Effective Classroom Discussions: Strategies & Benefits

2. Katerina Marfa Dmitri Pyotor Sonia Rodion Zossimov Nastasya Fyodor Alyona Andrey Anna

3. Discussion and Questioning

4. DEBATE Discussion should ALWAYS be used to in the classroom to teach material Vs. Discussion should NEVER be used in the classroom to teach material

5. NEVER • Students will say wrong things • Teachers are right • Points are missed in material • Exlusionary / Socially unjust for introverts • Anarchy in groups ALWAYS • Students are coming up with own thoughts • Retention increases • Encourages critical thinking • Students become resonsible for their own learning

6. BTEOTLLWBAT... • Evaluate the costs and benefits to using discussion as an instructional technique • Distinguish and contrast between • Open-ended and closed-ended questioning • Interrogativeand Rhetorical questioning • Take home 4 strategies for asking effective questions

7. What are our goals when asking questions? • Students Perspectives • Assessment of knowledge • Spot misconceptions • Interest • Focus engagement • Tailor lessons based on interest • Critical thinking encouraged • Encourage participatory learning

8. Interrogative • Answer expected • Assessment • Building block for discussion Rhetorical • No answer expected • Use in bridging • Use for closure/ final thoughts • Opens up thought Open-Ended • There are no single correct answers • More subjective/ less final • Discussions, starting them • Generate thinking more then looking for answer Closed-Ended • Yes/No, True/False • Defined answer • People are less involved • Confirm specific knowledge • Assess if information is gained • Sciences/Math/Chemistry (more conducive but not always)

9. Debate (bad) • Don’t listen to others • Same people participate • Too emotional • Very limiting format (nightmare) • Conformation bias Debate (good) • Democratic/ engaged students • Learners will feel engaged in their learning • Help develop social/speaking skills(exposure therapy) Fish Bowl (good) • Listening / participating is enforced • Teaches to listen • Divides the classroom so everyone speaks Fish Bowl (bad) • Hard to focus on listening • Less diverse sets of ideas • People are excluded from conversation

10. Strategies for asking ‘effective’ questions • Marking participation and quality of the answer • Respond to the discussion; adapt • Bring up leading questions and then revise • How do we make people feel comfortable to speak? • Avoid up-down power dynamic in the classroom • Don’t present it as if there is an ‘easy’ answer, be flippant • Complement/ use positive reinforcement • Establish groundrules and be explicit about this • Feedback sandwhich – Good; bad ; good. Ends on a positive note • Thank people for contribution • Post discussion questions ahead of time • Ask people specifically • Good • Gets students really involved • Use online forum to allow people to think about it; take the time (or give time to write down and then say their answers) • Establish the expectations; you will be asked upon • Go around the table • Bad • Students don’t like teachers for it • Use talking points • Everyone gets a token; you hand in the token afterwards • Ask questions where peoples opinions are valued • Keep people on topic; • Parking Lot • Make a distinction between looking for facts/opionions (wording in your opinion) • What is the evidence supporting this statement… • Why is this and • set ground rules

11. BTEOTLLWBAT... • Evaluate the costs and benefits to using discussion as an instructional technique • Distinguish and contrast between • Open-ended and closed-ended questioning • Interrogative and Rhetorical questioning • Take home 4 strategies for asking effective questions