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About discussions
About discussions
Class discussions are essential in developing critical thinking and interpersonal communication. Through discussions, students can share opinions, perspectives, and ideas with others. A good discussion, when done respectfully, can help students process and express new concepts. Here are some best practices:
Offer a discussion goal. Some groups might struggle when they are given an open-ended prompt to discuss. Try adding a discussion goal. They can:
Agree: Decide on a consensus, on a position they all agree to
Brainstorm: Exhaust all possible ideas, and document them
KWL: Organize their group’s collective knowledge into things they Know, things they Want to know about, and things they have Learned (KWL)
Set discussion norms. Provide specifications such as time (how long can we engage in the discussion?), roles (who can speak, who takes down notes?), and mechanics (how do we respond to each other?). Norms allow all learners to participate in discussions.
Use discussion stems. When students are not adept in sharing ideas or opinions, try providing stems they can use to start their contributions. This particularly helps shy students, or those who are not confident in verbally expressing their thoughts. Some examples:
I used to think ____, but now I think….
Have you considered _____?
What we both agree on is ________
As a _______, I think that _______.
Let me explain why I see that differently….
What makes you say that?
In Google Classroom, discussions are asynchronous, and easy to set up.
Discussion is a strategy that teachers can use to encourage critical thinking and expression of students about a certain topic. At the same time, it offers an environment where everyone becomes a source of knowledge. Students’ responses can also serve as a quick assessment for the teacher about their understanding. Discussions in Google Classroom take the form of questions.
Go to the Classwork tab.
Click Create and select question.
Choose the type of question that you are posting. It can either be short answer or multiple choice.
Type your questions.
Add attachments if you have any existing files for this. You can also create a Google Doc, Slides, Sheets, Form or Drawing.
At the right panel, choose the audience for this question.
Enter the point if it is graded.
Set a due date if you wish.
Choose the topic in which it belongs to.
You can also allow students to comment on each other’s answers, and edit their answers.
Click Ask at the upper right of the screen. There are a few options that you can explore before doing this like scheduling the post and or saving it as a draft for the meantime.
Google classroom Guides: DURING Classes
Google classroom Guides: DURING Classes
Orienting your Students
Orienting your Students
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