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FACULTY/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Dangerous Discussions
Grid for Developing/Adapting/Extending
Guidelines & Ground Rules

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Dangerous Discussions Home Page

PURPOSE:  Organize, summarize, compare advice (pros & cons), resources for using different media to support respectful, constructive Dangerous Discussions.  Begin to assemble info useful to someone who is trying to decide if and how to use a combination of Web-based media to support civil, productive Dangerous Discussions.

Guidelines

Click here for full text of guidelines

Face-to-Face
(Lecture Discussion Lab Seminar Stud/Fac Ratio etc.)
Asynch Text - including anonymous options (e.g., threaded discussion boards; email; listservs) Synch Text (e.g., text-only chat rooms) Asynch Audio (e.g., voice-mail?  Voice Blogs) Synch Audio + Text + ... (e.g., Elluminate)
1a.  Develop guidelines

PRO - OPTIONS

Clarify expectations; increase appropriate participation;  support changing old habits/styles of interaction [Impose guidelines prepared by others vs. lead group to generate own guidelines.  Fast vs. Slow;  Safe vs. Risky;  BUT shallow vs. deep]  E.g., see R. Tannenbaum's Seminar Guidelines - Listen, Speak, Respect

<Add annotated links to additional good examples>

Use or modify available "Netiquette" guidelines;  prevent "flaming";  permit anonymity only after participants demonstrate ability to interact appropriately

E.g., see "Core Rules of Netiquette" excerpted from the book Netiquette by Virginia Shea

<Add annotated links to additional good examples>

Guidelines especially important because of different levels of experience, comfort, facility of participants (who can/cannot use "smileys", who can/cannot type fast, ...)

<Add annotated links to  good examples of guidelines applicable to synch text>

Too rare to matter yet?

<Add annotated links to  good examples of guidelines applicable to asynch audio>

Very important, especially for people new to these environments

<Add annotated links to  good examples of guidelines for synch multi-media tools & platforms>

1b.  Develop guidelines

CON - CHALLENGES

Difficult to anticipate all situations;  over-codification can inhibit participation Difficult to anticipate all situations; ... Difficult to anticipate all situations; ... Especially difficult to anticipate situations and explain appropriate behavior Especially difficult to anticipate situations and explain appropriate behavior
2a.  Model
that discussions are about ideas & issues, not personalities
PRO - OPTIONS
Easy to demonstrate appropriate behavior and affirm others for doing so

E.g., say "You just criticized Steve, not his idea.  Could you try that again, focusing on the content?"

<Add annotated links to case studies, descriptions, video recordings of good examples?>

Permits taking time for thoughtful, respectful responses

<Add annotated links to transcripts of good examples>

Easy to monitor

<Add annotated links to transcripts of good examples>

Permits taking time for thoughtful, respectful responses - and including subtleties of vocal inflection

<Add annotated links to archives of good examples>

Permits different individuals to participate in different media, so more people likely to find comfortable way to contribute (being comfortable conducive to appropriate behavior?)

<Add annotated links to archives of good examples>

2b.  Model
that discussions are about ideas and issues, not personalities
CON - CHALLENGES
Easy to slip or allow others to slip!

<Add links to case studies, descriptions, video recordings of examples of bad practice?>

Demands lots of time, attention to monitor and intervene/guide;  difficult to provide just enough intervention to shape the flow without intimidating participants

<Add annotated links to transcripts of examples of bad practice?>

Difficult to develop, sustain meaningful threads of interaction;  difficult to respond both thoughtfully and quickly enough

<Add annotated links to transcripts of examples of bad practice?>

Pressure to rehearse in advance?  Difficult to "edit" contributions?

<Add annotated links to archives of examples of bad practice?>

May require multiple co-leaders (presenters, facilitators) to monitor, guide all simultaneous "channels" in use

<Add annotated links to archives of examples of bad practice?>

3a.  Listen
and reflect (mirror) what participants say.

PRO - OPTIONS

         
3b.  Listen
and reflect (mirror) what participants say. 

CON - CHALLENGES

         
4a.  Acknowledge own feelings
Be aware of one’s own feelings and willing to talk about them

PRO - OPTIONS

         
4b.  Acknowledge own feelings
Be aware of one’s own feelings and willing to talk about them

CON - CHALLENGES

         
5a.  Trust participants'
capacity for self-restraint and civility

PRO - OPTIONS

         
5b.  Trust participants'
capacity for self-restraint and civility

CON - CHALLENGES

         
6a.  Trust intuition
Learn when to intervene and when to wait by trusting our intuition

PRO - OPTIONS

         
6b.    Trust intuition
Learn when to intervene and when to wait by trusting our intuition

CON - CHALLENGES

         
7a.   Uncertainty OK
Establish a climate where participants can risk making statements of which they are uncertain

PRO - OPTIONS

         
7b.   Uncertainty OK
Establish a climate where participants can risk making statements of which they are uncertain

CON - CHALLENGES

         
8a.  When Discussion Falls Apart
Acknowledge, call "time out," reflect, write, discuss in small groups, resume

PRO - OPTIONS

         
8b.  When Discussion Falls Apart
Acknowledge, call "time out," reflect, write, discuss in small groups, resume

CON - CHALLENGES

         
9/10a.  Especially inappropriate comments
Invite self-correction;  if that doesn't work....??

PRO - OPTIONS

         
9/10b.  Especially inappropriate comments
Invite self-correction;  if that doesn't work....?? 

CON - CHALLENGES

         
11a.   Formulate topics/questions to respect opposing views

PRO - OPTIONS

         
11b.  Formulate topics/questions to respect opposing views

CON - CHALLENGES

         
12a.  Acknowledge widely shared opinions first

PRO - OPTIONS

         
12b.  Acknowledge widely shared opinions first

CON - CHALLENGES

         
13a.  Articulate contextual factors
that make a topic more/less dangerous for some participants.

PRO - OPTIONS

         
13b.  Articulate contextual factors
that make a topic more/less dangerous for some participants.

CON - CHALLENGES

         
14a.  ADD YOUR OWN

PRO - OPTIONS

 

         
14b.  ADD YOUR OWN

CON - CHALLENGES