Principal Responsibilities of the Instructor
Guidelines for Conducting a Panel
Discussion
A panel discussion is designed to provide an
opportunity for a group to hear several people
knowledgeable about a specific issue or topic present
information and discuss personal views. A panel
discussion may help the audience further clarify and
evaluate their positions regarding specific issues or
topics being discussed and increase their understanding
of the positions of others.
How to Proceed
1. Identify, or help participants identify, an issue
or topic that involves an important conflict in
values and/or interests. The issue or topic may
be set forth as a topical question, a hypothetical
incident, a student experience, an actual case,
etc.
Possible topics:
2. Select panelists who are well informed about
and have specific points of view regarding the
issue or topic. A panel discussion that includes
three to five panelists is usually most workable.
Select a leader or moderator.
3. Indicate to panelists the objectives the panel
discussion is designed to promote and allow-
time for panel members to prepare for the
discussion. In some situations ten or fifteen
minutes may be sufficient time for preparation
while in other situations, panel members may
need to prepare several weeks in advance of the
scheduled discussion.
4. Decide upon the format the panel discussion
will follow. Various formats are appropriate.
The following procedures have been used
effectively:
a. The leader or moderator introduces the topic
and the panelists present their views and
opinions regarding the issue or topic for a set
amount of time.
b. The panelists discuss the issue or topic with
each other by asking questions or reacting to the
views and opinions of other panel members. A
specific amount of time should be established.
c. The leader or moderator closes the discussion
and provides a summary of panel presentations
and discussion.
d. The leader or moderator calls for a forum
period during which the members of the class
may participate by addressing questions to
various panel members or by voicing their
views and opinions. The forum period should be
conducted by the panel leader or moderator.
1. Identify, or help participants identify, issues or
topics upon which to base a panel discussion.
2. Insure that all panelists and the moderator are
familiar with the procedures for panel
discussion in advance of the discussion itself so
that they will be able to fulfill the
responsibilities of their roles.
3. Assist panelists and participants (when
necessary) in preparation for the discussion by
directing them to various source materials,
authorities in the field, etc.
4. Help participants understand the need for fair
procedures in discussing an issue or topic, e.g.,
the freedom to discuss an issue, the obligation to
listen to other points of view, the need for
orderly, courteous discussion, etc.
1. The war against illicit drugs cannot be won.
2. The Internet offers more dangers than pleasures.
3. Society is responsible for producing sex
offenders.
4. Our justice system needs to be drastically
reformed.
5. Professional sports teams are vital to the
economic health of a city.
6. Our society has become too obsessed with
greed.
7. Businesses, not governments or consumers
should accept responsibility for preserving the
environment..
8. Pornographic materials of all sorts are harmful
to society.
9. Prostitutes perform a needed social service.
Prostitution should be legalized.
10. Marijuana for recreational use should be
legalized.
11. Mixed marriages are more likely to fail than
succeed.
12. Lotteries do more harm than good.
13. The current trends to allow more violence, sex,
and profanity on television and in movies is
having a negative effect on society.
14. The rapid advancements in technology are more
a curse than a blessing.