Classroom Management Techniques How to get a discussion going in class

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Classroom Management Techniques How to get a
discussion going in class

• David Peter, Director
• Center for Teaching and Learning

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Goals

• As a result of attending this workshop,
  participants will
• Identify question types useful for enhancing
  student learning Electronic Resources
• Explore moderation techniques for classroom
  discussions, and
• Analyze the relationship of discussion to
  evaluation and assessment

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Question TypesElectronic Resources

• IDEA Paper No. 15 Improving Discussions LINK
• IDEA Paper No. 31 Answering and Asking
  Questions LINK

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Structure

• Discussions promote
• Preparing for discussions
• Getting discussions started
• Discussion starter techniques
• Discussion question taxonomy
• Keeping discussions going

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Discussions promote

• Active learning when students are reading,
  writing, discussing LINK
• Meaningful learning when students are integrating
  new learning into existing learning
• (Stalheim-Smith, 1998)

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Active Learning

• Students learn more when they
• Read about the subject or other things related to
  the subject
• Write about the subject
• Talk with others about the subject
• Discuss the subject in class, with others

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Preparing for discussions

• Begin with a question in mind
• End with unanswered questions
• Silence can be good
• Introduce alternative/alternate perspectives
• (Brookfield and Preskill, 2005)

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Getting discussions started

• Environment for discussion
• Framing the question open versus closed
• Linking questions
• Directing questions
• Ground rules and etiquette

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Discussion starter techniques

• Common experience
• Controversy
• Questions ELECTRONIC RESOURCE
• Factual questions
• Application and interpretation questions
• Problem questions
• Problem or case
• Sub problems
• The Socratic discussion
• (McKeachie and Svinicki, 2006)

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Discussion question taxonomy

• Clarity elaborate further illustrate give
  an example
• Accuracy how do we know is it true verify
  or test
• Precision more specific more details more
  exact
• Relevance relate to the issue add to the
  question help with the issue
• Depth what makes this difficult complexities
• Breadth another perspective point of view
  other ways
• Logic does this make sense is it linked to
  evidence
• Significance most important to consider
  central idea

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Keeping discussions going

• Questioning
• Listening
• Responding
• (Brookfield and Preskill, 2005)

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Questions

• Questions that ask for evidence
• Questions that ask for clarification
• Open questions
• Linking or extension questions
• Hypothetical questions
• Cause-and-effect questions
• Summary and synthesis questions
• (Brookfield and Preskill, 2005)

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Listening

• By listening students can become engaged
• Through listening students gain knowledge and new
  perspectives
• (Bonwell and Eison, 1991)

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Responding

• Responding without questions
• Affirmation
• Responding with silence
• (Brookfield and Preskill, 2005)

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References

• Bonwell, C., Eison, J. (1991). Active learning
  Creating excitement in the classroom. (ERIC
  Document Reproduction Service No. ED340272).
  LINK
• Brookfield, S., Preskill, S. (2005). Discussion
  as a way of teaching Tools and techniques for
  democratic classrooms. (2nd Ed.). San Francisco,
  CA Jossey-Bass.
• McKeachie, W., Svinicki, M. (2006). McKeachies
  teaching tips Strategies, research, and theory
  for college and university teachers. (12th Ed.).
  Boston, MA Houghton Mifflin.
• Stalheim-Smith, A. (1998). Focusing on active,
  meaningful learning. IDEA Paper No. 34.
  Manhattan, KS Kansas State University, IDEA
  Center. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.
  ED418659). LINK