Leading Discussions.

Students need opportunities to participate in discussions and discourse with their peers in order to learn how to best articulate and support their ideas, as well as to respond to dissenting opinions (skills used in every academic and professional setting). Discussions should be set up and facilitated in such a way that students meet the learning objectives for the course, but be flexible enough to be student guided and dynamic. Leading discussions can mean letting go of control and asking students to turn to peers for the answers. Discussion-based classes can also create a collaborative, thoughtful, and engaged learning community that provides students an opportunity to form and voice opinions, expound ideas, and participate in professional debate.

While leading discussions, maintain your enthusiasm and be careful not to talk down to students who may not be grasping a concept fully. Try to be conscious of your body language and enunciation. Sometimes it is the small details that can differentiate an engaging and useful discussion from one that leaves students feeling uninspired.

An excellent resource for suggestions on good ways to facilitate a discussion can be found on the Teaching Engagement Program website housed at the University of Oregon.

Additional resources

Effective Classroom Discussion William Cashin, Idea Paper #49, IDEA Center, University of Kansas