Discussions

Focus Questions
Write down answers to the below questions, and
be prepared to share with the group.

1. In your opinion and experience, why are

discussions important in academic work?
2.

What constitutes an effective discussion?

3.

What challenges do you think you may face when

participating in discussions as part of your study
in the U.S.?

Watch the video

http://www.gehrytechnologies.com/architecture/proj
ecttimeline

Source:http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBte1_S8yCg&playnex
t=1&list=PLA011739F4C57B94D&feature=results
_main

Watch the video again

Source:http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBte1_S8yCg&playnex
t=1&list=PLA011739F4C57B94D&feature=results
_main

Takenoteswhileyouwatchthevideo.
1. Whataretheexpressionsthatthestudentsuse
toofferanopinion?
2.

Whatexpressionsdotheyusetodisagreewith
oneanother?

Why are discussions important?

Your grade may depend on it.
Many professors base part of your grade on your ability to
actively participate in class and group discussions.
Discussions will help facilitate your learning process.

Your peers can teach you new ideas and approaches.

You can solidify your own knowledge by teaching others.

Universities and the workplace encourage an exchange of

ideas.
Many academic and work assignments will require collaboration
(e.g., group projects).
More

What are traits or actions of a good

group discussion member?

What are traits or actions of a good group

member?

Agoodgroupmemberisagoodlistener.

He/shecomespreparedtodiscusstheassignments.

He/shetakesnotes.

He/sheofferhis/heropinion.

He/shecooperateswiththerestoftheteam.

What are traits or actions of a good

group leader?

What are traits or actions of a good group

leader?

Agoodgroupleaderisconfident.

He/shecomesprepared.

He/she listens tohis/hergroupmembers.

He/sheasksforhis/hergroupmembersopinions.

He/shekeepsthegroupontarget.

What are ways I can lead and

participate in a discussion?

1. What are ways to START a group discussion?

So, shall we get s_____?
tarted
Lets b____.
egin

We have a lot of work to do,

so l___
ets get started.

2. What are ways to ASK for someones

OPINION?
What do you t____
hink about..?
Whats your o_____
pinion on.?
How do you f__
eel about.?

3. What are ways to OFFER an OPINION?

In my o_____
pinion
I t____
hink that
I f__
eel that

4. What are ways to JOIN a LIVELY

DISCUSSION?
Can I j____
ump in here?
Can I a__
dd something?

4. What are ways to AGREE with someone?

Thats a good po__
int
Thats a great i___...
dea
I a____
gree with Susan, and
would like to add

5. What are ways to DISAGREE with someone?

Thats an interesting point, but I
have to d______
isagree
Im sorry, but I have a different
point of v___...
iew

6. What are ways to ASK for a DIFFERENT

opinion?
Lets h___
ear from Susan. What do you think?
What does the r___
est of the group t____?
hink
What is an____
other way of looking at this is___?
sue

7. What are ways to ASK for

CLARIFICATION?
I didnt catch that. Could you re____
peat it?
Could you expl__
ain further? I dont quite understand.
Im sorry, but I dont understand. Could you elabor__?
ate

8. What are ways to SUMMARIZE the groups

ideas or ASK

FOR A CONSENSUS?

Lets briefly sum______

marize what we have discussed so
far
Can we ag___
ree that?

9. What are ways to MOVE

ON to a NEW
IDEA or DISCUSSION QUESTION?
I think we have enough information for #1, so lets
m___
ove on to the next question.
Lets start the n___section.
ext
Are we re___
ady to move on to the next part?

10. What are ways to END the

DISCUSSION?
It looks like we are out of time, so lets wr__
ap up.
Lets st__
op here, and decide our next steps.
Lets rev___
iew what we covered, and then wrap up for
today.

Activity

Example
Discussion Question:
Shouldwomenkeeptheirmaidennamesafter
gettingmarried?

Eva: So,letsgetstarted!Ourgoalistodiscusswhetheror
notwefeelwomenshouldkeeptheirmaidennames.
Whowouldliketostart?

Hiro: Icanstart.Ithinkthatwomenshouldbeabletokeep
theirmaidennamessinceitrepresentsequalityin
marriage.

Jake: Thatsagreatpoint,Hiro!Ialsofeelthatwomen
shouldkeeptheirmaidennamessinceitshows
respectforherfamilyshistory.
Eva: Thankyou,JakeandHiro.So,whatdoestherestof
thegroupthink?

Ramy:Well,inmyopinion,womenshouldtaketheir
husbandsname,butaddittotheirown.Inother
words,thecanuseahyphenate.

