Delving into Discussions
Introduction
Implementing meaningful discussion in the classroom can be a very arduous task, especially for the pre-service such as myself. After powering through all this week’s reading in ECI 535, I certainly have the wealth of knowledge, strategies, and proactive plans to create a classroom that is conducive for discussion. In the article asking whether or not implementing discussion-based learning is worth the effort, the author Diane Hess certainly agrees that it is worth a shot (Hess, 2004) . This blog focuses on why discussions in the social studies classroom should be employed, how they can be successfully put into action with beneficial results, along with the benefits/costs of placing this methodology into the framework of the classroom. Additionally, I will try to weigh the pros and cons using either direct discussion versus web-based discussion, incorporate discussion as a successful strategy that will foster cooperative learning skills, and finally, show how technology can be used in the classroom to facilitate inquiry-based projects.
"One Voice, One Vote"
I remember as a student, hearing the teacher drone on and on, half-listening to his or her speech as I wondered when the lunch bell would ring. Now, this doesn’t mean I was not listening. If she called on me, I knew the answer like a parrot who can repeat anything he hears. Now, I realize not everyone has a photographic/auditory memory that can instantly remember all the little details and grasp the general concept at the same time. Discussions give the student a voice. As a citizen, it is their duty and responsibility to be a full, participatory citizen. Just look at the statistics, our age group has the lowest voter turnout ratios as compared to those who have some skin in the game and are seriously worried that Social Security will run out before they retire. Yet, our generation is crying about not being able to get jobs out of college! Well, be the change!!! Start a grassroots movement, community-outreach program, write a letter to your senator, sign a petition; students of the younger generation need to realize the potential to spark change through civic action. Teaching and enforcing through repetition the social skills necessary to achieve in life is critical for our student’s futures. Effective discussion enables social skills to form (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 1988) . Being courteous, respectful, thinking critically through a topic, asking questions, giving feedback; these are real-world activities that happen every single day in the workplace, at the dinner table, or a web-based conference with clients in China. As a future middle school teacher, I never realized to the large extent that we will/need to be teaching our students social skills on a daily basis. I have certainly printed out the “Teaching Cooperative Skills” article and will have it in my handy ledger. It is critical that students know how to communicate effectively with others. With the ever-growing interconnectedness of the world through globalization, the younger generation must be prepared. Our students must not only be prepared, but they must be competitive in a growing global marketplace where Asia has produced a 200% increase in college graduates the past decade (The Economist, 2011).
Why Discussion???
First and foremost, why do we want to construct a classroom that engenders thoughtful and intelligent discussion anyway? According to Hess (2004), our goal as social studies teachers is to create civic-minded, participatory citizens who know how to engage, reflect, and think critically about the world around. Yet, I do see why many teachers do not implement discussion in their classrooms. They believe discussion takes away from their power (they talk too much), students will not delve deep enough into the topic to draw any meaningful conclusions, and discussion is dominated by a few. Also, the final factor for not creating an environment that facilitates successful discussion is that students are simply unprepared. This final causation is the primary reason from my personal experience as to why discussions do not work. Even in college, this was always the case. I really like the author’s insistence that in order to have discussion that is thought-provoking and ends with student comprehension and growth, the teacher must plan the discussion well in advance (Hess, 2004) . To me, that is the most salient point of the article that I will take with me as I tread into the murky waters of my first-year in teaching.
Facilitating Discussion
Secondly, how do facilitate any discussion at all? What are the methods? For one, teachers want to create what I like to call a “community of learning” (thanks to Dr. Geena Ray McNeil, my favorite professor of all time). I believe the Journey to Excellence author’s call a similar methodology the “Socratic Method” (Socratic Seminars, 2011) . This method creates a structured classroom where the students and teachers are equal. The teacher must be a facilitator, guiding instruction, keeping the class on track, much like a moderator in a debate. UNC Chapel Hill Political Science and History program has a variety of professors who use everything from traditional lecture style to classes that are explicitly debate format. For those professors that implemented the Socratic Method, encouraging discussion and creating communities of learning, I drew and retained so much knowledge. Not only did I gain knowledge, I learned how to speak, converse, and debate properly with others who have opinions and deep-seated passions that may have been far different than mine.
Dr. Beal’s (2009) chapter “Learning Through Small Groups, Questions, Role Playing, and Simulations” only further enhanced the methods and strategies that facilitate student interaction and responsibility. These types of learning can all be associated with discussion-based activities. They all have the same connection to one another; that is, each and every one of these strategies involves direct student participation through giving each and every student a voice in the classroom (Beal, Bolick, & Martorella, 2009) . I constantly have to add to my “How to Successfully Teach Social Studies” cheat sheet on my computer! This may seem asinine, but everyone has to be prepared, an as an OCD person, cheat sheets and quick-reference guides are my friend, otherwise I would get lost in the details!
Face-to-Face Versus Web-Based Discussion
Speaking of giving student’s voices in the classroom, the article “Classroom discussion and threaded electronic discussion: Learning in two arenas” compares and contrast the effectiveness of discussion via the classroom or the web (Larsen & Keiper, 2002) . There seems to be reason to continue research in this area. I did enjoy reading about the author’s findings and their subsequent discussion and analysis. I do agree that face-to-face discussion enforces, molds, and shapes verbal communication skills. A computer can never replace quick-thinking, in your face, have to be ready to respond intelligently, kind-of-communication that one experiences at a job interview, an impromptu drop-in/inspection by the head boss at your job, or a media question-and-answer session. However, web-based debate can provide for a deeper discussion as students can take the time to think about their replies or perform additional research before they “speak their mind” (Larsen & Keiper, 2002) . Through my experience, both outlets for discussion can have replies of equal passion and sincerity. Also, the web-based discussion may allow for students who do not predominantly express their thoughts and opinions in a verbal manner to get a chance to “voice” their opinions and provide meaningful analysis. I believe both tools are effective at generating knowledge through discussion, yet, face-time will always be reality. I hope that all this new technology does not hinder progress in the arena of verbal skills, for this will certainly be devastating to our already impersonal world.
Technology and Discussion
Finally, Dr. Beal’s chapter “Using Technology to Enhance Social Studies Instruction” is a useful resource for a quick-view on how to implement a technology-enhanced classroom (Beal, Bolick, & Martorella, 2009) . If I have learned only one thing so far during my career so far as a MAT student at NC State (I have learned an exponential amount), I will carry the knowledge and tools of how to implement technology in the classroom. This is vital to connecting with our young generation. Tying this concept with discussion, a teacher can allow his students to create blogs, perform WebQuest research projects, show students how to research through digital history archives, the possibilities are endless!
Bibliography
Beal, C., Bolick, C. M., & Martorella, P. H. (2009). Teaching Social Studies in Middle and Secondary Schools (5th Edition ed.). Prentice Hall.
Hess, D. E. (2004). Discussion in Social Studies: Is it Worth the Trouble? Social Education, 68 (2), 151-157.
Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Holubec, E. J. (1988). Cooperation in the Classroom. Interaction Book Company.
Larsen, B. E., & Keiper, T. A. (2002). Classroom discussion and threaded electronic discussion: Learning in two arenas. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education , 2 (1).
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