Discussion as a Way

of Teaching
Erum Yaqub
RN, RM, Diploma in Anesthesia
Nursing
BScN, MPH, MSc Education

Why Discussions Fail

Unprepared Students
Unrealistic Expectations
No Ground Rules
Reward Systems Askew
No Teacher Modeling

Creating Ground Rules

Individuals reflect on features of best & worst
discussions theyve experienced
Groups discuss commonly agreed features of best
& worst discussions
For each feature group asks how can this be
encouraged &/or eliminated
Class creates ground rules with teacher assistance
(the 3 person rule, rotating roles, building on
others contributions, providing evidence)

Circle of Voices

Individuals reflect on the discussion topic (1-3 minutes)

Participants go round the circle in order - each person has
up to 1 minute of uninterrupted air time to give their
viewpoint on the topic. No interruptions are allowed.
Move into free discussion with the ground rule that every
comment offered must somehow refer back to a comment
made by someone else in the opening circle of voices.
This need NOT be agreement - it can be a disagreement, a
question, an elaboration or extension, an illustration, and
so on.

3 PERSON RULE
ONCE YOU HAVE SPOKEN YOU
MAY NOT MAKE ANOTHER
COMNTRIBUTION UNTIL AT
LEAST 3 OTHERS HAVE SPOKEN
- UNLESS SOMEONE ASKS YOU
DIRECTLY TO EXPAND ON YOUR
COMMENT

SPIRAL CONVERSATION
ONCE

YOU HAVE SPOKEN YOU

DO NOT SPEAK AGAIN UNTIL
EVERYONE IN THE GROUP HAS
CONTRIBUTED. FACILITATOR
MONITORS THIS PROCESS LATER CONTRIBUTORS CAN
AGREE, DISAGREE OR PASS

Conversational Moves
Bring 3x5 cards to class with moves typed on each of them.
Participants choose 1 of these cards randomly.
EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC MOVES
Ask a question or make a comment that shows you are interested in
anothers comments
Make a comment that underscores the link between 2 previous
contributions
Make a comment clearly building on what someone else has said make this link explicit
Make a summary observation on a recurring theme in the discussion
Express appreciation for how anothers comments have helped your
understanding
Disagree with someone in a respectful way

Conversational Roles
Problem Poser
Reflective

Analyst
Scrounger
Umpire
Detective

Devils

Advocate
Theme Spotter
Textual Focuser
Evidential
Assessor

Hatful of Quotes
Type out 5-6 provocative quotes from
assigned reading on a 3x5 card (each
quote will be on several cards)
Put these in a hat & have participants
choose a card at random
Participants take turns (at their
choosing) to respond to these quotes
- or to earlier comments on these
quotes

Quotes to Affirm & Challenge

Each participant brings in a quote she wishes to affirm, & one she
wishes to challenge, from the assigned reading
Quotes to affirm - resonate with experience, explain difficult concepts
clearly, add significant new information, are cogently expressed, are
rhetorically powerful etc.
Quotes to challenge - immoral/unethical, poorly expressed, factually
wrong, contradict experience
Quotes are shared in small groups & each group chooses ONE to
affirm & ONE to challenge
In large group conversation the small group communicates rationales
for each of these choices

Circular Response
(Eduard Lindeman)

Individuals reflect on a topic for discussion

Form into circles of 6-8
One person starts by giving her reflections on the topic. Up
to 1 minute allowed - no interruptions
Person to left of 1st speaker goes next - whatever she says
MUST somehow refer to/build on previous speakers
comments (can be a disagreement or express confusion).
Up to 1 minute allowed - no interruptions
Process continues leftwards around the circle with people
speaking in order until all have participated
Group moves into open conversation with no particular
ground rules in force

Snowballing
People spend time individually reflecting on
the topic
Form into pairs & share reflections
Pairs form into quartets
Quartets form into octets
AND SO ON & SO ON!!
(An alternative way to move from small to
whole group discussion)

Newsprint Dialogue
Small groups put their deliberations on newsprint
sheets - no reporter is chosen to report these out
Newsprint sheets are then posted around the room &
blank sheets posted next to each sheet
Each participant takes a marker & wanders by herself
around the room - she writes her questions,
reactions, agreements etc. directly onto the sheets or
on the blanks posted next to them
Groups reassemble at their postings to see what
others have written

