The document defines group discussion as a cooperative activity aimed at achieving consensus on problem-solving, highlighting its benefits such as knowledge sharing, skill development, and fostering critical thinking. It contrasts group discussion with symposiums, noting the advantages and disadvantages of each method in educational settings, particularly in nursing education. The symposium is described as a structured discussion led by a chairperson, focusing on a single topic but being time-consuming and less interactive for participants.

1. GROUP DISCUSSION METHOD

2. DEFINITION:
• GROUP DISCUSSION IS A COOPERATIVE, PROBLEM
SOLVING ACTIVITY, WHICH SEEKS A CONSENSUS
REGARDING THE SOLUTION OF A PROBLEM..
• GROUP DISCUSSION IS DEFINED AS A DISCUSSION
WHICH INVOLVES AN INTERCHANGE OF INFORMED
OPINIONS AND REACTIONS, GROUP CONSIDERATION
OF A PROBLEM OR ISSUE, SHARING OF IDEAS AND
INFORMATION AND EXCHANGE OF QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS

3. PURPOSE OF GROUP
DISCUSSION:
1. IT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR SHARING
INFORMATION.
2. IT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND GROUP
CONSORTIUM.
3. IT HELPS TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE.
4. IT HELPS TO DEVELOP SKILLS OF GROUP
DEVELOPMENT.
5. IT HELPS TO LEARN VARIETY OF INFORMATION IN
SHORT TIME.

4. PURPOSES OF GROUP DISCUSSION
• GROUP DISCUSSION IN THE CLASSROOM SERVES NUMBER OF PURPOSES. IT IS USED FOR TEACHING SELECTED TOPICS AND TO ENRICH LECTURES, CASE PRESENTATIONS,
ETC. THE PURPOSES OF GROUP DISCUSSION ARE DESCRIBED BELOW
• THE FOLLOWING ARE THE PURPOSES OF DISCUSSION. TO TEACH INTERPRETATION AND APPLICATION OF PRINCIPLES, THEORIES AND CONCEPTS: TEACHER USES
• DISCUSSION METHOD TO HELP THE STUDENTS TO LEARN AND UNDERSTAND THEORIES, PRINCIPLES AND IN NURSING EDUCATION EASILY. TO UNDERSTAND FACTS,
OPINIONS OR BELIEFS RELATED TO CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES IN NURSING: STUDENTS
• CONCEPTS
• LEARN TO DEBATE ON IMPORTANT CURRENT AND CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES. IN DISCUSSION STUDENTS FINALLY LEAR
• TO AGREE TO A CONSENSUS. IT ALSO HELPS THE STUDENTS TO DEVELOP, EXPRESS AND VALIDATE THEIR VIEWS.
• TO CLARIFY AND SHARE INFORMATION AND CONCEPTS: DISCUSSION HELD BEFORE OR AFTER THE LECTURE CAN
• SERVE THE PURPOSE OF CLARIFYING INFORMATION AND CONCEPTS. FOR EXAMPLE WHILE COVERING THE TOPIC ON PREPARATION OF THE CLASSROOM FOR TEACHING
AND LEARNING; TEACHER CAN HOLD DISCUSSION RELATED TO WHAT TYPE OF SEATING ARRANGEMENT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, HOW TO CONTROL OR DISCIPLINE
THE STUDENTS, ETC. THE PURPOSE OF HAVING DISCUSSION IS TO PROMOTE EXCHANGE OR SHARE THE INFORMATION WITHIN THE GROUP MEMBERS, TO DRAW
CONCLUSION AND LISTEN TO DIFFERENT VIEWS. TO ALLOW DEMOCRATIC VALUES TO GROW: GROUP DISCUSSION FOSTERS THE DEMOCRATIC VALUES WITHIN THE
• GROUP. STUDENTS LEARN TO ACCEPT OTHERS VIEW POINTS AND TOLERATE CRITICISM.
• TO DEVELOP SOCIAL SKILLS AND STRENGTHEN TEAM BUILDING: GROUP DISCUSSION IS THE BEST WAY TO
• PROMOTE AND STRENGTHEN TEAM BUILDING AMONG THE STUDENTS, THEY LEARN TO WORK IN GROUP ACTIVITIES,
• SOCIALIZE AND LEARN HOW TO ELICIT COOPERATION FROM OTHERS.
• TO DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS: IN GROUP WORK TEACHER DIVIDES THE GROUP INTO SUBGROUPS. THE TEACHER ASSIGNS A PARTICULAR
PROBLEM TO EACH OF THE SUBGROUP AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO WORK COLLECTIVELY FOR THE PROBLEM. IN THE FINAL ROUND OF DISCUSSION STUDENTS ARE
ENCOURAGED TO PRESENT THEIR VIEWS, CRITICALLY ANALYZE THE PROBLEM AND THE SOLUTION. EXAMPLE: PROBLEM OF POOR COMPLIANCE OF HEALTH CARE
PROFESSIONALS WITH STANDARD SAFETY GUIDELINES.
• TO DEVELOP SENSE OF BELONGINGNESS AND RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARD THE GROUP: IN GROUP DISCUSSION OPTIMAL UTILIZATION OF SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE HELP IN
THE DEVELOPMENT OF RIGHT ATTITUDE. THEY COMPARE THEIR ATTITUDE WITH OTHERS AND LEARN TO DO SELF-ANALYSIS. THIS IS HOW SENSE OF BELONGINGNESS TO
THE GROUP IS DEVELOPED AMONG THE STUDENTS. TO STIMULATE STUDENTS' INTEREST:

