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...Home > Services > Newsletter > Lizard Index > 1992-1993 Issues > Feedback Discussions

Feedback Discussions

The original idea for this strategy came from John Zola at Fairview High School in Boulder, Colorado. His version was called a "scored discussion", because students received positive or negative points each time they participated in a discussion. The teacher awarded positive points for such things as: taking a stand on an issue, presenting factual or research-based information, or making a relevant comment. Negative points were given for interrupting, monopolizing, personal attacks or making irrelevant comments.

After working with this strategy with a number of instructors, we decided to eliminate the point structure, but keep the awareness of group roles and processes for good discussion. What follows is one version of how a feedback discussion might work, based on 25 students meeting for 50 minutes.

Divide the class into two groups. One group will be part of an inside circle having a discussion and the other half will be taking notes on group dynamics and the quality of the discussion. The inside group will be given a designated number of questions to discuss on a particular topic. (At the midpoint in the class the groups will switch roles.) The instructor takes his/her place in the outside circle and should not interfere unless absolutely necessary.

The questions for the discussion may come from the instructor or the students, but the quality of the discussion will depend largely on well-constructed, relevant questions which invite discussion. Fact-based questions requiring primarily recall tend to kill discussions quickly. It is better to ask a few questions and allow time for the discussion to develop. Sometimes one good question is enough for a 12-15 minute discussion. This is the old quantity/quality dilemma. Plan time for introducing the activity, two rounds of letting the discussion happen and debriefing with the outside circle and closure.

The debriefing session should address two things. First, the quality of the discussion: did the question/questions asked get answered well? Secondly, how well did the group work together throughout the discussion? Did they distribute "air time" equitably? Did they encourage shy people to speak? Did they introduce new questions or insights? Did they challenge each other appropriately? Did they help each other clarify their contributions? Did they make relevant contributions?

The purpose of this discussion technique is to:

1. allow students to conduct a discussion among themselves without having the instructor in a primary role,
2. raise awareness about group roles and processes,
3. improve the quality of class discussions.

Variations on this theme

• Run two feedback discussions at once (invite a colleague in to help you observe the second group) if you are dealing with large class and your classroom allows for this in terms of space, acoustics, movable chairs, etc.
  
• Have an "empty chair." If someone from the outside circle feels like they have to join in, they can take the empty chair, say their piece and rejoin the outside circle.
  
• In a large lecture class you could rotate the responsibility of a student-led discussion (without the feedback component) during the lecture itself through the GTF discussion groups which meet weekly. Students will have possibly had practice in their GTF sessions and be able to successfully carry out a good 15-20 minute discussion. This might be an improvement over having the same handful of students dominate the lecture-discussion.

 

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