Students may need to be motivated to pay attention. What can students expect of your role in the discussion? Handling Silence: wait it out or call on someone? Be sure to provide corrections for anything that occurred in the discussion that was in error in some way. Last Updated: December 6, 2022 Classroom discussion is a time-honored way to learn. Draft open-ended questions that advance student learning and inspire a range of answers (avoiding closed-ended, vague, or leading questions). Student roles: Engage all students by asking them to volunteer for and rotate through roles such as facilitator, summarizer, challenger, etc. The entire post should be at least 200 words and respond to the following prompt: STEP 2: Comment on at least TWO other posts in at least 75 words per post. Marjorie Platt is a professor of accounting in the DAmore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University. A discussion forum offers a place to instructor-to-learner and student-to-student interaction to take place. Communication Education, 65, 445-462. 2022 Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning - All Rights Reserved. This is especially helpful for shy or introverted students who need time to formulate their opinions or reactions. , additional strategies include actively listening, giving students time to think before responding, repeating questions, and warm calling. Barkley, E.F.; Major, C.H. Preparing for, opening, and continuing a great discussion is a skill you can learn. Classes of all sizes and modalities can benefit from collecting this type of feedback from students. Avoid trivia and avoidance of the issues. Thus, it is important to determine early on how you would like students to engage in discussion and what tools you will use to support their engagement. Leading a discussion requires skills different from lecturing. The instructor provides a series of questions ahead of time so that students have time to reflect and prepare for the questions before discussion. Describe one example of something learned through. It is also an evidence-based way to help students retain information, [1] pay attention, [2] and gain real insight. Asynchronous, online discussions where students can process the material, interact with each other, and form a collaborative community are key to successful online teaching. While students generally enjoy discussions, they may have difficulty recognizing what they gain from participating in them . While these methods may seem more challenging online, having a familiarity with some of your online class platform features will help foster a similar . Give students an opportunity to reflect on and share what they have learned. Chronicle of Higher Education. That doesnt mean that I dont produce any videos for my courses. There are many benefits to having online discussions even in a face-to-face (f2f) course. In this model of practice, students dont study for exams, they study for discussions. Rather than letting norms of passivity establish over the first couple of weeks, you can use the first class meeting to signal to students they will be expected to participate or interact with their peers regularly. What if (this one variable) had happened? You can also give the students a few minutes to gather their thoughts before you expect communication among them. To be successful, you need to translate your face-to-face discussion skills to the online environment. This section offers some strategies for engaging in classroom discussion. Whole-class discussions can encourage students to learn from one another and to articulate course content in their own words. Discussions as a way of teaching: Tools and techniques for democratic classrooms. Iterate: Not all class discussions will go according to plan, but feedback and reflection can help you identify those key areas for improvement. [ Learning from the Germans] provides the crucial facets of any successful attempt to work off a nation's criminal past . Demonstrate patience and positively encourage participation (Finn & Schrodt, 2016). (2009). Unless otherwise noted, all material at jamesmskidmore.com is licensed under aCreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Next, select a style of discussion you think would work well for your learning objectives. Questions that ask students to make judgements and assessments. Icebreakers and small group discussion opportunities provide great ways to get students talking, especially in large-enrollment classes where students may feel less connection with their peers (see sample icebreakers below). Faculty Focus, July 27. Though there are almost always discussion forumsincluded in these environments, they are Do things in lecture to encourage discussion attributes. The discussion book: 50 great ways to get people talking. The monitors can then flag important points for the class or read off the questions that are being posed. Howard, J.R. (2019) How to Hold a Better Class Discussion: Advice Guide. Help students grasp take-aways. In large-enrollment courses, these roles can be assigned in small group or pair discussions. Dallimore, E. J., Hertenstein, J. H., & Platt, M. B. Some ideas for icebreaker activities related to discussion include: , students introduce themselves to each other, and share their thoughts on what are the qualities of good and bad discussions. What knowledge or skills or attitudes do you want students to acquire or exercise in the days discussion? Guide students in how they can contribute substantively to their peers live responses or online posts. Students in all classes can benefit from discussion guidelines as they help to clearly identify and establish expectations for student success. 