Leading Discussions

1. Leading Discussions

2. M&M Talk • Class size: any • Time frame: 20 or more minutes • Setting: moveable seating required, a lot of space preferable • Purpose: introduce students to many of their peers, introduce/review course topics Description: • Each student gets one bag of M&Ms. • Students divide into a group of 3-4. • One person takes out an M&M at a time. Depending on the color of the M&M, students will discuss a certain topic or solve a specific problem.

3. Think-Pair-Share • Class size: any • Time frame: 5-10 minutes • Setting: no limitations • Purpose: generate ideas, increase students’ confidence in their answers, encourage broad participation in plenary session Description: • Students think individually about a particular question or scenario. • Students pair up to discuss and compare their ideas. • Students are given the chance to share their ideas in a large class discussion.

4. Jigsaw • Class size: 10-50 • Time frame: 20 or more minutes • Setting: moveable seating required, a lot of space preferable • Purpose: learn concepts in-depth, develop teamwork, have students teaching students Description: • Divide a topic into a few parts (“puzzle pieces”). • Form subgroups of 3-5 and assign each subgroup a different “piece” of the topic (or, if the class is large, assign two or more subgroups to each subtopic). • Each group’s task is to develop expertise on its particular subtopic by brainstorming, developing ideas, and if time permits, researching. • Once students have become experts on a particular subtopic, shuffle the groups so that the members of each new group have a different area of expertise. • Students then take turns sharing their expertise with the other group members, thereby creating a completed “puzzle” of knowledge about the main topic.

5. Fishbowl • Class size: 10-50 • Time frame: 15 or more minutes • Setting: moveable seating and a lot of space preferable; if necessary, have inner group stand/sit at front of lecture hall and the outer group sit in regular lecture hall seats • Purpose: observe group interaction, provide real illustrations for concepts, provide opportunity for analysis Description: • Divide students into groups. • The first group forms a circle and either discusses an issue or topic, does a role play, or performs a brief drama. The second group forms a circle around the inner group. • Depending on the inner group’s task and the context of your course, the outer group can look for themes, patterns, soundness of argument, etc., in the inner group’s discussion, analyze the inner group’s functioning as a group, or simply watch and comment on the role play. • Groups swap roles.

6. Last Word • Class size: 10-50 • Time frame: 20 or more minutes • Setting: moveable chairs or tables preferable • Purpose: help students become engaged and reflective about a specific topic or theme Description: • Everyone reads an article and underlines a sentence or two that they connected with and found important. • Divide into groups of 3-4. • One person starts by sharing his/her underlined passage and explains why this passage was important in exactly two minutes. • Moving around the circle, each person has one minute to respond to the first person’s comments. • Once everyone is finished, the person who started the round gets the last word and summarizes their thoughts, making connections across all comments. The “last word” person can then share with the entire class.

7. Speed Learning • Class size: any • Time frame: 20 or more minutes • Setting: moveable chairs or tables preferable • Purpose: create a living network of conversations around questions that matter Description: • Have students choose a seat at various tables around the room. • The group will be asked to respond to meaningful questions for each conversational round. • After each round, students are guided to move to new tables. With each move, a table host remains behind, sharing the essence of his/her table’s conversation. The other students move out into the room to another table and discuss the next meaningful question, making connections across conversations. • Groups in the last conversational round will record their ideas on chart paper by drawing images and symbols and/or writing words and phrases. • Use charted responses for a concluding whole-group discussion.

8. Check In/Check Out • Class size: up to 25 • Time frame: varies • Setting: no limitations • Purpose: help students feel present or provide a sense of closure Description: • “Check-in” is at the beginning of class and “check-out” is at the end. • Each student gets an opportunity to simply speak for a minute about what he/she is thinking, feeling, or has noticed. If you want to keep this private, you can give each student a moment to write these down and they can share in groups

9. Muddiest Point • Class size: any size • Time frame: 2 minutes Description: • At the end of the lesson, students jot down the “muddiest point” from the class period. They write down what they understood the least and what questions remain about a particular point. • Helps them reflect about what they still need to learn before the next assessment and helps you alter your lectures/activities to maximize effective learning.

10. Symposium • Class size: up to 30 • Time frame: 5 minute presentations per student; can divide into groups and spread out across a few days Description: • Assign a topic / problem / research objective / writing prompt / essay to your students. • Have students report on their progress towards the final products. PowerPoint or Prezi are great for this. • Time for presentation and time for questions/answers afterwards (involve the entire class). • Give them some feedback afterwards (email works great for this). • Works best in learning process and as a minor grade (check system) or no grade. Alternative to student conferences. • Teaches the process and helps students build confidence articulating their ideas in front of others.

11. Let’s Think-Pair-Share! • Divide into groups of 2-3 and discuss the following: • What you have learned in today’s orientation (including other sessions besides this one) that has been the most useful. • What you have learned that has been the most surprising/unexpected. • What you are still confused about. What is your “muddiest point”?