Centre for teaching and Learning
Discussions and Debates
Setting questions
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Keep the goals of the course in mind
Ask clear, specific questions
One question at a time
Give students time to formulate their answers
Don’t answer for them, rephrase instead
Be interested in the student’s response, use positive body language
Bloom’s revised taxonomy
Creating
Evaluating
Able to create new product or an opinion based on knowledge
Able to justify position or decision
Analysing
Able to make distinctions between different
parts or concepts
Applying
Understanding
Remembering
Able to apply knowledge to new situations
Able to explain concepts or ideas
Able to recall information
Things to consider
How can you link the course readings to questions students need to answer?
What questions could you ask to find out the students’ expectations of learning in the course?
Sample Question Stems Based on Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy
Remember
Who?
Where?
Understand
What does this mean?
Which are the facts?
Which one?
What?
How?
Why?
How much?
State in your own words.
Is this the same as…?
Give an example.
Select the best definition.
Condense this paragraph.
How many?
When?
What would happen if…?
Explain why ...
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Apply
Predict what would happen if...
Choose the best statements that
apply.
Judge the effects of …
What would result…?
Tell what would happen if …
Tell how, when, where, why.
Tell how much change there would
be if …
Identify the results of …
Write in your own words …
Resources sheet
Tips for asking questions
Centre for teaching and Learning > Discussions and Debates
Remember
What does it mean?
What happened after?
What is the best one?
Understand
What expectations are there?
Read the graph (table).
What are they saying?
Can you name all the…?
Who spoke to…?
Which is true or false?
This represents ...
What seems to be…?
Is it valid that…?
What seems likely?
Show in a graph, table.
Which statements support…?
What restrictions would you add?
Outline ...
What could have happened next?
Can you clarify...?
Can you illustrate...?
Does everyone think in the
way that … does?
Analyse
What is the function of…?
What assumptions…?
Evaluate
What fallacies, consistencies,
inconsistencies appear?
Which is more important, moral,
better, logical, valid, appropriate?
Find the errors.
What statement is relevant?
Is there a better solution to…?
What motive is there?
What conclusions?
What does the author believe?
Judge the value of …
What do you think about…?
Can you defend your position
about…?
Do you think … is a good or bad
thing?
How would you have handled…?
What changes to … would you
recommend?
Do you believe…?
How would you feel if…?
How effective are…?
What are the consequences of…?
What influence will … have on our
lives?
What are the pros and cons of…?
Why is … of value? What are
the alternatives?
What’s fact? Opinion?
What does the author assume?
State the point of view of …
What ideas apply?
What ideas justify the conclusion?
What’s the relationship between?
The least essential statements are …
What’s the main idea? Theme?
What literary form is used?
What persuasive technique is used?
Determine the point of view,
bias, values, or intent underlying
presented material.
Which events could not have
happened?
If … happened, what might the
ending have been?
How is … similar to…?
What do you see as other
possible outcomes?
Why did … changes occur?
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Who will gain and who will lose?
Apply
How would you explain…?
Write a brief outline …
What do you think could have
happened next?
Who do you think…?
What was the main idea…?
Clarify why …
Illustrate the …
Does everyone act in the way
that… does?
Draw a story map.
Explain why a character acted
in the way that he did.
Do you know of another instance
where…?
Can you group by characteristics
such as…?
Which factors would you change if…?
What questions would you ask of…?
From the information given, can you
develop a set of instructions about…?
Create
Can you design a … to…?
Can you see a possible solution
to…?
If you had access to all resources,
how would you deal with…?
Why don’t you devise your own
way to…?
What would happen if?
How many ways can you…?
Can you create new and unusual
uses for…?
Can you develop a proposal which
would…?
How would you test…?
Propose an alternative.
How else would you…?
State a rule.
Centre for teaching and Learning > Discussions and Debates
Analyse
Evaluate
Create
Can you explain what must have
happened when…?
What were some of the motives
behind…?
What was the turning point?
What are some of the problems of…?
Can you distinguish between…?
Adapted from the following sources: Pohl, Michael. Learning to Think, Thinking to Learn: Models and
Strategies to Develop a Classroom Culture of Thinking. Cheltenham, Vic.: Hawker Brownlow. 2000;
Tarlington, Denise. “Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy.” Powerpoint;
www.center.iupui.edu/ctl/idd/docs/Bloom_revised021.doc, February 8, 2006; http://eprentice.sdsu.edu/
J03OJ/miles/Bloomtaxonomy(revised)1.htm
http://tpri.wikispaces.com/file/view/05-2Bloom-16-17+Stems+for+Instruction.pdf
Debates
Sample room layout for inclass debates
Affirmative 1
4-5 students
Negative 1
4-5 students
Affirmative 2
4-5 students
Negative 2
4-5 students
Judiciary
Remaining students
You (timekeeper)
Flow chart for debate structure
Affirmative 1
• Rebut Negative 1
• Present argument
Present
argument
Negative 1
Affirmative 2
• Rebut Affirmative 1
• Present argument
• Rebut Affirmative 2
• Present argument
Negative 2
Negative 1 or
Negative 2
• Rebut Affirmative
summing up
Judiciary
• Moderate debate
• Pose questions between rebuttal and arguments
• Determine winner of debate including reasoning
behind decicions
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Affirmative 1 or
Affirmative 2
You (timekeeper)
• Rebut Negative 2
• Sum up argument
Centre for teaching and Learning > Discussions and Debates
Timing
One hour debate
Team
Rebuttal
Argument
Summing up
Running Total
Affirmative 1
---
4 minutes
---
4 minutes
Negative 1
2 minutes
4 minutes
---
10 minutes
Affirmative 2
2 minutes
4 minutes
---
16 minutes
Negative 2
2 minutes
4 minutes
---
22 minutes
Affirmative 1 &/or 2
4 minutes
---
4 minutes
30 minutes
Negative 1 &/or 2
4 minutes
---
4 minutes
38 minutes
Judiciary statement
8 minutes
46 minutes
Two hour debate
Team
Affirmative 1
Rebuttal
Argument
Summing up
Running Total
---
8 minutes
---
8 minutes
Negative 1
5 minutes
8 minutes
---
21 minutes
Affirmative 2
5 minutes
8 minutes
---
34 minutes
Negative 2
5 minutes
8 minutes
---
47 minutes
Affirmative 1 &/or 2
6 minutes
---
8 minutes
61 minutes
Negative 1 &/or 2
6 minutes
---
8 minutes
75 minutes
Judiciary statement
12 minutes
87 minutes
JB0372 07/13
Centre for Teaching
and Learning
For more ideas or support about leading effective
discussions, contact the Centre for Teaching and Learning.
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p: 4921 5350
e: [email protected]
www.newcastle.edu.au/ctl