2022 The University System of Georgia and the University of North Georgia. This Month's Issue. In response to an open-ended question, ask students to first think on their own for a few minutes, then pair up to discuss their ideas with their partner. This can be a great warm up activity for a pair, small group, or whole class discussion, especially in large classes in which it may be more challenging to engage all students. learning at scale are frequently impoverished on this dimension, which is a problem for all, but especially under-served students who are in greater need of support. For example, you can teach your students that silence is an important part of discussions by modeling moments of silence and contemplation in your lectures. Thinking time will allow students to prepare more meaningful contributions to the discussion and creates opportunities for more students, not just the ones that are the quickest to respond, to contribute to the conversation. "Test-market" ideas and opinions before class Exploring the case with your discussion group beforehand will increase your comfort level when sharing in the classroom. Learning Through Discussion Discussions can be meaningful and engaging learning experiences: dynamic, eye-opening, and generative. This deals with the problem of student preparedness. This is a good style for getting shy, introverted students to engage and for equalizing participation. Theyre not crucial for the course to be successful, but they add a bit of variety. Making Good Use of Online Discussion Boards. Research shows that students learn more when they actively participate in their learning, rather than passively listen. If you have TAs who lead discussion sections, you might consider sharing some of these discussion management strategies and considerations with them, and discuss how the discussion sections can and will expand upon discussions from the larger class. That can grease the wheels. January 2022 Issue. (2020). Engaging in good discourse is a useful skill for your students to practice and learn. : Give students time to think and reflect on the discussion so far. Promoting and facilitating classroom discussions can not only help students learn from one another but also help students understand and retain the lecture better. If you require this content in another format, please send an email to the ADA Coordinator. Online discussions can help you prepare for class, learn discussion skills, practice your writing skills, and learn from others. Before you engage with your students feedback, its important to take time and reflect for yourself: Not all class discussions will go according to plan, but feedback and reflection can help you identify those key areas for improvement. An online discussion is very similar to a f2f talk in that they require . Retrieved from www.ideaedu.org, Center for Research on Teaching and Learning. This might be groups sharing out their discussion take-aways, designated students summarizing the key points made and questions raised, or asking students to reflect and share what they learned. After a comment has been made, encourage other students to comment on it, rather than doing it yourself. Icebreakers: Icebreakers are a great way to establish a positive course climate and encourage student-student, as well as instructor-student, interactions. Without that, discussion challenges can arise in the form of unequal participation, unclear learning outcomes, or low engagement. Sometimes this may include having students prepare a reading before class. Regardless of class context (e.g. Spur creativity. It is even easier nowadays for eLearning professionals to create discussion forums through a Learning Management System (LMS). Or discussion fora for the purists out there. Consider the size of the groups that will be engaged and, if possible, move chairs around to encourage discussion. If a summary of the discussion should be kept on the board, have a student do the writing while you hang back. Articulate the goals of discussion: Consider both the content you want your students to learn and the skills you want them to apply and develop. The following section offers some questions for reflection, alongside ideas and strategies to address these considerations. What effect would that have on the outcome? Its important to include opportunities for feedback regularly and frequently throughout the semester; for feedback collection prompts and strategies, see the CTLs resource on. While the strategies and considerations provided throughout this resource are adaptable across course contexts, it is important to recognize instructors varied course formats, and how discussion might differ across them. Sharing learning goals will help students understand why discussion is being used and how it will contribute to their learning. It is also helpful to have an escape hatch, such as I dont have anything to say right now.. Discussions can be meaningful and engaging learning experiences: dynamic, eye-opening, and generative. The discussion question