Chapter 7: How Teachers Can Facilitate Student Discussions By Not Talking
"SMART" Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
1. Compare and contrast traditional lecture-based teaching with discussion-based teaching.
2. Design strategies to incorporate discussions in your teaching.
3. Defend using discussions to enhance student learning.
1. Compare and contrast traditional lecture-based teaching with discussion-based teaching.
2. Design strategies to incorporate discussions in your teaching.
3. Defend using discussions to enhance student learning.
Chapter Summary:
Why should we include discussions in our teaching?
Discussions encourage student communication, collaboration and critical thinking, and require students to analyze, synthesize and relate the information to their own experiences. This in turn leads to a more meaningful learning experience and better knowledge retention (Doyle, 2011).
Discussions encourage student communication, collaboration and critical thinking, and require students to analyze, synthesize and relate the information to their own experiences. This in turn leads to a more meaningful learning experience and better knowledge retention (Doyle, 2011).
Why do some students not enjoy discussion-based learning?
Students may have had negative experiences in the past with discussion based teaching where team members did not contribute equally to the learning process. Individual work may not be rewarded as much as team-work leading to decreased student motivation to contribute in a team setting, and resulting in social loafing. (Doyle, 2011).
Students may have had negative experiences in the past with discussion based teaching where team members did not contribute equally to the learning process. Individual work may not be rewarded as much as team-work leading to decreased student motivation to contribute in a team setting, and resulting in social loafing. (Doyle, 2011).
How can we encourage our students to support discussion-based learning?
We should explain our rationale for using discussions in the class along with clear list of expectations and guidelines for participation. Students should be informed that the ability to reason with their colleagues and approach divergent view points is an important life skill with major implications for their future careers. We should share the research findings with our students demonstrating greater recall with discussions compared to lectures (Doyle, 2011).
We should explain our rationale for using discussions in the class along with clear list of expectations and guidelines for participation. Students should be informed that the ability to reason with their colleagues and approach divergent view points is an important life skill with major implications for their future careers. We should share the research findings with our students demonstrating greater recall with discussions compared to lectures (Doyle, 2011).
How do we design effective discussions?
The most important concept for instructors to keep in mind when facilitating discussions is to speak as little as possible, and allow our students to do most of the work of learning (Doyle, 2011). It is important to have effective guidelines for any discussion detailing participation, assignments, grading, and acceptable behavior, and it is helpful to solicit student input when formulating these guidelines.
The most important concept for instructors to keep in mind when facilitating discussions is to speak as little as possible, and allow our students to do most of the work of learning (Doyle, 2011). It is important to have effective guidelines for any discussion detailing participation, assignments, grading, and acceptable behavior, and it is helpful to solicit student input when formulating these guidelines.
How can we effectively facilitate a discussion?
As with any teaching methodology, planning is key to creating a good discussion session. Instructors should decide the type of discussion session to facilitate the best learning- small group or large group, topics for discussion, the learning outcomes for the discussion, and the method for the discussion- guided, debate, or role-play, while keeping in mind the background and baseline abilities of their students (Doyle, 2011). Questions requiring critical thinking and analysis with multiple possible answers lead to better discussions than questions with simple answers that can be gleaned from reading assignments. Using Bloom's revised taxonomy is helpful in designing discussion questions matching the level of thinking we wish to encourage in our students (Doyle, 2011).
As with any teaching methodology, planning is key to creating a good discussion session. Instructors should decide the type of discussion session to facilitate the best learning- small group or large group, topics for discussion, the learning outcomes for the discussion, and the method for the discussion- guided, debate, or role-play, while keeping in mind the background and baseline abilities of their students (Doyle, 2011). Questions requiring critical thinking and analysis with multiple possible answers lead to better discussions than questions with simple answers that can be gleaned from reading assignments. Using Bloom's revised taxonomy is helpful in designing discussion questions matching the level of thinking we wish to encourage in our students (Doyle, 2011).
How do we encourage student learning following the discussion session?
In order for students to retain the information learned from discussion, instructors must design effective follow-up activities requiring learners to synthesize the learned material. Some follow-up activities could include writing reflection papers on the discussion session, writing a summary of the important points from the discussion, writing a list of key concepts learned during the discussion, and creating a concept map (Doyle, 2011).
In order for students to retain the information learned from discussion, instructors must design effective follow-up activities requiring learners to synthesize the learned material. Some follow-up activities could include writing reflection papers on the discussion session, writing a summary of the important points from the discussion, writing a list of key concepts learned during the discussion, and creating a concept map (Doyle, 2011).
How should we assess knowledge gained from discussions?
Students should be tested on material learned during discussions similar to that learned in lectures. Instructors can provide review sheets with key points covered during the session, ask students to post these key ideas on an online forum, or have students write or give presentations summarizing key concepts covered to ensure adequate preparation for testing purposes (Doyle, 2011). Using rubrics for self-assessment and peer review may be used to assess development of communication and collaborative skills following a discussion session.
