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How to conduct a classroom discussion

Sample Guidelines for Classroom Discussion


Argument and Inquiry Seminars:
Potential Activities to Set Classroom Discussion Environment
Objectives
1.
Create a safe environment for productive classroom discussion
2.
Set expectations for class participation and discussion content
Activity 1: Students set discussion criteria and rules
Time: 45 minutes
The class I use this exercise for is an upper-level seminar of about 15 students. I expect students
to attend and actively participate in class both speaking and listening to others. There are two
student discussion leaders assigned to lead each class, which includes a discussion of several
readings, connections with earlier course material and with everyday experience. I tell students
that one of my objectives, as a professor, is to give them experience expressing their ideas orally
and in leading a group discussion two important skills in the post-collegiate real world.
I start the class off by telling students that class discussion is the core of the class they will get
more out of the class if they attend and participate in discussion, and they will get much less
enjoyment and information out of the class if they opt out of these activities. In fact, they have
to attend class in order to pass too many absences results in an automatic no credit.
I then challenge them to think of elements that make a good discussion either a casual
discussion with a friend or a larger classroom discussion. I write everything down on the board,
even if it doesnt initially seem relevant, using commentary and arrows to draw connections
between different ideas and to draw out elements that were not clearly stated. Sometimes I will
try to group related ideas on the board. If items that come up later would better fit a follow-up
question, Ill write it down, then use an arrow to move it later in discussion. We end up with a
messy map, and it usually includes many of the following ideas (roughly organized and edited
here).
1. What are qualities or characteristics of good discussions?
a.
Participant engagement
i.
Meaningful conversation
ii.
Fluid discussion
iii.
Balanced participation
iv. Active listening
v. Leave wanting more
b.
Participants have mutual trust and respect
i.
Development of intellectual relationships
1.
Honesty
2.
Develop mutual respect
3.
Everyone is heard
4.
Mutual sharing
5. Acknowledge others contributions
ii.
Open-mindedness
iii.
Safe space
1.
Freedom to question, disagree, or admit non-understanding
2.
Sensitivity
c.
An opportunity to affirm and develop existing ideas

i.
Validate ideas and theories
ii.
Deeper understanding
iii.
Understanding pushed to new areas
d. An opportunity to explore new ideas
i.
Learn something new and interesting
ii.
Contribute something new and interesting
iii.
Spark new ideas and directions for thought
iv. Feeling unsettled
v. Explore new ideas
vi.
Variety of viewpoints
vii.
Take risks
Next, I ask students to set ground rules for discussions. What kind of expectations do they have
for themselves and their peers in a discussion that they want to be productive? They need to set
up a set of criteria that will nurture good discussions. These should be more concrete than the
responses to the first question. I tell them that I will be using these criteria to evaluate their class
participation. While the students dont always realize it explicitly, they generally have criteria
that address each of the main qualities discussed in (1). If they dont include any guidelines that
address a particular goal, I might explicitly point out the parallels.
2. What ground rules / guidelines should we follow in discussions?
a.
Participant engagement
i.
Participate (Equality of participation? Quality vs. quantity)
1.
Consider talkers vs. listeners
2.
Encourage participation of peers
3. Turn-taking (raising hands?)
4.
Be aware of talking patterns: attend to body language; be aware of who else might want the
floor
ii.
Prepare in advance
1.
Do readings
2.
Come up with specific comments and questions
3.
Read Moodle discussion before class use it to define terms and establish common ground
4.
Bring in ideas from outside class
iii. Active listening
1.
Stay on topic, but know when to move on
2.
Be brief try not to repeat self or others
iv. Have fun!
b.
Participants have mutual trust and respect
i.
Be respectful of peers
ii. Address other students, not the professor
iii. Assume best intent of others
iv. Have patience with others
v. Maintain eye contact with peers
vi.
Criticize and comment on ideas, not people
vii.
Dont interrupt or make careful use of interruptions
viii.
Maintain confidentiality of others opinions
c.
An opportunity to affirm and develop existing ideas
i.
Support arguments and contextualize knowledge

1.
2.
3.
4.

Refer to readings explicitly


Use concrete examples
Opinions should be supported by evidence
Limit use of anecdotes and examples to illustrations, not social responses
ii.
Draw conclusions, summarize, end discussions
d. An opportunity to explore new ideas
i.
Be willing to take risks to think out loud
ii.
Be open to questions
iii.
Make constructive critiques of others ideas
iv. Consider bias in own and others opinions and assertions
v. Contribute new ideas
vi.
Be flexible
Finally, I ask the students to brainstorm suggestions for discussion leaders to help the class
maintain the ground rules and encourage the elements of good discussion. These suggestions
give students who are more experienced in leading groups a chance to share their experiences
with students less experienced. I like this because it is an opportunity for students to start
learning from each other. It makes explicit the various types of work that the discussion leaders
need to do aside from just bringing in a few questions and is an opportunity for students to open
the floor to more creative methods for fostering discussion.
3. What guidelines should discussion leaders follow?
a.
Come prepared
i.
Leaders should meet in advance and collaborate on all activities
ii.
Read all readings (including optional material)
iii. Think critically about readings
iv. Print out Moodle discussion
v. Provide discussion questions and diverse activities
vi.
Short videos can be good
vii.
Have a backup plan
b.
Start with a point of common ground in discussion
i.
Give overviews of main points (PowerPoint or lecture?)
ii.
Give handouts
c.
Manage discussion
i.
Participate in discussion
ii.
Use different techniques for discussions, e.g. round robins, jigsaw methods
iii.
Mediate participation
iv. Define terms and scope of discussion
v. Help discussion move on if it gets stuck
vi. Avoid tangents
vii.
Present all sides of discussions
viii.
Make decisions and commitments
ix.
Give summary statements
Generally speaking, students give remarkably similar sets of responses to these questions each
term. At the end of the discussion, I review what they came up with, add anything large that I
see is missing, and emphasize that these will be the criteria by which I will grade both their class
participation and their discussion leading. I write down all of the comments and post them to
Moodle. A little before mid-term, I administer mid-term evaluations that include a list of the

ground rules. I ask students to rate themselves on meeting the ground rules and ask them to
come up with 1-2 things they can do to improve class discussions. I like that the students
generate the criteria, and that gives me additional freedom to hold them accountable for meeting
them.

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