STRUCTURED SILENCE
Every 15 minutes students write
individually on 3x5 cards ONE of the
following - most important point, most
puzzling point, question theyd most
like to discuss, something new theyve
learned - in the discussion so far.
Cards shuffled & responses read out
by different students

Rotating Stations
Small groups record their deliberations on newsprint
sheets and hang these on the wall - a blank sheet
hangs next to each groups posting
Staying in their small groups, each group visits the
posting next to theirs - as a group they post their
reactions to the posting on the blank sheets
Groups rotate until they arrive at their own posting.
They review all the previous groups comments
Whole class discussion follows on how groups reacted
to other groups postings

Speech policy
Silence is allowed and will not be
interpreted as mental disengagement, lack
of intelligence or lack of commitment
Speech will not be interpreted as a sign of
intelligence, extreme engagement or
superlative diligence
(This helps take the performance anxiety off
studentsshoulders)

Mutual Invitation
(Eric Law - The Wolf Shall dwell with the Lamb)
Facilitator begins by sharing her views on the
topic
Facilitator chooses who will speak next - this
person can pass but then chooses who will
speak in their turn
No-one can interrupt the chosen speaker
Once all have spoken participants move into
open discussion with no ground rules

Critical Conversation Protocol

Storyteller tells the tale - no interruptions

Detectives ask questions about story
Detectives report out assumptions they hear
Detectives offer alternative interpretations
Participants do an experiential audit (what
have we learned, would do differently etc.)
Umpire enforces ground rules throughout

Critical Incident Questionnaire

Moment

most engaged as a learner

Moment most distanced as a learner
Most affirming/helpful action
Most puzzling/confusing action
What surprised you most
These are anonymously completed - the instructor reads
these & reports main findings at start of next class with
time for discussion (if needed)

Learning Audit
As a result of todays discussion
What do you know that you didnt know
this time last week?
What can you do that you couldnt do this
time last week?
What could you teach someone else to
know or do that you couldnt teach them
this time last week?

What Would it Take?

Former resisters
testified to its utility
Faculty modeled their
own participation
My silence was not
misconstrued

Open - not a guessing

game of what the
teacher thinks
Group developed &
observed ground rules
Participation was
assessed by multiple
indicators

Critical Debate
Motion is framed & participants volunteer

to work on teams to draft arguments that

either support or oppose the motion
Facilitator switches teams!
Teams conduct debate w/rebuttal time
Debrief the debate - assumptions that were
confirmed & challenged, new viewpoints,
overlooked evidence

Discussion Inventory
Tell students you reserve 5-10 minutes at the end of the
discussion to offer your thoughts
On a notepad record:- clear errors of fact or understanding,
- perspectives that are ignored,
- oppositional views that are smothered
Articulate these for 5-10 minutes before giving
participants the last word & the CIQ

GRADING FOR PARTICIPATION:

BEHAVIORAL INDICATORS
Ask a question of a peer that draws out

their thinking
Bring in a resource not covered in the
syllabus that adds new info. or ideas
Make a comment that underscores the
link between 2 peoples comments
Use body language to show interest in
a persons contribution

PARTICIPATION (II)
Post an online comment that summarizes our
discussion or suggests a new direction
Make a comment (online is ok) about how
you found anothers comments useful or
interesting. Be as specific as possible.
Contribute something that builds on what
another has said - be explicit about how you
are doing this

PARTICIPATION (III)
Make a comment on the CIQ or online that
helps us examine discussion dynamics
Ask a cause and effect question
Express appreciation for how the discussion
has helped you understand something better
(online is OK). Be specific about exactly
what was helpful.
Summarize several peoples comments

NOMINATING QUESTIONS
Small

groups come up with 1-2

questions they want to discuss further
Groups post questions on posters or
black/white board
Students individually put a check
against 2 questions they would like to
discuss more
Whole class discussion is structured
around questions with most votes

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Discussion as a Way of Teaching: Tools &
Techniques for Democratic Classrooms
Brookfield & Preskill (2006)

Active Talk: The

Effective Use of
Discussion in Learning
Van Ments (1990)

Discussion-Based
Online Teaching to
Enhance Student
Learning
Bender (2003)

Education, Democracy & Discussion

Bridges (1988)