Students should be tested on material learned during discussions similar to that learned in lectures. Instructors can provide review sheets with key points covered during the session, ask students to post these key ideas on an online forum, or have students write or give presentations summarizing key concepts covered to ensure adequate preparation for testing purposes (Doyle, 2011). Using rubrics for self-assessment and peer review may be used to assess development of communication and collaborative skills following a discussion session.
What are the key take-home points from this chapter?
Discussions allow students to develop communication and collaborative skills important for the real world and also ensure greater knowledge retention than traditional lectures. Effective discussion facilitation requires planning, clear guidelines, good feedback, and practice.
Discussions allow students to develop communication and collaborative skills important for the real world and also ensure greater knowledge retention than traditional lectures. Effective discussion facilitation requires planning, clear guidelines, good feedback, and practice.
References:
Doyle, T. (2011). Learner centered teaching: Putting the research on learning into practice. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.
Connections to Medical Education:
The current guidelines from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the key accrediting agency for US medical schools make active learning a requirement in medical education. This has led to a large interest in the medical education community for effective learner centered teaching methodologies such as team based and problem based learning. At the Boonshoft School of Medicine, we are undergoing a curriculum transformation which requires all preclinical courses to have >50% "active learning" sessions, thereby decreasing the emphasis on lecture-based sessions. We have found that group learning sessions where students are assigned pre-readings and encouraged to work together in teams of 5-6 students on a challenging application activity requiring analysis of the information learned, followed by a full class discussion of the problem greatly enhances student appreciation of pathophysiologic concepts.
The current guidelines from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the key accrediting agency for US medical schools make active learning a requirement in medical education. This has led to a large interest in the medical education community for effective learner centered teaching methodologies such as team based and problem based learning. At the Boonshoft School of Medicine, we are undergoing a curriculum transformation which requires all preclinical courses to have >50% "active learning" sessions, thereby decreasing the emphasis on lecture-based sessions. We have found that group learning sessions where students are assigned pre-readings and encouraged to work together in teams of 5-6 students on a challenging application activity requiring analysis of the information learned, followed by a full class discussion of the problem greatly enhances student appreciation of pathophysiologic concepts.
Specifically with respect to facilitating discussions, I started out talking more and immediately jumping in when students ran into trouble during the discussion sessions, but have learned the importance of staying silent over time. I used to worry that students would get upset if I didn't answer all their questions immediately, but have found that they actually learn to rely on their colleagues and enjoy the learning process when they are forced to look up answers and think independently. Our faculty address any unanswered questions that arise at the end of the discussion session.
Suggestions for Implementation:
Here are some ways I have attempted to improve my discussion facilitation skills when teaching pathology to our first and second year medical students:
1) I find that giving students choices when it comes to their reading materials or learning objectives can be helpful for advanced learners (such as our residents), but is more difficult for our first and second year medical students due to their lack of experience with independent learning. Therefore, we start all our beginning pathology courses with a brief explanation of why we teach using discussions and team based learning as opposed to mainly lectures and provide detailed guidelines for each activity.
2) We try to give our students choices when it comes to assessment of team activities by choosing what percentage of their grades should come from individual tests versus team tests during team based learning sessions. I have found that students enjoy group activities more when given some control over the structure and assessment process with appropriate faculty guidance.
3) I attempt to improve my facilitation skills by observing more experienced facilitators, soliciting feedback from other faculty and students, and reflecting on what went well and what should be improved following each discussion session.
4) Before any team based learning activity, our faculty meet together and we discuss with our new facilitators that it is important for faculty to not give away all the answers initially, and allow our students to solve the problems on their own during in-class discussions. Faculty follow-up with any additional comments or clarification only after all teams have had a chance to address the application question during the discussion.
1) I find that giving students choices when it comes to their reading materials or learning objectives can be helpful for advanced learners (such as our residents), but is more difficult for our first and second year medical students due to their lack of experience with independent learning. Therefore, we start all our beginning pathology courses with a brief explanation of why we teach using discussions and team based learning as opposed to mainly lectures and provide detailed guidelines for each activity.
2) We try to give our students choices when it comes to assessment of team activities by choosing what percentage of their grades should come from individual tests versus team tests during team based learning sessions. I have found that students enjoy group activities more when given some control over the structure and assessment process with appropriate faculty guidance.
3) I attempt to improve my facilitation skills by observing more experienced facilitators, soliciting feedback from other faculty and students, and reflecting on what went well and what should be improved following each discussion session.
4) Before any team based learning activity, our faculty meet together and we discuss with our new facilitators that it is important for faculty to not give away all the answers initially, and allow our students to solve the problems on their own during in-class discussions. Faculty follow-up with any additional comments or clarification only after all teams have had a chance to address the application question during the discussion.