Center for Teaching Excellence,
Iowa State University
March, 1998
to be engaged with the group if addressed by name rather than by being pointed
at. If you know the interests, majors, experiences, etc. of the students, it
becomes much easier to think of ways to involve them. For example, if you
ask "Jane" to contribute a perspective based on her semester in Rome, you're
more likely to get her involved in the discussion than if you ask if anyone
wants to say something about the Coliseum.
24. Provide positive feedback for participation. If a student is reluctant to
speak up and then makes a contribution that just lies there like a dead fish,
that student is not likely to try again. If you can't think of anything better,
thank the student for his/her contribution. But it's much better to build on
what the student has said, add an insight, ask others how they would respond to
what the student said, and otherwise weave that contribution into the fabric of
the discussion. Feedback can be a good means of getting through a lull in the
discussion also. A recap of what has been discussed so far lets students know
that you heard what they said, helps to reinforce main points, and often
stimulates further discussion.
25. Show enthusiasm for the subject. You can't expect students to become
interested in a discussion topic for which the instructor shows no enthusiasm.
This usually means that the instructor has not done his/her homework, a part of
which is to think about what is interesting, why the subject is worthwhile or
relevant, personal experience with the subject, how the topic relates to
current events, etc. If you are interested in the subject, then you will be
interested in discovering what your students think and feel.
no experience with small group discussion, and most of those who have
experience have never been taught how to do it well. There are all kinds of
resources in the library in the Speech/Communications area about small-group
discussion. You could prepare a handout for your students or assign a project
(preferably in small groups) that involves their preparing information for the
rest of the group about small-group communications.
27. Ease students into discussion. One tactic is to arrive at the classroom
early and engage the first students to arrive in "chit chat" about the weather,
a recent sports event, something in the news, etc. The point is to get students
comfortable and talking so that as you ease them into the subject for the day,
you are not making a sudden demand for performance. You will also be
establishing the idea that discussion is a natural process, not cruel and
inhuman punishment, or something with which they have no experience.
you are uncomfortable, your students will also be uncomfortable. So don't try
to make yourself into the "Great Communicator" if you are not. Are you more
comfortable with a prepared list of topics and questions or do you like a more
free-wheeling atmosphere? Do you feel that some topics are strictly off limits
or do you feel that you can manage even very "touchy" topics by keeping the
discussion relevant and on course? Are you able to give over enough control to
the students so that they feel some ownership and responsibility to making the
course work?
29. Provide opportunities for students to talk to each other in smaller,
unsupervised groups so that they get to know each other and become comfortable
with sharing ideas. You can do this with small "break-out" groups which are
assigned a specific task about which they will report to the larger group. You
can assign group projects, encourage the formation of small study groups, or
have the class form interest groups which are responsible for contributing
something related to their particular interest periodically. The point is to
encourage interaction that is not under the watchful eye of the instructor and
helps students to become comfortable with each other.
30. Manage both process and content. This is often rather difficult at first
but becomes much easier with practice. Good discussion is as much about process
as it is about content and if you concentrate on one but neglect the other, you
are likely to have problems. The tendency is to become caught up in the content
and forget to encourage quiet students to contribute or forget to minimize your
own contributions. But concentrating too much on making sure everyone
contributes or on acknowledging and rewarding contributions can allow the
conversation to stray too far afield or become mired in a tangle of irrelevant
minutiae. To a great extent, you will need to take your cues from the students.
While you are part of the discussion, you have the added responsibility of
monitoring it as well. During the course of a class session, you will probably
have to do some of each.