Courses
***The cost of registration varies for UI students, staff, and faculty, and for that outside UI. Please see the University of Iowa webpage for costs of attendance or reach out to us for support.
Facilitating Controversial Dialogue
Learn how to engage and stay in difficult dialogues over controversial topics like whiteness and racism
(Open to everyone: students, staff, faculty, communities)
Facilitating Controversial Dialogue: Facilitator Preparation for Leaders is a course that offers an excellent opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students to learn the skills and conditions that support facilitation of productive controversial dialogue. This knowledge is crucial for those who lead these discussions, as it provides ways for individuals to structure and guide these conversations and helps them to have internal fortitude and the ability to self-monitor. Together, these skills and knowledge support confidence, authenticity, and the ability to stay engaged in difficult dialogue. These kinds of leaders are crucial to our diversity, equity, and inclusion work on campus – both in the classroom and on the campus in general.
*This is a summer course that is offered annually during the month of June. It is offered one day a week, from 10:00-5:00 PM, for 4 consecutive weeks.
(Open to everyone: students, staff, faculty, communities)
Facilitating Controversial Dialogue: Facilitator Preparation for Leaders is a course that offers an excellent opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students to learn the skills and conditions that support facilitation of productive controversial dialogue. This knowledge is crucial for those who lead these discussions, as it provides ways for individuals to structure and guide these conversations and helps them to have internal fortitude and the ability to self-monitor. Together, these skills and knowledge support confidence, authenticity, and the ability to stay engaged in difficult dialogue. These kinds of leaders are crucial to our diversity, equity, and inclusion work on campus – both in the classroom and on the campus in general.
*This is a summer course that is offered annually during the month of June. It is offered one day a week, from 10:00-5:00 PM, for 4 consecutive weeks.
Fee ***
Being Circles Research Practicum Course
(Undergraduate and Graduate Students)
Being Circles Research Practicum Course is a 15-week online course offered in the Fall and Spring semester for undergraduate and graduate students. This practicum experience includes participating in research and practice projects that employ the skills to create conditions for engaging productively with conflict, as part of organizational or community change initiatives that traverse social and cultural difference. This course includes a seminar portion that offers an introduction to the Theory of Being (Watt & MCI Research Team, 2020), the Being Circles protocol, and applied approaches to process-oriented research. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to participate on a Being Circle experience. Being Circles offer a simple, peer-facilitated and online protocol with time for each participant to share and receives feedback on a challenge or dilemma (for example, engaging across controversial social and political difference, working in organizations while designing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, facing a disagreement with a friend or co-worker). Reinforcing Professor Watt and the MCI Research Team’s process-oriented approach, Being Circles provide an ongoing shared learning experience that help participants to integrate these principles and practices into their own leadership and organizational practices while providing a trusted virtual leadership support group.
Offered in Spring and Fall semesters
Being Circles Research Practicum Course is a 15-week online course offered in the Fall and Spring semester for undergraduate and graduate students. This practicum experience includes participating in research and practice projects that employ the skills to create conditions for engaging productively with conflict, as part of organizational or community change initiatives that traverse social and cultural difference. This course includes a seminar portion that offers an introduction to the Theory of Being (Watt & MCI Research Team, 2020), the Being Circles protocol, and applied approaches to process-oriented research. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to participate on a Being Circle experience. Being Circles offer a simple, peer-facilitated and online protocol with time for each participant to share and receives feedback on a challenge or dilemma (for example, engaging across controversial social and political difference, working in organizations while designing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, facing a disagreement with a friend or co-worker). Reinforcing Professor Watt and the MCI Research Team’s process-oriented approach, Being Circles provide an ongoing shared learning experience that help participants to integrate these principles and practices into their own leadership and organizational practices while providing a trusted virtual leadership support group.
Offered in Spring and Fall semesters
Fee ***