5. CLASSROOM DISCUSSION
TECHNIQUES
• PLANNING
• PREPARING STUDENTS FOR DISCUSSION
• DISCUSSION GUIDING TECHNIQUES

6. AVANTAGES OF DISCUSSION
METHOD
IT IS A STUDENT-CENTERED METHOD OF T-L PROCESS.
DISCUSSION METHOD IS THE WAY OF ENHANCING SELF-ESTEEM
AMONG ALL THE STUDENTS WHO COULD BE PASSIVE AND
SUBMISSIVE.
IT IMBIBES THE QUALITY OF GOOD LISTENING IN THE STUDENTS,
AS THEY LEARN TO DEBATE AS WELL LISTEN TO OTHERS.
IT PROMOTES HIGHER LEVEL OF COGNITIVE DOMAIN. IT
PROMOTES THE ABILITY TO ANALYZE, SYNTHESIZE, CRITICALLY
THINK AND DO THE PROBLEM-SOLVING.

7. DISADVANTAGES OF
DISCUSSION METHOD
• GROUP DISCUSSION COMPARATIVE TO LECTURE AND OTHER
METHODS IS MORE TIME-CONSUMING, MAY NOT BE OVER IN 45
MINUTES ROUTINE TIME.
• POOR PREPARATION ON THE PART OF STUDENTS CAN BE THE
REASON FOR FAILURE OF DISCUSSION METHOD. THE TEACHER
HAS TO MOTIVATE THEM TO COME PREPARED FOR DISCUSSION BY
THOROUGH READING TO GET THE DESIRED RESULTS.
• THE DISCUSSION MAY LOSE ITS TRACK IF THE ATTENTION IS NOT
PAID TO THE SET OBJECTIVES.
• IN GROUP DISCUSSION THERE IS THE TENDENCY OF SOME
STUDENTS TO DOMINATE THE OTHER GROUP MEMBERS.
DISCUSSION METHOD MAY BE INEFFECTIVE WITH LARGE NUMBER

8. SYMPOSIUM

9. SYMPOSIUM
• SYMPOSIUM IS ANOTHER FORM OF DISCUSSION IN WHICH
DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS OR/AND OPINION RELATED TO SINGLE
ASPECT OF A TOPIC ARE DISCUSSED UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A
CHAIRPERSON.
• IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE A PREFERRED METHOD FOR DISCUSSING
CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES SUCH AS CHANGING TRENDS IN
NURSING PROFESSION, PROFESSIONAL STATUS OF NURSING IN
THE SOCIETY, EXPANDED AND EXTENDED ROLES OF NURSES IN
INDIA, IMPACT OF CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT ON NURSING,
EDUCATIONAL PREPARATION OF NURSES AT VARIOUS LEVELS IN
INDIA, ETC.
• IN SYMPOSIUM THE ENTIRE DISCUSSION IS CENTERED ONLY ON
ONE ASPECT OF THE TOPIC.

10. PRINCIPLES OF SYMPOSIUM:
1. CHAIRMAN HAS TO INTRODUCE THE TOPIC AND HAS TO LEAD THE
MEETING.
2. DISCUSSION AMONG SYMPOSIUM MEMBERS IS NOT ALLOWED.
3. CHAIRMAN TAKES CHARGE OVER THE TOPICS DISTRIBUTED TO THE
SPEAKERS AND ALLOTS THEM SUFFICIENT TIME FOR PRESENTATION OF
PARTICULAR TOPIC.
4. SPEAKERS PRESENT THE TOPICS THROUGH SPEECH OR PAPER READING.
5. CHAIRMAN SHOULD START SYMPOSIUM WITH SHORT INTRODUCTION OF
THE TOPIC AND SPEAKERS.
6. TO THE CONCLUSION CHAIRMAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUMMARIZING
THE TOPIC.
7. DOUBTS CLARIFIED AT THE END OF DISCUSSION.

11. MEMBERS INVOLVED IN
SYMPOSIUM:
1. CHAIRMAN.
2. SPEAKER.
3. AUDIENCE.

12. ADVANTAGES OF SYMPOSIUM
• THIS METHOD IS SUITED FOR LARGE GROUP OF AUDIENCE.
• BROAD TOPICS LIKE ORGAN DONATION IN INDIA, DISASTER
MANAGEMENT, ETC CAN BE ORGANIZATION AND
PRESENTATION IS USUALLY GOOD AS THE SPEECHES ARE
PREPARED IN ADVANCE CHOSEN FOR SYMPOSIUM.
• IT HELPS AUDIENCE TO DEVELOP DEEPER INSIGHT INTO THE
TOPIC.
• THIS METHOD CAN BE USED IN POLITICAL AND
ORGANIZATIONAL MEETINGS.

13. DISADVANTAGES OF SYMPOSIUM
• IT IS VERY TIME-CONSUMING METHOD OF TEACHING AS LOT OF TIME IS
REQUIRED TO CONTACT AND CONFIRM THE EXPERTS AND LOT OF
PREPARATION IS REQUIRED FOR CONDUCTING SYMPOSIUM.
• SELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON AND RESOURCE PERSONS ARE TO BE
DONE VERY CAREFULLY AS THE SUCCESS OF SYMPOSIUM DEPENDS
UPON THEIR SELECTION. .
• IT IS A METHOD OF TEACHING USED FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS
AND RESEARCH SCHOLARS.
• IT DOES NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE OPPORTUNITY TO THE STUDENTS TO
PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY.
• QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION IS ARRANGED AT THE END FOR A
SHORT PERIOD OF 3-4 MINUTES.