Eble’s “Discussion” discusses discussions. Say that five times fast. That’s the chapter summed up in a fun-to-say statement. But in all seriousness, discussion in the classroom is an important learning tool. Although I know plenty of people who may disagree, discussion covers just as wide a range of teaching and activities as lecturing does. While, as we learned a bit ago, lecturing has its place within the classroom, there are several reasons to use discussion as a guiding force in a course.

While the lecture serves to actively instruct a passive audience, discussion serves another purpose. There are many reasons to include discussion, “all [relating] to moving the student from passive learning to active participation.” This way, students are just as involved in the learning process as the professor (if not more so). By actively encouraging discussion and participation, it really gets the students to become a part of the learning in the course, instead of a group of ears listening to a droning voice. As Eble points out, by “being able to take part in a discussion, [one] relieves some of the tedium that lecturing forces upon students.” And if that weren’t enough, discussions can provide a weekly or biweekly opportunity for students to deal with their course’s content.

Some courses could use discussion as the dominant mode of classroom instruction. In this case, Eble suggests that “it may be worthwhile spending some time at the outset to go over the necessities for a good discussion.” By establishing these ground rules to the class, the students will know from the offset what their expectations are within the classroom. It may sound like silly and obvious advice, but once the rules are known, the players can play the game.

Discussions can have many objectives in addition to the idea of garnishing thought and learning. As Eble describes, “the objectives of such discussion would be at least twofold: to clarify the subject matter for individuals and the group and to provide motivation through participation and involvement.” This can force the students to face that which may confuse them initially. They will leave the discussion with a general understanding of the concepts and ideas presented – and not just from the professor. With discussion, the instructor can actually take a passive role, encouraging the students to teach themselves – if you will.

Within the reading, Eble identifies a few key rules for holding discussions within the classroom. I’ve noted three specifically, which I would like to share here. First, while discussion may not be the best form of dispensing information, “it is useful for fixing and relating and promoting thought about information that has already been acquired.” Secondly, discussion may serve as “the primary way to raise the level of student involvement in the classroom.” And finally, “discussion provides one good form of feedback about the progress, attitudes, and aims of individual students and the class.”

It seems that one of the best methods of encouraging discussion is through the proper use of the “question.” As Eble points out in a blanket statement: “asking and answering questions is essential.” By asking questions, the professor is fostering and encouraging thought, forcing the student to take an active role in their learning. Eble continues by saying that “shaping questions, persisting until answers are gotten, guiding questions to some end- these are matters of great importance in trying to carry on good discussion classes.” Questions, in this case, can really guide the discussion so that it may reach its maximum potential. As Fitch states within Eble’s chapter, discussions and the question “set the learners thinking, [promotes] activity and energy on their part, and [arouses] the whole mental faculty into action, instead of blindly cultivating the memory at the expense of the higher intellectual powers.” Clearly, the question has its place within any positive learning environment.

Within the concluding remarks of the chapter, Eble tells us why discussion and learning through other students can have such a positive effect. He states that “certainly, it is evident that individuals can learn from each other, but also that structures to bring people together, to decide on focus and direction, and to provide extrinsic as well as intrinsic motivations are useful.” If 20 people are able to come together into a designated space with the intention of learning, why can’t they learn from each other, as well?