IF YOU WANT TO:
Using classroom debates.
One way to introduce discussion into the class is through an interesting assignment. An example is to ask students to prepare brief remarks or short talks taking a pro or con position on a particular issue. The debate format shows students that there are no pat answers to complex issues and that contrasting views can form the basis for further discussion and reflection.
An education professor uses the debate format frequently in his seminar. All students are instructed to prepare a pro or con position for the next class meeting. In class a few students are selected to present their arguments. Other members of the class contribute new ideas after the formal presentations and criticize the arguments and strategies used in the debate, suggesting how the two positions may have been strengthened.
A variation of this format involves using the prepared pro and con arguments as a basis for group discussion. The instructor asks students for their major points and lists each pro and con position as a "matched pair" on the board. Discussion focuses on each pair sequentially.
Limitations on Use of Suggestion
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