Techniques for Asking Questions in a Discussion

Allow students the time to answer the question you've asked.

Silence is important for two reasons:

1. it allows for thinking time
2. in creates discomfort leading to a response

If students don't respond try:

1. Repeat the question in another way
2. Follow the question with an example or a scenario. then repeat the question
3. Ask a commitment question first. Example "How many of you have been members of a process team?" Then ask an individual student…
4. Have student write down their answer first then share it with the group. This allows for more thinking time and is lower risk.

Ask non-threating question like "in your opinion" or "based on your experienced" or "what do you think"

Avoid calling on the same people all the time. This lets others off the hook and diminishes the intellectual diversity the whole group has to offer.

Be conversational in your approach to asking questions. Use the students' responses to formulate further questions. This demonstrates that you are really listening to the students.

Acknowledge every student response even if it is wrong or off the wall.

Be certain that your questions are clearly stated.

Reference Facilitation Skills Workshop, Practical Management, Inc. August 1998

How to Help Students Engage in Productive Group Discussions

1. Have students set preconceived notions aside and be open to the ideas that will be expressed

          2. Be open to changing your mind

3. React to ideas not people

4. Respect others, don't interrupt, argue with, antagonize, belittle or discredit the person speaking

5. It is inappropriate to blame, change the subject, ignore someone's ideas or assume you know other peoples motives

6. Don't formulate your response while others are speaking. Listen to them and then respond

        If a Person's Behavior is a Problem in the Group

1. Have students use "I" statements to express their concerns not evaluative or judging statements ( that’s a stupid idea)

2. Ask students to be very specific in expressing their concerns. " I am uncomfortable when you use such explicit language like…."

        3.Have students become aware of how their behavior is affecting others.

        4.Remind students that proving themselves right by showing how others are wrong inhibits discussion

        5. Remind students that they can control how they react to negative

How to Form Groups

          The amount, nature and complexity of the work are the key factors in determining the size and make-up of the groups

Is a broad range of perspective needed? If so what kind of diversity would be most helpful?

Small informal activities in class lend themselves to groups of friends, or those right around them, or by student interest.

A preliminary survey to learn strengths and interest is helpful in forming groups for projects outside of class.

The size of the groups is determined by the amount of work to do and the diversity that is needed.

Leaders should be appointed. Leaders act as liaisons between the teacher and the group and keep the teacher informed of group progress and alerted to group conflicts.

Maintaining the Focus of the Group

• 1. Written guidelines detailing the project. These should include format requirements if a paper is to be written.

• 2. A schedule of due dates for interim project assignments. Also identification of any in class time that will be given to the groups.

  3. Discussion of the evaluation process.

  a. Distribute the evaluation criteria to the groups.

  b. Evaluation process needs to include a peer evaluation

  c. This external control gives individual group members the ability to censure members

  Groups rules

  • Attendance at all meeting,
  • Meeting individual responsibilities for work,
  • Consequences for failure to meet expectations
  • Use of a meeting record keeping system submitted to the teacher on a regular basis.

  a. Who attended?

  b. What was accomplished?

  c. What was assigned for the next meeting?

  d. What if any concerns were dealt with.

  Meeting evaluation sheets. At the end of each meeting students fill out an evaluation of the productivity of the meeting. These are sent to teacher.

  Task sheets of individual work each member has committed to. The teacher reviews these once they have been developed.