Ohio Wesleyan University has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the LearningWell Coalition to support and expand Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI) training. The funding will extend and integrate Perspectives, a research-backed blended learning program that equips students, faculty, and staff with essential skills for effective communication across differences.
Constructive dialogue encourages individuals with different values, beliefs, and perspectives to build new understanding while maintaining their own principles. This approach is particularly valuable for navigating complex, potentially divisive issues. The program emphasizes developing mutual understanding—striving to comprehend others’ views while feeling heard in return. Perspectives encourages participants to clarify differences, discover common ground, and create opportunities for future collaboration. The first two levels of Perspectives training were introduced to the campus community in fall 2024 through support from the Sagan Family. Additional funding from the LearningWell Coalition more fully integrates the program into curricular initiatives and extends the training to a broader range of faculty, staff, and students.
“Through exploring the six foundations within the CDI framework, students engage in critical self-reflection,” explains Dr. Barb Bird, Director of OWU’s Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation. “Guided inquiry into these foundations facilitates students’ deeper understanding of their personal identity, revealing how their individual history, values, and experiences shape their moral compass.”
The university looks forward to maximizing Perspectives that supports freedom of expression and inquiry across all viewpoints beginning in fall 2025. 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.
OWU Sponsoring Organization/Office: Foundation Relations Office
Contact: Susan Zimmerman at grants@owu.edu