Tech Talks

Tech Talks

Building the Skills for Respectful Dialogue
in a Technology-Driven World

Tech Talks Logo

Tech Talks: Promoting Civil Discourse at New York Tech is a transformative initiative designed to strengthen constructive dialogue, encourage civic engagement across differing viewpoints, and inspire intellectual curiosity throughout the university community.

New York Tech received an award of $2,506,957 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Special Projects Program to build upon institutional initiatives and strategies that over the past several years have encouraged a campus climate that supports constructive, honest, and respectful dialogue. The university community and its partners will do this through the following evidence-based strategic activities:  

  • Engagement with the independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan Constructive Dialogue Institute to hold a series of workshops and training sessions for faculty, staff, and students. 
  • Curricular and co-curricular activities coupled with faculty support to prepare students to engage constructively across differences in values, perspectives, and lived experiences. 
  • Peer- and near-peer engagement to reinforce classroom learning of civil dialogue. 
  • Badges and microcredentials to encourage participation and to scale this work to high school and community college students and community partners. 

Through innovative academic programming, faculty development, student leadership opportunities, and community partnerships, Tech Talks equips participants with the skills needed to engage respectfully and productively across differences while preparing them to navigate an increasingly complex technological and social landscape. As a polytechnic university, New York Tech is uniquely positioned to explore the intersection of technology, communication, ethics, and civic life.

Why Tech Talks?

Tech Talks was developed to address political polarization and strengthen dialogue across differing viewpoints at New York Tech. Data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) shows that while students frequently interact with peers from different racial, ethnic, economic, and religious backgrounds, they are less likely to engage with peers who hold different political views. 

While more than 75 percent of first-year students and seniors report interactions with people from diverse backgrounds, a significantly lower percent report engaging with peers who have different political views. 

This gap highlights an important opportunity to foster constructive conversations, encourage respectful dialogue, and help students build the skills needed to engage across political differences. Tech Talks meets this need by providing a space for meaningful discussion on complex issues affecting our communities and society. 

Source: 2023 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) 

Overview

Tech Talks: Promoting Civil Discourse at New York Tech is a four-year grant from 2026-2029. This project aligns with work supported through other federally funded student success initiatives such as Title III Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP), and Pathways for Advancing and Thriving in Higher Education (PATH). Learn more about this New York Tech award here. 

Political polarization, misinformation, and rapidly evolving digital technologies have transformed how people communicate and engage with one another. Tech Talks’ intention is to create structured opportunities for dialogue, learning, leadership development, and civic engagement. The initiative builds upon New York Tech’s commitment to fostering an environment where community members can express ideas freely, engage respectfully with opposing viewpoints, and take part in meaningful conversations that contribute to personal growth and societal progress.  

Tech Talks programs and key activities aim to improve campus climate, strengthen communication and dialogue skills, increase engagement across differing viewpoints, support student success, enhance faculty development, expand civic participation, and develop scalable educational resources to share with schools and community partners. 

Programs and Key Activities 

Tech Talks will advance existing and emerging strategies focused on four key strategic activity strands. 

 1. Partnership with the Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI). CDI will deliver workshops and training for faculty, staff, and students that develop active listening, perspective-taking, collaborative conflict navigation, and critical thinking skills.  

 2. Curricular and co-curricular enhancements coupled with faculty support include minor courses with a civil discourse focus, and a Civil-Discourse-themed Communities of Practice and Faculty Development Day. 

3. Peer- and Near-Peer Engagement provides student leaders with opportunities for certification in Dialogue Facilitation and service in Civil-Discourse-themed events.  

 4. Badges and microcredentials designed for students and community partners to engage, learn, and lead in the following: Digital Dialogue, Information Integrity, Constructive Disagreement, AI and Society Dialogue, Technology Policy, and Cross-Difference Bridge Builder.

Tech Talk Collaborators and Partners

Office of Access and Community Engagement, Center for Faculty Excellence, College of Arts and Sciences, Student Engagement and Development, Undergraduate Student Success and Advising, Office of Research Assessment and Decision Support (RADS), Academic Technology Services, Information Technology Services, New York Tech Libraries, Responsible Tech Ambassadors, Constructive Dialogue Institute, and Haynes Evaluation LLC.

Principal Investigators

Project Team

  • Program Director: Beatrice Figueroa, M.A.
  • Project Manager: Xenia Torres, M.B.A.

Questions? Email us at techtalks@nyit.edu.

Resources