Dialogues is a Schoolhouse program for high school students to participate in 1-on-1 Zoom conversations about important global topics like artificial intelligence, climate change, and mental health.
We started Dialogues as an experimental pilot one year ago, inspired by the vision that these 1-on-1 conversations could foster a new kind of learning built around curiosity, empathy, and collaboration. You can read more about this vision in the Dialogues Manifesto, written by our CEO and founder Sal Khan.
Over the last year, we have worked with a committee of experts in civil dialogue to design and test the program. Over 600 students have participated and we have had over 2,000 Dialogue sessions.
How does Dialogues work?
Students can participate in two ways: (1) through one-off dialogue conversations on the topic of their choosing and (2) through a Dialogues Club that meets every two weeks to explore a new subject.
In all Dialogue sessions, students are matched with a conversation partner who holds an alternative view. Participants follow a discussion guide with curated questions and conversation tips to help them navigate the topic. Each guide prompts students to engage in “steelmanning,” the practice of making the strongest possible argument for a view you disagree with. This helps students put themselves in the shoes of someone else and exercise their critical thinking and communication muscles.
By participating in Dialogue conversations and clubs, students receive a Dialogues portfolio highlighting how these conversations have helped them develop their communication and critical thinking skills. Students submit this portfolio to colleges as part of their application.
Dialogues University Partners
So far, 8 universities have signed on as official Dialogues partners! As partners, these schools are championing the importance of civil discourse on college campuses and in society.
These schools are accepting the Dialogues portfolio for the 2025 undergraduate admissions season as a supplemental resources students can submit with their college application:
- University of Chicago
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Columbia University
- Vanderbilt University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Colby College
- Northwestern University
- Washington University
Why Dialogues?
The Schoolhouse mission is to connect the world through learning. All of our programs, from our SAT Bootcamps to our Khan Academy Learning Labs, foster human connection-driven learning through our free peer-to-peer small group tutoring model.
Dialogues builds upon this mission by taking this human connection approach one step further. Expanding beyond traditional tutoring, the Dialogues model of 1-on-1 conversations harnesses students’ inherent curiosity in contemporary global issues and their motivations to develop their communication and critical thinking skills.
Schoolhouse also has a track record of success creating opportunities for students to showcase their academic accomplishments to universities. The Schoolhouse academic portfolio is accepted by over 40 universities and showcases students’ community service through tutoring, as well as academic mastery of various subjects. The Dialogues portfolio builds on this by giving students an opportunity to show other dimensions of who they are: their values and skills around collaborating with others on real world issues that matter.
Student Impact
Dialogue Clubs have been a big hit with our students! We started with 50 clubs in the spring of 2025 and are expanding to 80+ this summer. Dialogue Clubs have an average of 10 students attend each session.
The average satisfaction score across all Dialogue sessions is 4.5/5. What paints a more meaningful picture is our student testimonials, like these:
- "I don't think I've ever had a more enlightening conversation, and it is one I’ll always remember."
- "I'm learning a lot about approaching complex topics with an open mind. Through Dialogues, I'm able to challenge my thinking and engage in discussions that deepen my understanding of the world."
- "I was glad to investigate the topic and happy to be able to feel like I could talk freely and give my opinion without being judged."
Dialogues in the news
You can read more about Dialogues here:
- Fast Company article by Steven Melendez: “Sal Khan’s new Dialogues program teaches students how to have civil, thoughtful discussions”
- Education Week article by Sarah Sparks: "Colleges Will Give a Leg Up to Students Who Demonstrate Civility"
What’s next?
Registration is now open for Dialogue Clubs for our summer term and we will be holding multiple Dialogue conversations each week from June through August.
We’re excited to keep building momentum! As Sal has said, “It’s our dream that one day, Dialogue Clubs will be just as common as Debate Clubs.” The world needs better tools for conversations across differences more than ever and we’re excited to support the next generation in building a better future.
Get involved
If you’re an educator interested in partnering with Schoolhouse on Dialogues, please email us at partner @ schoolhouse.world.
If you’re a university or educational organization interested in partnering with us, please email us at partner @ schoolhouse.world.