Mei:
Thatsagoodidea,Ramy!Thatwaythecouplecan
honorbothfamilies,butIthinkitmaybeconfusingto
thechildrenifthewifeusesbothherandher
husbandsname.

Eva:
Thatsagoodpoint,Mei.Canweagreethatwomen
shouldkeeptheirmaidennames,butshould
consideritseffectonthechildren?

Ramy: Yes,Ithinkso.

Jake:Iagreewithyoursummary.

Ayako: Idoaswell.
Mei:

Weonlyhaveanotherfiveminutesleft,soweshould
moveontothenextdiscussionquestion.

Discussions
(PART 2)

Process for managing discussions

1.

Determinegrouproles.

2.

Thegroupleaderreadsthequestion.

3.

Eachgroupmembercommentsonthequestion.

4.

Thegroupsummarizesthemainideasfromthe
discussion.

5.

Thespokespersonreportstotheclass.

Step 1:

Determinegrouproles(oratleastsome ofthem)
1. Leader
3. Spokesperson
.

2. Note-taker

4. Timekeeper

Leader? Note-taker?

Spokesperson? Timekeeper?

Takesnotesonthemainideasofthe
Note-taker
groupdiscussion
Keepstrackoftime

Timekeeper

Makessureeachgroupmemberparticipatesinthe
discussion
Leader
Reportsthegroupsideastotheclass

Spokesperson

Step 2:
Thegroupleaderreadsthequestion.

The group leader may also ask the notetaker to read the question.
The group leader may also check to make
sure everyone understands the question.

Step 3:
Eachgroupmembercommentsonthequestion.
Allow

everyone time to comment.

Avoid

interrupting others.

Respect

everyones opinions (although you

may disagree).

Step 4:
Thegroupsummarizesthemainideasfromthe
discussion.

Review the notes from the discussion

(from note-taker).
Find a common theme.
In general, did the group members agree or
disagree with one another?
What were some of the reasons they used?

Step 5:

Thesummaryshouldbe
brief,andfocusonthemain
ideasofthediscussiononly.

Thespokespersonreportstotheclass.
Report (Summary):
In general, our group agreed
that women should keep their
maiden names as a way to
honor their families. In
addition, we also felt that
women could use both their
maiden and married names,
but should consider how that
may affect their children.

Steps:
Statethegeneral
opinionofthegroup.
Offertherationalefor
theopinion.
Provideany
solution(s)or
recommendation(s).

Practice
Writeadiscussionquestionthatpeopleare
likelytohavedifferentexperienceswithor
opinionsabout
Possibletopics:U.S.educationalsystem
(todayslecture),importantskillsin
engineering(yesterdayslecture),other
currenttopicsinengineering

Practice
Leadashortdiscussiononthistopic
Askforyourclassmatesopinionsandkeep
thediscussionontopic
Participants:Useexpressionsforstatingan
opinion,agreeing,disagreeing,etc.

Step 1:

Determinegrouproles(oratleastsome ofthem)
1. Leader
3. Spokesperson
.

2. Note-taker

4. Timekeeper

Step 2:
Thegroupleaderreadsthequestion.

The group leader may also ask the notetaker to read the question.
The group leader may also check to make
sure everyone understands the question.

Step 3:
Eachgroupmembercommentsonthequestion.
Allow

everyone time to comment.

Avoid

interrupting others.

Respect

everyones opinions (although you

may disagree).

Step 4:
Thegroupsummarizesthemainideasfromthe
discussion.

Review the notes from the discussion

(from note-taker).
Find a common theme.
In general, did the group members agree or
disagree with one another?
What were some of the reasons they used?

Evaluation Criteria

Didthegroupleaderreadthediscussionquestionto
thegroup?

Dideachgroupmembercontributetothediscussion?

Dideachgroupmemberusetheexpressionsfromthe
studenthandout?

Didthegroupsummarizethediscussion?

Didthespokespersonprovideasummarytothe
class?

Takeaway Points
Participatingindiscussionsisanintegralpartofyour
gradeandlearningprocess.
Effectivediscussionsrequireeachgroupmemberto
participateandserveaspecificrole.
Bepreparedtoprovideasummaryofgroup
discussionsforyourprofessorandclassmates.
Berespectfulofothersandtheiropinions.

Reference
Beglar,D.,&Murray,N.(Uploadedin2009).Contemporary topics: Student discussion
based on Gehry Lecture[Video].Retrievedfrom http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBte1_S8yCg&playnext=1&list=PLA011739F
4C57B94D&feature=results_main