Group Discussions
Group discussions are more than requests to respond to recall questions. Group discussions can help participants explore and interpret a topic. You can plan whole group discussions, small group discussions, or even one-on-one partner discussions. They all provide an opportunity for critical thinking in the classroom. Participants get a chance to share their experiences and defend their opinions. Group discussions promote a deeper understanding of a topic and increase long-term retention. Group discussions can also help increase participants’ attention and help maintain their focus by involving them in the learning process. Group discussions can also provide feedback to instructors on participant comprehension. If you notice that participants are struggling with a concept or are missing key information, you can step in and provide more context or rephrase the information to fill the gap.
It is easy to monitor responses in a whole group discussion. However, the number of participants who contribute is often limited. You can increase participation if you shift to a small group or table group discussions. So, the whole group can benefit from the small group discussions, you can assign a spokesperson to report out for each group. You will get the highest level of participation if you simply ask participants to turn and talk with a partner. (If there is an odd number at a table, create a set of “triplets.”) Ask participants to report what their partner said.
To make sure everyone can benefit from the small group or partner discussions, you may need to provide a microphone to the group spokesperson.
Instructions
- Identify a learning outcome from the module or lesson.
- Prepare an open-ended question that will elicit responses that demonstrate participants’ knowledge of the content.
- At an appropriate time in the lesson or module, introduce the activity and explain participants’ role.
- Present the question and the time limit.
- If possible, circulate around the room listening in to the conversations.
- At the end of the time limit, ask for report outs from group spokespersons.
- Provide clarification and reinforce correct information.
Instructor-Led Training
You can facilitate the cross pollination of ideas around your class by rotating one or two members of a group to other tables. Then, provide a different, but related concept for the groups to discuss. This allows participants to share information from their previous discussions with their new partners, but you will need to encourage the new table group members to share ideas that were raised in their original groups. This helps keep the participants engaged. The next time you introduce a question, ask one or two of the participants who haven’t yet moved to rotate to a new table.
Web-Based Training
Voice chat apps allow you to have a spoken discussion that is not in real-time. You can set up user groups and members can record and share their thoughts when it is convenient for them. Other users can listen and add layers to the dialog by recording their own messages.
Web Conference Training
As an alternative to small or large group text chats, you can use a video chat app to allow participants to have “face-to-face” discussions in breakout groups. Some web conference platforms offer video conferencing as a feature. If yours doesn’t, you can check with the Office of Information Technology for an approved video conference platforms so they can join in on the conversation.
