Teaching

Dialogue across difference in the classroom can be a critical tool to support student learning and growth. The DaD Initiative supports UCLA instructors with pedagogical skills and incentives to advance dialogue in their classrooms in either form (e.g., pedagogical approaches, classroom activities) and/or subject matter (e.g., sharing topics that expose students to difference).

The Dialogue across Difference Faculty Fellowship

DaD partners with the UCLA Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) to support instructors as they equip students with the tools to engage in complex conversations across differences in lived experience, cultural background, and perspective.

The year-long Dialogue across Difference Faculty Fellows program supports instructors of record in integrating the UCLA DaD Initiative’s five values of intellectual engagement, curiosity, empathy, active listening, and critical thinking into their course materials and teaching practices. Faculty Fellows engage with best practices in evidence-based, inclusive teaching and practice dialogic frameworks to foster learning environments where open dialogue thrives. Sixteen faculty fellows from 11 academic disciplines participated in the fellowship in 2024-25. In 2025-26, the initiative will feature 20 faculty fellows from 15 academic disciplines.

Fiat Lux Seminars

Each Spring, the DaD Initiative and the Division of Undergraduate Education call for Fiat Lux seminars that foster a culture of dialogue. These seminars provide opportunities for students to explore difference in either form (e.g., practicing dialogue skills in conversation on controversial topics) and/or content (e.g., exploring different disciplinary or ideological perspectives on a given subject.

Participating faculty also attend a learning session that develops the tools and skills to navigate complex dialogues, cultivate empathy, and promote inclusivity across lines of difference. Learn more and see past seminars by clicking on the button below.

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