Teaching Strategies: Discussions
Discussions help students apply abstract ideas and think critically about what they learn. In fact, studies show that discussions build students’ problem-solving skills more effectively than do lectures. However, fostering productive discussions can be difficult for even the most experienced instructors. The articles in this section offer tips on preparing for discussions, asking questions that promote discussion, getting students to talk, and handling common problems that arise during discussions.
Teaching
by Discussion(Penn State)
http://www.schreyerinstitute.psu.edu/Tools/Discuss/
Improving Discussions (Kansas State Universitty)
http://www.theideacenter.org/sites/default/files/Idea_Paper_15.pdf
Answering and Asking Questions (Kansas State University)
http://www.theideacenter.org/sites/default/files/Idea_Paper_31.pdf
Tactics for Effective Questioning (Stanford University)
http://ctl.stanford.edu/Tomprof/postings/121.html
FAQs:
Discussions (Indiana University)
http://www.iub.edu/~teaching/allabout/faq/leading.shtml
The Dreaded Discussion: Ten Ways to Start (Carroll College)
http://www.carroll.edu/~msmillie/Honorscholars/TenWaysDisc.html