Democracy in Dialogue Virtual Exchange Program

Within each cohort, paired groups of youth come together in a series of live video dialogues and virtual learning experiences to explore and share the stories of their communities. These exchanges are supported by asynchronous and synchronous activities undertaken in each site. Culminating student projects provide snapshots of the unique role their communities have played in the American experiment.  

Do you appreciate student diversity and embrace student-centered, inquiry-based education as a way to advance student’s civic understanding and knowledge? Are you interested in collaborating with colleagues from around the country? Do you see your own professional growth as ongoing? 

Democracy in Dialogue is designed to support educators, who work with middle and high school youth, ages 13 - 18, from across the United States and its territories. Educators can come from any disciplinary background, including social studies, civics, language arts, environmental science, and other humanities classes. We also welcome student support professionals, like media center specialists, librarians, and curriculum leads, as well as informal and out-of-school educators. What is crucial is the educator’s ability to recruit a minimum of 15 students to participate in the exchange program.  

Using best practices of place-based methodology, facilitators co-design their own exchange topics and activities to match the unique interests and characteristics of their two communities. These activities include synchronous and asynchronous work that the paired student groups undertake together, culminating in final student projects.  

• Asynchronous Activities: Students engage in inquiry-based activities that provide the structure for each community investigation and ensure a strong base for student interactions online.  
• Synchronous “Live” Sessions: Throughout the course of the investigation, “live” sessions bring the paired student groups together to share, reflect, and celebrate their communities. These sessions make up the heart of the program.
• Student project: The final project allows youth to engage in their own local history and culture and develop a deeper understanding of communities across the nation. Students collect and reflect on the diverse voices of their communities, and then share their newfound understanding and experience in a public showcase.  
• Other opportunities: Relationships often extend well after the end date of a specific exchange. We will encourage and support the on-going collaborations of facilitators, students, and communities. 

• Attend professional training with Smithsonian education leaders  
• Recruit a minimum of 15 students to participate in a six-to-eight-week virtual exchange 
• Distribute and collect Smithsonian student consent forms, signed by parents and/or guardians  
• Partner with another facilitator from another area of the country to design and lead a virtual exchange for students 
• Organize and facilitate regular in-person meetings and community connections for your half of the exchange 
• Ensure that final student projects are completed successfully 
• Attend regular virtual meetings with other facilitators for on-going professional support 
• Encourage students to recognize their own existing knowledge of their community as a starting point 
• Be prepared to support students in conversations about complex issues 

The Smithsonian provides professional training sessions and makes available throughout the program Smithsonian experts and resources that support the exchange at large and the individual student projects. Smithsonian instructional coaches also assist with curriculum design, coordination, and asynchronous activities, and provide office hours for additional support. The Smithsonian celebrates final student projects through community connections and public showcases.  

Each facilitator receives an honorarium upon the successful completion of the virtual exchange. Continued Education Unit (CEU) professional credit is awarded at the exchange's end too. All costs associated with the training are fully covered.