2.2.2 Debates
Debates are classroom discussions during which students argue for or against a given proposition. In doing so, students’ knowledge of a concept (in this case, the given proposition) is tested through their ability to put forth a convincing and effective argument. The back-and-forth, dynamic nature of debates provides students with the opportunity to enhance their critical (higher-order) thinking skills because students are required to formulate immediate, intellectual retorts in response to arguments posed by the opposing team or student (Green & Klug, 1990).
In addition to enhancing higher-order thinking skills, debates also encourage students not only to identify, but also to critically evaluate multiple perspectives, affording them a more nuanced and critical understanding of a topic or concept (Green & Klug, 1990). As such, debates are often best utilized when dealing with a highly-contested or divisive topic. That said, such topics may lead to “hot moments” as discussed in Module 3’s notes. It is, therefore, important to closely moderate these debates to ensure the space remains respectful and educational.
Pause and reflect:
Think about topics and concepts within your discipline and how you may leverage debates within your lesson. Are there topics that are best suited for analysis through debates?
2.2.3 Discussions
Unlike debates, the aim of general discussions is not for students to argue about a topic. Rather, discussions are intended to encourage students to engage meaningfully with a concept as a group or an entire class. Through discussions, students can explore a concept in detail and, in sharing their thoughts and opinions, develop or enhance their understanding of the concept under discussion. Ultimately, discussions are meant to be a collaborative space in which students learn from each other (Diamond, 1972).
As a teacher, when considering using a discussion, it is important to organize and deploy your questioning strategically. Many discussions fail to “launch” because the instructor begins with a question that is either too demanding, too easy, or so open-ended as to leave students wondering how they are meant to respond.
Infographic:
A concise taxonomy of some types of questions that you may find useful in thinking about how to ask the right thing at the right moment.
To download the transcript for the interactive infographic, right-click here and choose “Save link/Target as”.
Instructors can use a variety of strategies to engage their students in a discussion. To encourage all students – and not just a vocal minority – to think, reflect, and participate in the conversation, it can be helpful to give students an opportunity to respond to a prompt individually, perhaps through writing, or in a small group, before moving to a full group discussion. You might consider asking small groups to each discuss a different, but related, question; each group will then have a unique contribution to share with the class.
