DiscussionsOverview Show Discussion is important to learning in all disciplines because it helps students process information rather than simply receive it. Leading a discussion requires skills different from lecturing. The goal of a discussion is to get students to practice thinking about the course material. Your role becomes that of facilitator. You design and facilitate the discussion rather than convey information. If you want to hold a discussion, don’t do all the talking yourself; don’t lecture to the group or talk to one student at a time. Preparing for Discussions To start planning a discussion (or any instruction, for that matter) decide what you want your students to get out of the discussion. For example, do you want them to share responses, make new connections, and articulate the implications of a text? Should they be able to work certain problems by the end of the hour? Should they be able to interpret and critique a journalistic photograph or a piece of art? Deciding on and articulating the objective for the discussion will help you decide what kinds of discussion activities will best help your students reach that objective. Remember that you can organize a discussion in many different ways: you can have students work in small groups, role-play, choose sides for a debate, or write and share a paragraph in response to the theme in question1. You will also want to leave time to wrap up and summarize the discussion for your students (or have students summarize it), or to debrief after activities such as debates or role-plays. Develop a Clear Goal for the Discussion Knowing the content to be covered is not enough. Naming the chapter your students will read is not enough. If you’ve only thought as far as, “I want students to know ...” you haven't thought through enough what needs to be accomplished. You should be able to articulate what the students will be able to do with the information or ideas. For example, in a philosophy class for which students have read a chapter on epistemologies or theories of knowledge, you might want students to be able to construct legitimate arguments for and against any epistemology about which they have read. Problematize the Topic Having a clear goal in mind makes it much easier to plan a discussion. You know what you want students to get out of it. But it is not enough: An instructor at IU several years ago told the story of how she wanted her students to deal with the issue of prejudice. She tried to start discussion merely by saying “Discuss prejudice.” No one spoke. She then asked if anyone had seen prejudice. One student raised a hand. When she asked what it was like, the student merely said “awful.” She had a goal, but not a problem or an activity to get the students to engage the ideas to achieve the goal. The opposite end of the spectrum is also a problem. While “Discuss prejudice” is too open-ended, merely asking for the basic facts won’t work either. You’ve probably heard a professor rattle off a list of questions that require only brief factual replies and little student involvement: Q. When was the Battle of Hastings? The result could hardly be called a discussion. So, give your students an open-ended problem to solve, a task to complete, a judgment to reach, a decision to make, or a list to create—something that begs for closure. Select a Discussion Format Many discussion activities can be used in the classroom. Choose one that will help your students meet your goals for the discussion. The more specific you can be in assigning the task, the more likely your students will be to succeed at it. Consider the protocols for tasks such as Think-Pair-Share, Affinity Mapping, Chalk Talk and other conversation structures. Choose a Method to Assign Students to Groups When assigning students to groups, consider the following questions.
Choose a Debriefing Method Always debrief students; it is the most important part of a discussion, the time to summarize and synthesize. Most of learning in discussions happens during debriefing, so don't squeeze it in—a rule of thumb is to use one-third of the total discussion time for debriefing. You can use debriefing to correct incorrect notions. You can slip in any points that students neglected but that are important. You can pick which student reports from each group, though you should tell them in advance that you plan to do this. This makes everyone in the group responsible. You don’t have to hear back from every group, but can instead choose a few at random. When groups start repeating ideas, it’s time to stop. Many techniques can get students to share what their smaller groups have done with the entire class: verbally, on newsprint/flipchart, blackboard or overhead, ditto/photocopy, etc. And you don't have to hear from everyone; calling on a few groups at random to report works quite well. To encourage student cross-team competition in Team-Based Learning, reporting out from groups is simultaneous. Answers can be posted to a Powerpoint slide or pieces of newsprint hung on walls of class. Problems with Discussion
Strategies for Building Discussion throughout a Class Session
References Cashin, W. E. (2011). Effective classroom discussions. IDEA Paper number 49. Which actions will make a students well prepared for a group discussion?Individual actions. prepare for the topic.. be willing to listen to others.. build on what other people have said.. be willing to change your opinions.. not be afraid to give your honest opinions.. support your opinions with evidence.. give others a chance to speak (i.e. do not dominate the discussion). What are the techniques for effective group discussion?Model the behavior and attitudes you want group members to employ. ... . Use encouraging body language and tone of voice, as well as words. ... . Give positive feedback for joining the discussion. ... . Be aware of people's reactions and feelings, and try to respond appropriately. ... . Ask open-ended questions. ... . Control your own biases.. Which skills make group discussions effective check all that apply?These areas are body language, delivery strategies, discussion strategies, interaction strategies and preparation.. Body language. The first skill that students should focus on improving when delivering assessed group discussions is body language. ... . Delivery strategies. ... . Discussion language. ... . Interaction strategies. ... . Preparation.. How effectively participate in group discussion balance must be maintained between?How to Effectively Participate in Group Discussions. Be thoroughly prepared. ... . Arrive a few minutes before the meeting. ... . Speak confidently. ... . Use an appropriate tone. ... . When confronted by others, focus on the issue under discussion and remain polite. ... . If your idea is stated by others first, don't feel there is nothing else to say.. |