According to students in Mu 101 (Fall 2019):
- Be present and participate!
- Prepare for discussions/activities by (1) reading to understand the main idea, (2) re-reading for details that you can talk or think about, and (3) making a list of things that stood out to you
- Practice being a good empath. Write down questions until the speaker is finished.
- Assume someone is speaking with positive intent. Ask non-judgmental follow-up questions.
- Be patient as others gather their thoughts
- Let everyone take turns in speaking. Don’t cut other people off.
- Be aware of who is not talking in order to invite them to speak
- Ask more questions
- Speak loudly and clearly
- Challenge others’ ideas in a respectful manner as opposed to pretending to agree with something you don’t agree with
- We all think differently about things and that can make a conversation go really well
- Getting off-topic can still lead to a meaningful discussion
- It’s ok to jump in and express your thoughts because it may spark another topic
- Anyone can play a role; change shouldn’t be a closed door
- It’s fascinating to sit down and listen to other people discuss their research
