This Week for Faculty: Tips for facilitating classroom discussion

3 tips for facilitating classroom discussion

1. Articulate the goals of the discussion. Communicate to students what you hope to achieve with the discussion. This may include exploring a concept more deeply, applying a theory to a real-world situation, evaluating different perspectives on an issue, developing skills in constructing and presenting persuasive arguments, or making space for students to practice expressing their thoughts and ideas about assigned readings clearly and effectively.

2. Establish community agreements to set the expectations for respectful and inclusive behavior during interactions inside and outside of the classroom (e.g., through online discussions in CourseWorks). Use time at the beginning of the semester to discuss agreements. Consider co-creating the agreements with your students to ensure their buy-in. Review and revise the agreements as class needs evolve. Post agreements in CourseWorks and remind students of them. Sample agreements may include:

• • Make space for all voices to be heard.
  • Use respectful language and tone, even when disagreeing.
  • Be open to new ideas and viewpoints, even if they challenge your own beliefs.
  • Take responsibility for your contributions to the discussion.
  • Prepare for discussions by completing the assigned readings.
  • Be considerate of how contributions to the discussion might affect others.

In this short video, learn more about creating community agreements in the classroom, as part of the CTL’s “Teaching Talks” initiative.

3. Encourage students to actively participate. Make space for discussion by leveraging instructional technologies such as PollEverywhere, CourseWorks Discussions, or EdDiscussions. Assign students different roles in the discussion such as facilitator, note-taker, or summarizer. Encourage students to respond to their peers rather than directing their answers to you. Debrief the discussion, ask students to reflect on their take-aways from the discussion.

Workshops and resources on discussion-based pedagogies

Engaging Students in Discussion
August 15, 10:00am – 11:00am – Register
Related resource: Learning Through Discussion

Engaging Students with EdDiscussion
August 15, 11:30am – 12:00pm – Register
Related resource: Enhancing your Course Discussion Boards for Learning: Three Strategies Using Ed Discussion

Navigating HOT Moments: Before, During, and After Class
August 15, 1:00pm – 2:00pm – Register (note: this session will also be offered on September 4 and September 12)
Resources resource: Navigating HOT Moments in the Classroom

Zoom into this week’s sessions

We look forward to your engagement in this week’s workshops. Join us from anywhere!

Unable to participate? Explore our related on-demand resources and/or schedule a consultation to discuss the teaching and mentoring topics on your mind. Contact us at CTLfaculty@columbia.edu.  We are here to assist you as you get ready for Fall 2024!

Engage students in their learning

Getting Started with Active Learning
August 12, 11:00am – 12:00pm – Register
Related resource: Getting Started with Active Learning

Planning Your Lectures Based on the Science of Learning
August 12, 1:00pm – 2:00pm – Register
Related resource: Five Tips for Engaged Lecturing

Explore AI for teaching and learning

Leveraging AI for Learning Activities
August 12, 3:00pm – 4:00pm – Register

Leveraging AI for Teaching and Course Design
August 14, 1:00pm – 2:00pm – Register
Related resource: Teaching and Learning in the Age of AI: Considerations, Resources, and Opportunities

Build community in your classroom

Building Community in the Classroom: Icebreakers
August 13, 11:00am – 12:00pm – Register
Related resource: Community Building in the Classroom

Engaging Students with Collaborative Annotation Tools
August 13, 1:00pm – 1:30pm – Register
Related resource: Collaborative Learning

Kick off a new semester of teaching and mentoring

Preparing for a New Semester of Teaching
August 14, 11:00am – 12:00pm – Register

Preparing for a New Semester of Mentoring
August 14, 3:00pm – 4:00pm – Register
Related resources: Advancing Mentorship Practices: Supporting Mentors of Graduate Students and Postdocs at Columbia

Connect with us! We are available all summer

Office Hours 
Join us for office hours via Zoom (or phone) Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm to have your teaching with instructional technology questions answered, or schedule an appointment any time by contacting ColumbiaCTL@columbia.edu.

Consultations
Schedule a consultation to discuss any teaching and learning need by emailing ctlfaculty@columbia.edu or email the CTL Learning Designer assigned to your school or department