Perspectives

Ohio Wesleyan is partnering with the Constructive Dialogue Institute to provide the campus community with the skills needed to participate effectively in civil discourse.

Ready, Set, Learn!

Beginning Sept. 10, 2024, OWU students, faculty, and staff are able to complete the first of two levels of virtual Perspectives constructive dialogue training.

  • Take the student Perspectives training or review the student training FAQs.
  • Take the faculty/staff Perspectives training, learn about specialty training, or review the faculty/staff training FAQs.

The second level of Perspectives training will be available to students beginning Sept. 26, 2024.

Everyone who successfully completes both the beginner and advanced levels of the evidence-based, assessment-focused Perspectives training will earn a badge or certificate to add to their LinkedIn profiles or add to their resumes to verify their new skills in civil discourse.

Embracing Opportunity

Through challenges navigating the U.S. presidential election, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and other personal and political divisions, Ohio Wesleyan saw an opportunity to become a higher education leader in constructive dialogue.

To meet this vital need, the University partnered with the Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI), considered the best-in-industry for civil discourse training. Ohio Wesleyan is CDI's most comprehensive liberal arts partner – creating a standard-setting relationship unique in U.S. higher education.

Perspectives Impact

  • 80% of students who complete Perspectives training report to CDI having increased confidence in navigating difficult conversations and communicating across differences.
  • 84% credit Perspectives with providing them valuable professional and life skills.

Comprehensive Training

The Perspectives online learning program teaches key concepts from psychology to explain where people's differences in beliefs, worldviews, and values come from. It then equips everyone with five research-backed principles to enable them to navigate difficult conversations more effectively. 

CDI's Perspectives training consists of six lessons taught in two learning levels, beginner and advanced. The first level (available Sept. 10, 2024) takes approximately one hour to complete and covers:

Beginner Level

  • Lesson 1: The Divided Mind
  • Lesson 2: Us and Them

The second level (available Sept. 26, 2024) takes approximately two hours to complete and covers:

Advanced Level

  • Lesson 3: Get Curious
  • Lesson 4: Storytelling
  • Lesson 5: Navigating Conflict
  • Lesson 6: Moving Forward Together

Ohio Wesleyan is grateful to the Sagan family for supporting the ongoing CDI initiative.

For questions about Perspectives and Ohio Wesleyan's work with the Constructive Dialogue Institute, email Ashley Biser, co-director of the Arneson Institute for Practical Politics and Public Affairs, at cdi@owu.edu.