Informal Group Learning Activities Two-column lists: Students are asked to create a two-column list that compares views or presents the pros and cons of a position, and they are told to list every relevant point they can think of for each column. These lists are used to launch a discussion. The requirement to jot down items in both columns generally results in a more thorough and thoughtful discussion of the topic. Challenging questions: Give a challenging question for groups or pairs to resolve or, better yet, ask students to pose and answer an interesting question based on the principles discussed in the course. Panel discussions: Students divide into panels and each panel is assigned a topic to research. On presentation day, each panelist makes a very short presentation before the floor is opened to questions from the class. Panel discussions are most successful when instructors offer students sufficient direction on how to prepare their presentations and prepare for the question-and-answer follow-up. Source:
Tools for Teaching
Davis, BG, 2009 |