The Deliberative Pedagogy (DeeP) Faculty Collaborative consists of faculty from Davidson College and other higher education institutions who are committed to learning and implementing new ways to improve and deepen the quality of their class discussions. These faculty come from a wide array of disciplines and backgrounds to study and discuss deliberative pedagogy methods, share their ideas and questions with one another, and work to embed deliberation in their classrooms. In this special blog series, members of the Collaborative describe and reflect on their experiences developing and teaching their deliberation-involved courses.
By Michelan Wilson (2024-25 Deliberative Pedagogy Collaborative Faculty Fellow)
Designing and delivering a course that centers on deliberation within environmental economics has been an enriching and insightful journey. I believe that deliberation can be a powerful learning tool in this context because it encourages students to engage deeply with complex environmental issues, consider multiple perspectives, and develop nuanced solutions—skills that are essential for effective policy-making and responsible citizenship. The process involved careful planning, continuous assessment, and a focus on fostering meaningful student engagement.
The Development and Implementation Process
The process began with a clear goal: to move beyond traditional lecture-based instruction and create a space where students could actively deliberate on real-world environmental issues. I incorporated the practical approach I learned from the Deliberative Citizenship Initiative (DCI), which emphasizes facilitating structured, inclusive dialogues that build students’ capacity to engage thoughtfully with complex problems. This foundation helped shape a course environment focused on active participation, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving.
My Approach: Deliberations focused on trying to address key areas of conflict that arise when enacting environmental policy. I had a class of 18 students. For each deliberative activity, 8 students served as deliberators and the other 8 as observers. This was a key pedagogical shift, moving from traditional lecture formats to a more learner-centered approach, which was unfamiliar to students. As such, I acted as the facilitator for each deliberation. Preparation for deliberations involved students reading through the Deliberation Guide, which highlighted expectations, along with deliberative positions and suggested readings to support their development.
To help students understand the importance and purpose of deliberation, I assigned readings from Aiken and Talisse’s “Why We Argue” and an article titled “Cultivating Dialogue and Deliberation Through Speech, Silence, and Synthesis,” Chapter 4 of Drury’s “Creating Space for Democracy.” These readings were designed to help students grasp why we were engaging in deliberations—especially on complex, often contentious issues—and how deliberative processes can be effectively used to tackle difficult problems like those faced in Environmental Economics. Throughout the course, class time was allocated to discussing these readings, highlighting what students found convincing and less convincing about the role of deliberations as a decision-making tool in environmental economics.
Outcomes and Student Responses
The assessment revealed that students demonstrated proficiency in a wide range of deliberation skills across the course. Many students showed strong abilities in articulating reasons, synthesizing ideas, and understanding environmental trade-offs. They also demonstrated increased confidence in engaging with diverse perspectives and applying economic reasoning to real-world problems. This growth was facilitated by active participation and ongoing feedback, which helped students refine their skills.
Students’ responses were largely positive; many appreciated the opportunity to apply theoretical concepts in practical, collaborative settings. They recognized the importance of respectful dialogue and evidence-based reasoning—elements critical to effective deliberation. Some students initially struggled with the complexity of balancing various viewpoints but gradually became more proficient as the course progressed.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
While the overall experience was rewarding, certain challenges emerged. One significant constraint was the structure of Colorado College’s Block Plan, as each course runs for only 3.5 weeks. This tight timeframe left little room between deliberations for students to reflect deeply on their experiences or for me to facilitate thorough debriefs. As a result, learning how to deliberate and develop deliberative skills had to be achieved quickly, which limited some of the depth and richness of the process. Some students were more comfortable with the process from the outset, while others needed more time and guidance to fully engage.
What Worked Well
The use of detailed Deliberation Guides was instrumental in supporting student learning. These guides provided students with related readings and clearly outlined their assigned positions, which took a lot of guesswork out of the process and helped ensure that students came prepared with well-supported arguments, whether based on facts or personal experience. Knowing the positions of their fellow deliberators in advance enabled students to engage more thoughtfully and strategically, fostering richer discussions. One of the most enlightening parts of the deliberations was when students introduced themselves and shared their personal connections—or lack thereof—to the issues at hand. Observing how personal connections influenced interactions revealed how knowing more about the individuals behind the arguments changed the dynamic of the conversations. Students later reflected that understanding each other’s personal stakes impacted how they perceived and engaged with differing viewpoints.
Additionally, the deliberative process served as a valuable learning experience beyond the formal curriculum, as it brought up aspects of environmental policy that were not explicitly covered but emerged organically through students supporting their views. This dynamic exchange enriched the class and deepened their understanding of real-world environmental issues. The use of detailed rubrics and guides clarified expectations and supported skill development, giving students clear benchmarks for their deliberative performance. Reflections and discussions helped students internalize their learning and created a space to air their misgivings about the process.
What Didn’t Work as Well
I attempted to carry out a more unstructured form of deliberation, but students were left confused and ultimately expressed a preference for a more structured approach where one point of view is addressed and thoroughly discussed before moving on to another. This underscored the importance of clear boundaries and organization in facilitating effective deliberations. Another challenge was having observers with no assigned tasks; students felt they had no purpose during that time and almost believed they did not need to attend class, which affected engagement. Additionally, I was solely responsible for assessing the deliberations, which proved difficult, especially since this was a new skill for students to develop. Although the rubrics I created were helpful in distinguishing between weak and strong participation, they were less effective in assessing more nuanced levels of engagement and skill. Furthermore, evaluating intangible qualities such as empathy was particularly challenging, as it’s difficult to measure these aspects objectively through rubrics alone.
Next Steps and Future Directions
Building on these insights, I plan to:
- Reduce the number of deliberations during the block to deepen reflections and provide more meaningful opportunities for engagement.
- Provide targeted facilitation training to help students manage discussions more effectively. I was hesitant at first about the level of facilitation students could achieve independently, but I recognize that developing these skills is crucial for their growth as deliberators.
- Incorporate more diverse stakeholder perspectives through virtual engagement or partnerships with community organizations. To make deliberations more reflective of real-world conditions, I intend to provide the same guides I use with students to stakeholders. This approach will make deliberations more authentic and help students build the confidence to take deliberative skills outside the classroom. Of course, exposing students to even more diverse perspectives will enhance their ability to formulate nuanced environmental policies.
- Develop more systematic assessment tools to evaluate deliberative skill development alongside content mastery, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of student progress. I will also include “observers” in the assessment process, which will aid in their development as deliberators and provide different perspectives on the success or challenges of each deliberation.
- Foster a community of practice among students for ongoing dialogue and real-world application beyond the classroom. I will endeavor to build a campus community where students actively engage in deliberations, supported by my continued collaboration with the Deliberative Citizenship Initiative (DCI) as I move forward with this work.
