"Small groups of students form quickly and extemporaneously to respond to core-related questions. Their discussion is an informal exchange of ideas, and students are assessed on their ability to participate effectively."

"Free Discussions are effective for generating information and ideas in a short time. By dividing the whole class into small groups, more students have the opportunity to express their thoughts. Because students have had a chance to practice their comments and to increase their repertoire of ideas in the Free Discussion, the whole class discussion that follows is often richer and more participatory." — Learning Assessment Techniques, Barkley, EF and Major, CH, 2016.