Dialogic Practices Change Faculty Perceptions/Intentions Toward Self and Students

Hi, my name is Stephanie Freis, and I'll be sharing insights from a reading circle I facilitated with Claire Whitlinger at Furman University’s Faculty Development Center. Our reading circle centered on the book The Dialogic Classroom in Higher Education by DeTemple and colleagues.

One thread that surfaced repeatedly was participants’ frequent reference to "the game of school.” Higher education’s tendency to reward compliance over genuine curiosity. Dialogic practice seemed to oKer a concrete and compassionate way to disrupt this game. This takeaway was not just theoretical for faculty but a lived experience, in the way we facilitated dialogue during the reading circle.

Afterwards, six themes emerged in faculty’s written reflections. They expressed intention about setting explicit communication norms for dialogue, such as timed listening to others as well as to oneself, and designing more open-ended question prompts.

Across nearly all themes, faculty reflected inward, on transforming their own practice more than wanting their students to change. These shifts in thinking progressed from considering the mechanics of successful dialogue to ultimately rethinking power in the classroom to give greater authority to students and release faculty’s own self-judgments.

If any of these themes resonate with your own work, I'd love to hear from you. All facilitation materials are available via the QR code for you to adapt and use — including guides for the classroom with students and guides for learning communities with instructors ... who can later take these ideas into their own classrooms.