Discussion courses consist of an average of 8 to 12 people who meet weekly or bi-weekly for an hour to an hour and a half to discuss readings from one of NWEI’s course books. These study guides, each about 100 pages, contain a diverse collection of short essays, articles, and book excerpts organized around weekly themes to create lively discussion. They provide a solid grounding about the discussion topic.
Discussion questions and a suggested meeting format are included in each study guide.
Each meeting consists of two parts: an opening and a facilitated discussion. The first session is led by an experienced Earth Institute volunteer where possible. Remaining meetings are facilitated by members of the group on a rotating basis. Guidelines for the facilitator are included in each course book. Anyone can organize a discussion course, regardless of whether NWEI volunteers are available to assist.