using sway to improve campus speech cultures

Overview

Encouraging students to engage openly in face-to-face discussions about controversial topics is a problem with no easy solutions. Sway provides an alternative: low-stakes, one-on-one, scaffolded chats where students can explore their views in a challenging and respectful space. 

Nearly all students (90%) report feeling comfortable sharing their sincere views on the platform. Similar numbers report feeling respected by their chat partner (95%) as well as finding it valuable to chat with someone who didn’t share their perspective (80%).

Orientation week

First-year orientation provides a significant lever for nudging campus speech cultures in the direction of greater openness and inclusivity. Indeed, most college orientations now include mandatory presentations on open inquiry, encountering opposing viewpoints, and academic freedom. But just like playing the guitar, the ability to navigate and thrive in an environment that prizes the fearless pursuit of truth cannot be transmitted passively via lecture. Sway provides a space where students can get their hands dirty as they experiment with ideas and have their deepest assumptions challenged—while keeping things respectful.

Including Sway in orientation week does not require adding more events to an already packed program. Rather, Sway can be introduced to students in the context of a core event where attendance is expected of all. For example, when the President addresses the incoming class, some part of the presentation will likely concern viewpoint diversity. This is a perfect opportunity to introduce students to Sway.

How to introduce Sway

We recommend something simple:

1. Have an esteemed campus leader introduce Sway to students as part of the College’s commitment to academic pluralism and the liberal arts tradition

2. Set aside a few minutes for students to submit their opinions on Sway

   • Because Sway will match students and send them reminders only after they’ve entered their opinions, the best way to promote participation is to require students to enter their opinions during a core activity (e.g., at the end of a mandatory orientation presentation)

3. Over the rest of the orientation week, each student completes a 30-minute chat with a peer who holds a different view on a challenging topic

Sway’s flexibility is key: students don’t need to chat simultaneously or be in the same room. They can engage when convenient on their phones or laptops—during lunch, between other orientation activities, or at the end of the day. Sway’s AI discussion facilitator starts every discussion by helping students coordinate when they will chat.

Campus-wide benefits

Sway’s benefits extend beyond individual conversations.

Creating Community Across Differences: An intellectually engaging, respectful conversation with someone you disagree with primes students for an academic life built on norms of constructive dialogue. It’s also an opportunity to make a friend across an ideological divide—an apt way to begin any college career.

Campus Insights: Sway provides administrators with a rich source of de-identified data:

• What do our students believe?

• What arguments do they find convincing?

• Where can they find common ground?

Sway produces Instructor Reports that provide data-driven insights into every chat—while always preserving student privacy. Sway also surveys students about their discussions so campus leaders get immediate feedback on the activity. Survey items can be customized to address questions from various campus stakeholders.

Want to make Sway a part of your first-year orientation programming? Get in touch!

Check out our collab with the short documentary, Jesters & Fools!