Principles to Consider

In addition to the components above, we believe that discussions are more inclusive and lead to deeper learning when we:

• Ground courses in community. Regardless of the size of our courses or our course content, creating small but consistent opportunities for students to get to know each other, collaborate, and experience reciprocal support creates a class climate in which more is possible within discussions.

Reflective questions: community

What opportunities to help students connect fit my course context--opportunities for them to work together towards a shared class goal, or to share a small detail about who they are during a break or at the beginning of class? Do I want to create set groups students spend part of our time together in--ones where they can get to know a subset of their peers better? 

• Know that "good discussion" is subjective and culturally shaped, and be transparent about expectations. We also encourage instructors to reflect on those expectations. 

Reflective questions: identifying and communicating expectations

Identifying expectations and reflecting critically isn't about throwing what we value out, but about asking questions like "What discussion characteristics do I want to foster in my class? Why do I value this behavior or characteristic in discussion--what does it make possible? Are there are other ways students might be reaching this goal?"

For example, a faculty member who expects or wants to see consistent eye contact during discussion might do so because for them it communicates respect and active listening. A faculty member who expects students to contribute to discussion by responding to "cold calling" might be seeking evidence of student preparation, or might be trying to encourage intellectual flexibility and willingness to advance an argument without feeling certainty about it. Each of these expectations can be met in additional ways.

Instructors can be transparent about their discussion-related expectations for students and/or by asking students to also share what expectations they'd like to set for themselves/each other (whether aloud, in an annotated document, in a discussion post, etc.). "How am I currently communicating discussion norms or any expectations I hold about discussion? What might not be obvious to students about how to engage in discussion in our class? What expectations or norms might students themselves want to communicate to peers?" 

• Make possible “discussion moves” explicit, and practice them in class. “Discussion moves” are the range of ways students might interact with each other and with course content. Part of the challenge of discussion is that the options for engaging, and why you might use a particular one, is frequently implicit, culturally determined, and not formally taught.

Reflective questions: discussion moves

What “discussion moves” might students use in an effective class discussion (ex: asking clarifying questions, linking ideas, synthesizing group feedback, etc.,)? Where have I modeled or noted these moves, and where do we practice them? What discussion moves are particularly valued in my field? What moves do students notice and appreciate that are already happening around them (in any of their favorite social and academic spaces)? 

• Offer multiple ways students can contribute to the discussion and value different styles of communication. In synchronous classes, students commonly think of participating as "speaking in large groups." That is one way to contribute, but only one. 
  
  As bell hooks (2009) said in Teaching Critical Thinking, "Understanding that every student has a valuable contribution to offer to a learning community means that we honor all capabilities, not solely the ability to speak. Students who excel in active listening also contribute much to the formation of community. This is also true of students who may not speak often but when they speak (sometimes only when reading required writing) the significance of what they have to say far exceeds those of other students who may always openly discuss ideas." 

Reflecting questions: multiple ways to contribute

Given my purpose, what important actions might students take that contribute to discussion, and how might I communicate their value? Are there tools I used when teaching remotely that allowed me to better perceive the contributions of students I might not have noticed participating otherwise? How might I keep some element of that in my course? Are there any activities that would benefit from follow-up (not just responding in the moment), such as providing summary, synthesis, notes on a subset of questions, etc? Would it be worthwhile to try a discussion through annotation, using something like Hypothesis or Perusal?

• Design for student agency: choice of questions, choice of ways to participate, and even the choice to not participate when needed. 

Reflective questions: student agency

How am I integrating student agency in discussion? Can students shape or furnish the questions? Can they choose from among several? Do they have a say in how they are grouped? If they want to work solo, how can I build that in as an option? Do they have choice in the mediums they use during discussion? If I elicit feedback, how will I share back any changes I make in response to feedback? 

• Provide facilitative support through discussion structures, class agreements, student agency, and skill building, as opposed to primarily/exclusively from instructor interventions. 

Reflective questions: facilitation

What discussion structure or protocol (like jigsaw, or conversation café, or dialogue rounds, etc) might best support the conversation goals? How am I providing opportunities for peer community and accountability? If I had to be out of the room during the discussion, what else would students need to keep themselves in an inclusive, democratic discussion? What attachment might I have, as the instructor, to be the center of class discussion when it's not central to learning? What communication-related skills might students in this major most need after graduation that we can practice now? 

• Think critically about what we are asking of students within discussions, and whether there may be associated costs—particularly for students with minoritized identities and those with lived experiences around power and violence--that are counter to learning. 

Reflective questions: possible costs

How might the questions we are posing in discussion impact students differently based on their identity positions? What kind of disclosures or vulnerabilities am I asking of students, and are they necessary? Have I built in student choice so students can opt in to questions most in service of their learning?