Structuring more inclusive, democratic class discussions

Structure more inclusive, democratic classroom discussion by identifying discussion "parts" and principles, and practicing both!

A report from the Provosts’ Academic Data Analytics group examined a recent Student Experience Survey and patterns in how students wrote about “the inclusiveness of the course.” They found that “the most prevalent theme in student responses relates to areas for improvement in the ways instructors facilitate discussions, especially around moderating students who dominate the conversation and creating more opportunities for every student to engage.” We know good discussions with full participation do not reliably “just happen.” This workshop identifies six parts to a discussion, six research-informed principles to apply, and will practice them together as a group.

The 1.5 hour session will include 45 minutes of information and exploration, and then 45 minutes on hands-on practice. We are structuring in segments so that instructors can select a time commitment that works for them; please feel free to attend for just the first half or for both portions. Content will be relevant to courses of any size that use—or are interested in using—small group discussions. Feel free to send any questions to lbastian@uoregon.edu, and we hope to see you in person!