2. Debate as a Teaching Strategy
• Definition and Purposes
• Theoretical Rationale
• Conditions for Learning
• Types of Learners
• Resources
• Using the Method
• Potential Problems
3. Definition and Purposes
• An argument for the purpose of persuading the
audience to agree with a clearly defined
position
• Issues are considered or discussed from
opposing positions or arguments.
• Promotes active learning because it requires
intense preparation, active participation, and a
forum ideally suited to controversial topic
4. Definition and Purposes
• Debate encourages participants to identify the
essential nature of an issue as substantiated by
evidence, establish criteria for a successful
resolution, and to compare alternative
strategies for resolution.
• Debate is an especially useful strategy for
students who need to cultivate analytical
thought processes.
5. Theoretical Rationale
• Two components of the professional role are
the analysis of significant issues and the ability
to communicate in efficient and effective ways.
• Debate is different from discussion in that it is
argumentative. Each team competes to
establish that its position is the correct one.
• Debate is particularly useful in allowing a
student to compare the debate position to a
personally held point of view.
6. Theoretical Rationale
• Questions to Consider
– What are the issue’s key elements?
– What historical precedents have contributed
to the issue.
– Who are the key proponents or opponents
of the issue?
– What is the future of the issue?
7. Conditions for Learning
• Most useful as part of a course of seminar in
professional or academic settings.
• Best used in course that focus on issues or
topics that raise debatable questions.
• Can be used as a means to validate and deepen
content knowledge.
8. Conditions for Learning
• Students should be given enough structure and
direction to help them plan and organize their
work.
• Students must take responsibility for
researching debate positions, analyzing key
issues and practicing speaking skills.
• Students are encouraged to take the position
opposite their own points of view.
9. Conditions for Learning
• Benefits of Debate
– Facilitates students’ ability to implement
analytical skills, systematically research an
issue, and use group process.
– Learning goals include improving oral
communication and research referencing
skills, structuring and presenting an
argument, and exercising analytical skills.
10. Conditions for Learning
• Preparation for Debate
– Students need to be introduced to key issues
in the course and given an opportunity to
identify debate topics.
– Students must be able to form working
groups.
– Students need knowledge of existing
resources to use in formulating debate.
11. Types of Learners
• Debate can be used with all levels and
types of learners.
• Debate is a highly useful strategy for
students who are strongly influenced by
personal values or work experiences.
• Debate is an effective strategy for
encouraging active, rather than passive,
learning.
12. Resources
• Faculty members serve as facilitators
• Clinical experiences and current issues in
health care offer a wide range of debate
topics.
• Electronic and traditional libraries have
many resources available for debate
preparation.
13. Using the Method
• Types of reasoning
– Example
– Analogy
– Cause
– Cost-benefit
– Evidence
14. Using the Method
• Debate Format
– Opening remarks by the moderator
– Two affirmative and two negative
presentations
– Rebuttal
– Summary
– In some situations a resolution plan may be
appropriate.
15. Using the Method
• Evaluation
– Non–participants evaluate the debaters
based on preparation, individual
performance, and group efforts.
– To reinforce learning from the debate,
students may be asked to write a formal
paper on one of the issues raised in the
debate.
16. Potential Problems
• Significant student responsibility and
preparation.
• Debaters need to practice public speaking
skills and prepare supporting materials.
• Students may collaborate before the debate,
thus “fixing” the outcome.
• Students have to classify an issues as right or
wrong.
17. Potential Problems
• Students may have to defend positions they
disagree with.
• Students may have strong moral beliefs about
an issue and may have trouble defending some
positions.
• Some people become nervous when asked to
speak in public.
• Argumentative or confrontational nature of
debate may create anxiety.
18. Conclusion
• Debate promotes student interaction and
involvement in course topics.
• Debate expands students’ perspectives on a
given issue.
• As an interactive strategy, debate develops
techniques of persuasion and promotes
collaborative efforts and negotiation skills.
• Critical thinking is enhanced by the scrutiny of
more than one position on an issue.