relates to something from course content that had a definitive outcome. Did your students achieve the learning goals that you had hoped? You might collect this through PollEverywhere, a Google Form, or CourseWorks Survey. Based on the book of Proverbs, how would you define this classic virtue? In this article, we will discuss why the discussion forum is a vital feature of eLearning training. Brookfield, S. D., & Preskill, S. (2016). Replacing lectures with discussion and ProfMoments . ), , additional strategies include having parallel discussions in. We hope these questions will help you consider (or discuss with others) what God is teaching you through this month's study of His Word. It makes sense to have the content and the learning of that content together in the same space. Arrange the classroom. Center for Teaching, Learning, & Leadership, Faculty Academy on Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL), Faculty Academy on High Impact Education Practices, Facilitating discussion: Five factors that boost student engagement, Facilitating Discussion: Five Factors that Boost Student Engagement, Solutions to Improve Teaching and Learning, Helping students retain and remember information, Confirmation of what students had already learned, Providing clarification of prior learning, Exploratory questions that ask about basic facts, concepts or themes; these provide a sense of students basic preparation for higher level questions, Interrogation questions that ask about assumptions, conclusions, debates, Comparison questions that compare facts, concepts, or themes, Causal questions that ask about causes or motivations, Relational questions that ask about relationships among facts, concepts, or themes, Diagnostic questions that lead to a conclusion or plan of action, Cause-and-effect questions that ask for relationships among facts, concepts, or themes, Expansion questions look for extensions from facts, concepts or themes, Hypothetical questions look for expansions to new situations, Priority questions ask for analysis of the importance of facts, concepts, or themes, Summary questions ask for synthesis of ideas brought up in discussion. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Set aside time to debrief the discussion. It provides them with practice in articulating their opinions and understandings of course material. The discussion isnt an add-on, its integral to the content. Students raise their hands to address the discussion topic. Solutions to Improve Teaching and Learning idea How Learning Works- UC Berkeley Leading Dynamic Discussions- University of Washington. Review ones own writing for clarity before posting, being mindful of how it may be interpreted by others. Discussion boards are a great way to help students stay engaged in the course, to answer questions that can't be reviewed in class, and to give context to ideas when class time is limited. This style is good for taking students beyond critical thinking to creative thinking and analysis. To encourage student participation and peer-to-peer interaction, create early and frequent opportunities for students to share and talk with each other. 4th Edition. This starts with good discussion tasks being created for each content item. This disturbing but hopeful and insightful book wrestles with the questions of who we are as human beings and what values we have as a nation." Roger Bishop, BookPage (starred review) Keep students energized and engaged. Encourage peer to peer interaction. Small classes and seminars use discussion-based pedagogies, though it can be challenging to get every student to contribute to discussions. The Discussion Book: 50 Great Ways to Get People Talking. This technique can minimize student anxiety, as well as produce higher quality responses. To encourage student participation and peer-to-peer interaction, create early and frequent opportunities for students to share and talk with each other. Involve students in initiating the discussion. The following sections offer a framework and strategies for learning through discussion. No matter the activity, establishing a norm around discussion and participation at the outset will help warm students up to participating and contributing to later discussions; these norms can also be further supported by your discussion guidelines. However, if you're a discussion leader, you may be nervous. But just like effective lectures or assignments require planning and preparation, so too does class discussion. The downloads section (bottom) features a printable handout version of this web page. Discussion questions do not have to be instructor-generated; asking students to generate discussion prompts is a great way to engage them in their learning. In an online course, discussion boards provide that same visible, interactive space for students to interact academically and socially with their peers. Remember that online discussions are first and foremost dialogues, not writing assignments. A survey of 246 students (Dallimore, Hertenstein, & Platt, 2016) revealed a number of ways students learn from discussion, including: Discussions are more than conversations or dialogues. Elise J. Dallimore, PhD, Julie H. Hertenstein, DBA, and Marjorie B. Platt, PhD. Rather than summarizing the discussion yourself, partner with your students; see the section on Student Roles above for strategies. Retrieved from https://kpcrossacademy.org/making-good-use-of-online-discussion-boards/. Having students learn each others names, such as with name-tents, can increase community. For assistance with the instructional technologies mentioned (CourseWorks, Poll Everywhere, Zoom), please contact the CTL Learning Designer assigned to your school or department, or email the CTL at ColumbiaCTL@columbia.edu. (2017). The following sections offer a framework and strategies for learning through discussion. Getting Started Every student has a different approach to learn things. 