Leading Class Discussion
Discussion allows students to engage course material critically and to develop analytical thinking skills. During discussion, the teacher is challenged to balance student self-discovery with instructor guidance. Organization and effective management of participation maximize student exploration and learning.
Organize:
Plan:
- Communicate to your students the goals and importance of discussion in your class
- Place the discussion in a general or specific subject area
- Decide what you would like your students to learn by the end of the discussion
- Create questions that you would like yourself or your students to answer or ask during the course of the discussion
- Lecture prior to discussion if you need to create shared knowledge for the group
- Avoid summarizing your views on the intended discussion topic or you may discourage student thought and participation
- Preview the areas you would like to cover before the discussion begins so that students know how each piece of information relates to the larger topic. Do not preview conclusions, as they may discourage student participation
- Open discussion with a provocative question that is based on the shared knowledge of the class and focuses the discussion
- Consider how question phrasing impacts student response. Questions that encourage analysis, evaluation and comparison inspire thought and participation. Avoid questions that are ambiguous, unclear or unfocused as well as multiple questions, and questions of simple fact
- Maintain progression of ideas by asking questions in a rational order (questions could be organized by concept, chronology, geography, space, logic etc.)
- Provide internal summaries so students are aware of the organization and progression of the discussion
- Encourage students to respond to each other by remaining silent after student comments and by highlighting areas of good student analysis for the class
- Maintain focus of discussion by responding to students with questions and comments that both build off of student participation and direct the discussion
- Encourage students to explore their ideas in greater depth by asking probing questions prompted by their statements
- Plan strategies for closing the discussion. You may want to include a general or analytical summary of the discussion
Silence is not necessarily bad. It can mean that students are thinking about your question; however, it can also mean that the question is poorly formulated. Allow 3-5 seconds for students to formulate a response. If no one responds, either repeat or rephrase the question, but do not change it. If you change your question, students will not know whether to answer the first or second question.
What
do I do if students do not follow my strategy for discussion?
If
the discussion strays from your plan you must decide whether the new line
of thought is valuable and worthy of pursuit. If it is, you may develop
it with probing questions. You can; however, return to your original
strategy at any time (even after a long digression) by announcing that
you are going to refocus the discussion and then by asking a question.
How
do I respond to incorrect or unrelated answers?
Incorrect
and unrelated answers can give you insight into how students are thinking
about a problem and will help you understand what concepts are misunderstood.
In response, you can: correct the student, ask more questions of the student
so that you understand what process brought the student to their answer
(and conversely what process will bring them to the right answer), ask
a question that challenges the faulty information or analysis or ask a
question that guides the student to focus on the proper information and
analysis. Consider that the whole class is listening and may be confused
if you do not respond to poor or misleading answers.
What
do I do about students who don’t participate?
Often
students don’t participate because they fear the reaction of their classmates
or professor, or because they are not prepared. You can maximize
student participation by ensuring that all views will be respected in the
context of the classroom and by providing assignments that prepare students
for discussion. Electronic discussion is another method of participation
and may be less intimidating for some students.
Determine the value of oral participation in your course in advance of requiring it. At the beginning of the semester, explain the role and goals of discussion in your course as well as your expectations for your students. If you are grading on participation, announce and maintain fair standards so students trust your judgement.
What
do I do about students who dominate discussion?
It
is the obligation of the instructor to facilitate learning for everyone
in the class. Students who speak too much interfere with the participation
of others. Try limiting participation of these students by asking
students who have not spoken to answer a question. If a student habitually
talks too long, interrupt them when they pause for a breath and ask a question
of the class that refocuses the discussion.
Bibliography:
Bloom,
Benjamin, et al. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification
of Educational Goals. New York: D. McKay Co., 1964.
Brookfield, Stephen and Stephen Preskill. Discussion as a Way of Teaching: Tools and Techniques for Democratic Classrooms. San Francisco: JOSSEY-Bass Publishers, 1999.
Christensen, C. Roland, David A. Garvin, and Ann Sweet. Education for Judgement: The Artistry of Discussion Leadership. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1991.
McKeachie, Wilbert, et al. Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers. Toronto: D.C. Heath, 1999.
Robbins,
Larry. The Business of Writing and Speaking: A Managerial Communications
Manual. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 1996.