Mediated Learning Newsletter

Vol. 5, Issue 5: March 2006, page 1

Using Study Circles in Campus Settings

Kaycee Schilke
Program Advisor, UC Multicultural Alliance, NCBI Campus Affiliate Director

Kaycee Schilke

Study circles provide a process for public engagement and collaborative problem solving. Used in campus settings, such circles allow people to communicate in respectful, productive dialogue, leading to various initiatives and strategies for change. On different campuses, study circles provide the process for dialogue, deliberation, and education among administrators, faculty, staff, students, and community members.

Study Circles are:

• based on democratic principles of inclusion, diversity, and collaboration
• open to many points of view
• guided by an impartial facilitator who does not add his/her opinion to the discussion
• used to examine an important issue
• catalysts for change

Examples of study circles may be seen in the classroom as a type of pedagogy in which dialogue-based discussions, with a neutral, peer facilitator, examine an issue from many points of view with the aim of uncovering common ground among the participants. These might appear in education classes where pedagogy itself is the issue, as a part of a history or social studies course, or for courses on racism and race relations. These few examples are not intended to be the extent of use of the circles on campus but serve to illustrate their use.

A different use is in community service or service-learning projects where students in academic classes and/or service-learning projects move from the classroom to community and vice versa. With this approach, the circles can be used to engage community members in problem solving in a manner similar to the charrettes being used by the Missoula City government.

Mary Mroczka and Beverly Jones Williams have made formal presentations about study circles and their uses at North Carolina State University. They write that because issues of race relations and racism are critical in our country, communities
and at their University, they have recognized the importance of dialogue as a critical step in making progress on these issues and began using study circles.

The primary purpose of one of their study circles is to engage participants in the kind of dialogue about racism and race relations that can make a difference on their campus. In this study circle using a small group with democratic and participatory
discussion, they write that people have the chance to get to know one another, consider different points of view, explore disagreements, and discover common ground. The final goal is for participants to work together democratically to actively address issues related to race relations in the community.

At North Carolina State University, Mroczka and Williams put forth the following general vision for study circles.

• Create general awareness on the subject of races, race rela- tions and diversity.
• Improve attitudes regarding races, race relations and diversity.
• Foster campus climate where people are comfortable talking about race and its impact.
• Inspire more faculty, staff and students to actively engage in dismantling racism on campus and in the community.
• Create appreciation for study circles on campus.
• Take study circles beyond their campus to community.

For specific information about the North Carolina State work, contact Mary Mroczka, North Carolina State University, Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning. She can be reached by e-mail, or phone, (919) 513-3836.

Two other examples of study circles use are seen at the University of Kentucky and the University of New Hampshire. At the University of Kentucky, former Dean of Students, David Stockham writes, “Ever since the spring of 1999, when the University of Kentucky initiated a study circle program called Ethnic Dialogues--groups of ten individuals who are ethnically different have been meeting once a week for five successive weeks during the fall or spring semester. Participation is voluntary. Some faculty, staff and community members have taken part, but most participants have been students. Dialogues are routinely scheduled in October and February, and are organized whenever departments or organizations would like to sponsor a Dialogue for their particular group.”

According to Stockham, who initiated the program, the Dialogues Program focuses more on helping students build life skills than on action. Stockham’s study circles article is available on the Web. More information about the University of Kentucky work can be found by contacting the current coordinator, John Lindsay, by e-mail, or by phone, (859) 252-7781.

Since 1997 the University of New Hampshire has used study circles to help the members of the campus community address a range of issues affecting campus life such as free speech, academic freedom, discriminatory harassment. In the fall of 2003, a mix of students, faculty and staff took part in study circles on student behavior, academic expectations, and alcohol. Michelle Holt-Shannon oversees study circles on the UNH campus and may be contacted by e-mail, or phone, (603) 862-0130.

For another resource, see www.studycircles.org. If you are interested in forming a study circle on this campus, please contact Johnny W. Lott, Center for Teaching Excellence by e-mail, or phone, (406) 243-5943.