2016). In teams, students take on opposite sides of an argument and engage in a debate discussion. Who will come up with those prompts (e.g. (Although this resource emphasizes online and hybrid/HyFlex modalities, the strategies provided are applicable across all course modalities. Engage all students by asking them to volunteer for and rotate through roles such as facilitator, summarizer, challenger, etc. You can also have students provide the summaries as a way of improving attention during the discussion. Finally, a number of students verbalized that when participation is required, they prepare more, and this preparation actually increases their learning. Discussing a topic with friends or classmates helps in learning the topic with perfection. Relief Society and Elders Quorum Teaching, Learning, and Applying Messages from General Conference Teaching, Learning, and Applying Messages from General Conference Furthermore, studies have also shown that student participation, encouragement, and peer-to-peer interaction was consistently and positively related to the development of critical thinking skills (Howard, 2015, pp. Its important to include opportunities for feedback regularly and frequently throughout the semester; for feedback collection prompts and strategies, see the CTLs resource on Early and Mid-Semester Student Feedback. https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/20190523-ClassDiscussion, The K. Patricia Cross Academy. Guide students in how they can contribute substantively to their peers live responses or online posts. That doesn't mean that I don't produce any videos for my courses. Give feedback that acknowledges every students contributions. Without that, discussion challenges can arise in the form of unequal participation, unclear learning outcomes, or low engagement. Cashin, W.E. This article is adapted from: Creating a Community of Learning Through Classroom Discussion: Student Perceptions of the Relationships Among Participation, Learning, Comfort and Preparation, by E.J. Contribute questions, ideas, or resources. As you establish a rapport with your students, you can demonstrate that you appreciate their contributions at the same time that you challenge them to think more deeply and to articulate their ideas more clearly. Structuring Discussion to Engage Students, Crafting an Engaging Lecture Inside Higher Ed. I divide the class into groups of about 8-10 students, which seems to be the optimal number for ensuring a worthwhile discussion. Students first take a few moments to consider the discussion prompt on their own. The instructors role is to frame the discussion in two ways: through the judicious curation of content, and through good management of the discussions. Additionally, having students rotate roles and responsibilities can keep them focused and engaged. Julie Hertenstein is an associate professor of accounting in the DAmore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University. Half the students get in a circle. Chronicle of Higher Education. Discussions attempt to engage students with course material in such a way as to promote critical thinking and analysis. This might be groups sharing out their discussion take-aways, designated students summarizing the key points made and questions raised, or asking students to reflect and share what they learned. Affirm students perspectives. In a large enrollment class, this strategy can allow students to engage more deeply and collaboratively with material and their peers. Additionally, giving students a Preparation Guide helps students improve their learning from the discussion. Manage the discussion and intervene when necessary: Manage dynamics, recognizing that your classroom is influenced by societal norms and expectations that may be inherently inequitable. Facilitating discussion: Five factors that boost student engagement. (2016). Ask a student (on a rotating basis) or TA(s) if applicable, to monitor the Zoom chat (in hybrid/HyFlex courses) or the CourseWorks Discussion Boards (when leveraging asynchronous discussion spaces). The modality of your class discussion may determine the tools and technologies that you ask students to engage with. Finn, A. N., & Schrodt, P. (2016). This will encourage their ownership of the guidelines. What are your expectations of student participation and contributions to the discussion? Just as with any instructional strategy, it is important to begin planning for a discussion by working backwards from your overall learning objectives for the day. Once you have logged into EdApp, find the Discussions feature right beside where you would normally create a lesson. In what modality/modalities will the discussion take place (in-person/live, asynchronous, or a blend of both)? 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