LEADING EFFECTIVE
CLASSROOM DISCUSSIONS
Shaun Longstreet, Ph.D.
Friday, February 8, 2008 1

AGENDA
Introductions and overview
Active learning
Socializing your students for class discussion
Encouraging prepared students
Effective question techniques
Friday, February 8, 2008 2

INTRODUCTIONS
&
ACTIVE LEARNING
What does active
learning mean for you?
What do you do to
encourage active
learning?
Friday, February 8, 2008 3

HOW TO DEFINE ACTIVE
LEARNING?
Move away from “sage on the stage” to “guide on the
side.”
Students engage the material.
Dialogues between:
self and others
self and actions/experiences
(or others’ actions/experiences)
Friday, February 8, 2008 4

Questions?
Friday, February 8, 2008 5

SOCIALIZING
DISCUSSION
Let’s talk about what it
means to socialize our
students into class
discussions.
Friday, February 8, 2008 6

SOCIALIZING
DISCUSSION
We need to provide orientation
We must start early (day one)
We need to justify why we do what we do in the
classroom
Explain how classroom discussion benefits the
students
Friday, February 8, 2008 7

SOCIALIZING
DISCUSSION
Having a rubric is important and helpful
provide guidelines for active participation
create roles (e.g. timekeeper, manager, writer)
give tasks and times
Friday, February 8, 2008 8

ON-LINE DISCUSSIONS
EEE Noteboard, Chat sessions
Guidelines are just as important
Behavior guides
Outline helpful, not so helpful discussions
Expectations for participation and types of
participation (e.g. answer questions, ask questions)
Friday, February 8, 2008 9

SOCIALIZING
DISCUSSION
Classroom environment
Establish a respectful rapport
Friendly, familiar space
Positive attitude
Class time is important
Friday, February 8, 2008 10

Exercise
Why do we want
discussions in our
course?
When do we want
discussions in our
course?
Friday, February 8, 2008 11

Questions?
Friday, February 8, 2008 12

PREPARED STUDENTS
It is very difficult to
have a class discussion
if students are not
prepared.
Friday, February 8, 2008 13

PREPARED STUDENTS
Hold the students accountable
Make discussions count toward the final grade
Explain relevance of discussion to course objectives
Connect preparation with discussion
Friday, February 8, 2008 14

LOW STAKES PREP
CHECK
Low-stakes checks on preparedness
Minute paper quiz on index cards
On-line surveys and quiz tool
Unclear/clear point checks
Be sure to follow up and follow through
Friday, February 8, 2008 15

Questions?
Friday, February 8, 2008 16

EFFECTIVE QUESTIONS
Questions comprise a
critical component to
the creation of an
environment conducive
to good class discussion.
Friday, February 8, 2008 17

NOT SO EFFECTIVE
Yes/No questions “Do you understand?”
Fact checks, dead-ends Overly broad questions
Rhetorical questions On-the-spot questions
Serial, unrelated Confrontational
questions questions.
Fuzzy subjects
Multiple questions
Friday, February 8, 2008 18

EFFECTIVE QUESTIONS
Rely on sufficient waiting times.
count to at least 5 before restating the question
If an incorrect response, try to avoid directly saying
so:
instead ask why she/he came to that answer
throw the question to the class
posit an issue that might be a problem for that
response
Friday, February 8, 2008 19

EFFECTIVE QUESTIONS
Good places to start:
Start with a case, an example, or a problem
Try evaluative questions
Try comparative questions
Lead students to weigh options or issues in their
readings
Friday, February 8, 2008 20

POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT
Treat student responses positively.
Be aware of how you respond to individuals.
Be aware of the public performance issue, work hard
to avoid embarrassing students.
Chastising almost always fails.
Friday, February 8, 2008 21

READINGS PACKET
Readings on effective
questioning and listening.
(Nilson, McKeachie, Hanson)
Classroom management and
facilitating. (McKeachie &
Walvoord)
Sample class guidelines,
rubrics. (Walvoord)
Friday, February 8, 2008 22

Questions?
Friday, February 8, 2008 23

LEADING EFFECTIVE
CLASSROOM DISCUSSIONS
Shaun Longstreet, Ph.D.
Friday, February 8, 2008 24