Discourse Sessions
A discourse session is a session during which a small group discusses a chosen issue, using Ameliorate to reflect the discussion, keep it focused, and get people on the same page.
Purpose
These sessions are a fun way to:
- improve understanding of the topic
- understand each others' perspectives on the topic
- see how Ameliorate can work
- consider how Ameliorate can be improved
What does a session look like?
Sessions are expected to evolve as they're used more, but this is what they currently look like:
- Groups of 3-6
- 2 hours total: a few minutes at the beginning for introductions, ~75 minutes for discussion, and the rest of the time for reflecting on how things went
- Use the "Discourse Session" voice channel in the Ameliorate Discord server (opens in a new tab) to discuss with voice chat (facilitator will likely share video, but participants can do what they're comfortable with)
- Someone (probably the organizer) facilitates, i.e. shares their screen and builds an Ameliorate diagram as discussion progresses (screen sharing is necessary until this (opens in a new tab) is done)
- Throughout discussion, breaks may be taken for participants to choose their own scores for the diagram (to quickly convey their opinions), or to research the topic for a few minutes
A Google Doc is typically used to guide the session - here is the template doc (opens in a new tab) for that.
Past sessions
You can find docs used for previous discussions here (opens in a new tab).
Joining a session
We'd love to have you join a discourse session! In order to get in on the fun, you can join the discourse mailing list (opens in a new tab) to receive invites.
When a session is going to happen, an organizer will send an email with a poll for choosing the topic and time for the session - fill this out if you'd like to join. A follow-up email will be sent with the chosen topic and time.
Before attending
- Read through the project's Code of Conduct (opens in a new tab) - we might be discussing controversial topics, and we all want to enjoy respect
- Make sure you're able to join the Ameliorate Discord server (opens in a new tab) and are ready to use the "Discourse Session" voice channel
- Create an Ameliorate account
- Step through the ~5 minute tutorials for Viewers (open the app to any topic, perhaps this one (opens in a new tab), and click the question mark) or read through Getting Started