Divides
Putting the Lessons into Practice
Summary
Training for Educators and Education Leaders
Professional Development and Coaching
We’re here to support you as you transform your learning environment. We offer learning sessions for educators who want to create the conditions for classroom conversations that expand students’ knowledge-building capacities. We can tailor our sessions to your specific needs and we offer ongoing support.
Teacher Institute
Thanks to a generous grant from the Mercatus Center’s Program for Pluralism and Civil Exchange, we will be launching our inaugural Teacher Institute for high school educators in the Fall of 2022. This institute will bring together teachers from across the U.S. to collaborate on the design of new classroom resources that promote open inquiry and viewpoint diversity. Click here for more information and to apply!
Research
We engage in two kinds of research to further the global conversation on issues of viewpoint diversity in education:
1.) Studies that offer new insights into student and teacher perceptions and experiences with viewpoint diversity in their learning environments. We strive to understand questions including:
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What prevents or supports schools to create open and intellectually flexible spaces?
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What skills do students need the most help in cultivating?
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How freely do teachers and students alike feel they can speak their minds on different topics?
2.) Studies that showcase bright spots and best practices in viewpoint diversity
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We discover and showcase the best examples of teachers and students achieving spaces of open inquiry and free debate across the country.
Our Partners
