1) The document discusses facilitating group discussions and problem-based learning. It addresses concerns about leading discussions and strategies to improve discussions. 2) Key requirements for problem solving are discussed, including resources, metacognition, and belief systems. Different types of knowledge and how they influence problem solving and learning are also covered. 3) The document provides questions faculty can ask students to address concerns, improve metacognition and understanding of epistemology to enhance group discussions.

1. Facilitating Group Discussions Melissa S. Medina, Ed.M., ABD Clinical Assistant Professor Director of Instructional Sciences & Assessment University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy OUHSC Educational Grand Rounds July 18, 2003

2. Objectives Reflect on and discuss group discussion experiences List problem solving requirements and analyze role in facilitating group discussions Explore group facilitating strategies through the lens of problem-based learning Evaluate group discussions according to problem solving requirements

3. Group Discussion Concerns For 1 minute……. Reflect on experiences and challenges you faced facilitating group discussions Write down 1 concern about facilitating group discussions

4. Group Discussion Concerns Students who do not care Dealing with silent students Keeping students on right path How not to lecture Getting students to identify issues

5. Benefits of Group Discussion Clarify content Enhance active learning Reveal learner thought process Reveal learner misperceptions Reveal learner beliefs Enhance learner critical thinking Promote self-directed learning

6. Problem Solving Well-defined Puzzles Clear goals Find correct answer Ill-defined Complex issues, multiple perspectives Assumptions, evidence, opinions can lead to different solutions (Kitchener, 1983)

7. Problem Solving Requirements (Schoenfield, 1983) Category Knowledge and Behavior 1 Resources Individual’s knowledge base 2 Control Metacognition 3 Belief Systems About self, environment, topic

8. Types of Knowledge Declarative (factual) Knowing what to do Procedural Knowing how to use the facts Conditional Knowing when and why to use the procedures and strategies (Woolfolk, 2001)

9. Metacognition Planning Time management, strategy utilization, process implications Monitoring “ How am I doing?” Evaluation Judging process and outcomes of thinking and learning (Woolfolk, 2001)

10. Metacognition Evidence Unrelated to aptitude (Pressley & Ghatala, 1988) Awareness compensates for lower-level ability (Swanson, 1990) Direct instruction and modeling improve skills (Palincsar & Brown, 1984) Enhances reasoning in the classroom (Kramarski & Mevarech, 2003)

11. Epistemology Beliefs about Nature of knowledge Processes of knowing (Hofer and Pintrich, 1997)

12. Epistemology Dimensions Right-wrong thinking Knowledge handed down Multiple possibilities for knowledge Knowledge evaluated on personal basis (Perry, 1970)

13. Epistemology Research Lower level negatively affects problem solving (Schommer, Crouse, Rhodes, 1992) Differs across disciplines (Jehng, Johnson, Anderson, 1993) Influences ability to argue persuasively (Kuhn, 1991) Decreases persistence at difficult tasks (Schoenfeld, 1983)

14. Problem Solving Requirements (Schoenfield, 1983) Category Knowledge and Behavior 1 Resources Individual’s knowledge base 2 Control Metacognition 3 Belief Systems About self, environment, topic

15. Group discussion Professor’s group case (University of Delaware, 2001)

16. Barriers to Group Discussion Students Discussion  learning Shift in student and faculty roles Goal is to read teacher’s mind Faculty Answers offered too quickly Premature push toward solution (McKeachie, 2002)

17. Addressing Your Concerns Students who do not care Dealing with silent students Getting students to identify issues Keeping students on right path How not to lecture

18. Metacognitive Questions Planning “ How much time do you need?” “ Where will you find your resources?” Monitoring “ How are you progressing on the review?” “ Am I going too fast?” Evaluation “ Is this finished?” “ Is my solution defensible?”

19. Epistemology Questions “ How do you know that is the best evidence or is true?” “ Are there alternative explanations that exist?” “ How would you judge the evidence you are using to support the claim?”

20. General Question Types Interpretative questions How does __ apply to ____? Comparative questions Compare one theory to another Evaluative questions Judge value of points Critical questions ___ states ___. Under what conditions may that not be true? (McKeachie, 2002)

21. Questions?

22. Contact Information Email: [email_address] Office: College of Pharmacy room 125

23. References Hofer, B.K., & Pintrich, P.R. (1997). The development of epistemological theories: Beliefs about knowledge and knowing and their relation to learning. Review of Educational Research, 67, 88-140. Jehng, J.J., Johnson, S.D., & Anderson, R.C. (1993). Schooling and students’ epistemological beliefs about learning. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 18, 23-35. Kitchener, K.S. (1983). Cognition, metacognition, and epistemic cognition. Human Development, 26, 222-232. Kramarski, B., & Mevarech, Z.R. (2003). Enhancing mathematical reasoning in the classroom: The effects of cooperative learning and metacognition. American Educational Research Journal, 40, 281-310. Kuhn, D. (1991). The skills of argument. (pp. 172-263). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. Lowman, J. 1995. Mastering the techniques of teaching-2nd edition. (p. 159-191). San Francisco:Jossey-Bass. McKeachie, W.J. (2002). Teaching Tips-11 th edition. (p. 30-51). NY: Houghton Mifflin. Palincsar, A.S., & Brown, A.L. (1984). Reciprocal teaching of comprehension-fostering and monitoring activities. Cognition and Instruction, 1, 117-175. Perry, W.G. (1970). Forms of intellectual and ethical development in the college years: A scheme. (pp. 4-15). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Pressley, M., & Ghatala, E.S. (1988). Delusions about performance on multiple-choice comprehension tests. Reading Research Quarterly, 23, 454-464. Schoenfeld, A.H. (1983). Beyond the purely cognitive: belief systems, social cognition, and metacognitions as driving forces in intellectual performance. Cognitive Science, 7, 329-363. Schommer, M. (1990). Effects of beliefs about the nature of knowledge on comprehension. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82 , 498-504. Schommer, M., Crouse, A., & Rhodes, N. (1992). Epistemological beliefs and mathematical text comprehension: Believing it is simple does not make it so. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84, 435-443. Swanson, H.L. (1990). The influence of metacognitive knowledge and aptitude on problem solving. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 306-314. Woolfolk, A. (2001). Educational Psychology-8th edition. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.