Deliberative Forum Series: Course and Teachers’ Institute

Beginning in November 2009, WIPPS has been collaborating with the UW-Stevens Point School of Education to create the foundation for a Teachers’ Institute. WIPPS staff began with a presentation on deliberation to the  Pre-Kindergarten–18 Council, a group of North Central Wisconsin professional educators from pre-elementary, elementary, middle school, high school and higher education, to explain the goals, applications, and WIPPS initiatives regarding deliberative forums. The result was a request by the PK-18 Council to experience a deliberative forum, which occurred in April 2010.

Subsequently, UWSP faculty and WIPPS personnel developed a course on deliberation and service learning (DSL) to be taught by WIPPS staff through the School of Education on the UWSP campus in August 2011. The course goals are to weave deliberative and service learning teaching methodologies together to equip teachers with skills to promote student civic engagement. To augment the course, pre-service and in-service professional development in DSL methods will be offered on an annual basis for faculty, staff and students in the UWSP Department of Professional Studies at UWMC and at WIPPS.

For more information on the course, email john.greenwood@uwc.edu