Using Discussion as a Way of Teaching
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
(FAU) July 28th, 2022
Stephen Brookfield
(Distinguished Scholar, Antioch University
Adjunct Professor, Columbia University Teachers
College)
www.stephenbrookfield.com
My Website
• My website is open access so if you want to find out more about any of the
exercises or activities I mention go to the page and click on the ‘Resources’
link.
• Scroll down & you will find multiple PDF files of workshop packets stuffed
with activities or power point files.
• Today’s power point is the first one listed:
http://www.stephenbrookfield.com/powerpoints-pdfs
• You do not need to ask my permission to use any of these resources. If
they’re useful then please try them out and adapt them to your context.
• www.stephenbrookfield.com
Who I am as a teacher is influenced by • Watching my doctoral supervisor –
who I am as a learner…. giving me ‘bad’ inconvenient news in
a way that I knew was in my own best
History of academic mediocrity –failed interests
high school leaving exams, university Ethical use of teacher power
places cancelled, graduated in bottom Relational underpinnings to critical
half of my class, turned down for thinking
graduate study, failed my master’s degree An authoritative ally
exam Broadening student-centered
assessment measures
Discussions as Performance Events –
good discussion is speaking a lot,
sounding smart, quoting sources
correctly, being “noticed”
Establishing quiet ways of participating &
normalizing periods of structured silence
Misconceptions
• Discussion is inherently democratic – in fact, some groups
shut down certain members & isolate them & their views
• Discussion is spontaneous & open – counterfeit discussion: it
looks like discussion but is really a fake currency of
manipulation
• Discussion is suited to every pedagogic purpose – No: it’s
best suited to uncovering & developing complexity, opening
people up to alternatives, causing people to question their
assumptions
• Discussion binds and coheres groups – sometimes it splinters
& divides them into unbridgeably different clusters
An ‘Icebreaker’ I use – “I AM
FROM”
• Particularly helpful in discussions around contentious issues
• Suited to groups where people are mistrustful
• Designed to build good relationships
• Demonstrate common ground
• METHODOLOGY
• Students choose 3 or 4 sentence prompts to complete the phrase “I AM FROM…”
• The sound of…. The values of…. The touch of….
• The smell of…. The family of…. The faith of….
• The taste of…. The feeling of…. The place of….
A SOCIAL MEDIA TOOL
Go to sli.do
Enter Code: 1303695
(Or, use the QR Code opposite)
Reply to the question: What do you hope
to achieve when you use discussion as a
way of teaching?
Your responses are ANONYMOUS
• Pose a question at start of class to assess
what knowledge, experience &
preconceptions students bring
Pose quick questions during class to check
for understanding, identify misconceptions
Invite students to raise questions or seek
clarification anonymously
Interrupts the normal privileging of
speech, extroverts, dominant language
speakers – no one can dominate
Anonymity means students aren’t afraid to
ask ‘dumb’ questions
As with all activities, open to sabotage
sli.do
backchannelchat.com
tweedback.de
The Importance of Modeling
• Ending lectures with questions uppermost in your mind
• Using your own learning autobiography to illustrate the growing
depth of convictions, or important turning points for you
• TEAM TEACHING
• Point / Counterpoint
• Dialectical conversation
• Displaying curiosity
• Disagreeing
• Being open to alternative views
Setting Expectations…
• Have students create their own norms for discussion based on
their best & worst experiences as discussion participants
• Avoid counterfeit discussions – that look like the real thing but
that are fake currency
• Announce protocols that… (1) involve everyone participating,
(2) require careful listening & (3) incorporate regular structured
silence for thinking & reflection
• Publish criteria for grading participation early
• Make sure those criteria include silent contributions
• Grading for Participation
Grading for Participation • Contribute something that builds on, or springs
from, what someone else has said. Be explicit
Post a question, comment or make a suggestion about how you do this
online that takes us in a promising or provocative • Make a summary observation that acknowledges
new direction several people's contributions & touches on a
recurring theme
Post a resource (a reading, web link, video) not
covered in the syllabus but that adds valuable • Provide an example that clarifies or illustrates
new information/perspectives someone’s point
• Ask a question or make a comment that
Make a comment indicating how you found encourages someone to elaborate on something
someone’s ideas interesting or useful. Be specific they’ve already said
about what was so helpful
• Find a way to express appreciation for the
Alert us to a question posed that is not being enlightenment you have gained from the
answered discussion. Be specific about what helped you
understand something better
Make a comment that explicitly underscores the • Challenge an idea without challenging a person
link between two people's contributions
QUESTION
When a discussion is going well, what does it
• A Classroom Tool – the LOOK, SOUND or FEEL like?
Circle of Voices Protocol (1) Declare a 1-2 minute silent period for people to
think about their response to the question & make
written or mental notes
(2) Go alphabetically around the group and have
each person give their response to the question(s)
they’ve just been thinking about. Each person tries
to keep their comments to a minute or so. No
interruptions of each other please.
(3) Once everyone has spoken move into open
conversation – anyone can speak at any time & there
is no order of contribution. However, try to speak
ONLY about what someone ELSE said in the opening
round of comments.
