Group Discussion: Learning to Communicate While Learning

Written by Richard E. Dodge

Surveys of adult learners reveal a consistent theme in what learners consider successful and significant learning experiences: Learners want an experience in which they are personally involved. They want content that relates to life experiences. And they want to work together with leaders to take responsibility for learning. Without these qualities, the potential for learning decreases.

Nearly all creative learning experiences can provide some or all of these elements. One of the more functional approaches to teaching that creates this cooperative learning environment is teaching through group discussion teaching activities. Yet learning to be a good discussion group leader or leading the entire class to use discussion techniques is much more than tossing an idea onto the floor and "letting ‘er rip."

Discussion techniques place learners in an environment in which social as well as educational skills are improved and developed. Under capable guides, learners can discover how better to form verbal responses to the ideas of others while discovering different perspectives to ideas and different ways to approach new learning. Learners gain a better understanding of their peers as they listen to the ideas, opinions and perceptions of peers. 

Involving learners in discussion learning experiences enable leaders to help the learners become a more cohesive group because learners gain deeper insights into the lives of co-learners. Learners exercise communication skills by discovering how to resolve conflicts of opinion while how to help one another sort through false or inaccurate ideas and information.

Teachers themselves gain greatly by using group discussion techniques. Not only do they learn more about the ideas and opinions of learners, they also discover the depth of prior knowledge of each learner and gaps in each learner’s biblical foundations.

Guiding a discussion session requires some basic skills that differ in many ways from the skills used by teachers who prefer to lecture. Although both must have a solid grasp of content knowledge, the process skills differ in several ways. Leaders of group discussions are called on to:

Maintain conversational discussion - This process first requires that leaders know how to create a climate in which each participant feels safe and secure to voice opinions, questions, and uncertainties without the threat of embarrassment or ridicule. Leaders must be capable of shaping discussion topics so that learners move to reflection levels of thinking and learning. Discussion often requires some grasp of the content to be a competent participant. Yet the leader must be skilled at maintaining balance and broad participation. No one participant or perspective can be allowed to dominate the discussion, even though there may be some specific directions in which a lesson ultimately must go.

Keep the discussion on topic - Chasing rabbits is one of the greatest risks of group discussion processes. Leaders must be familiar not only with the content of the discussion, but also with the learning objectives that this method is being used to achieve. Leaders can summarize the topic, set guidelines, clarify goals and set time limits for speakers.

Emphasize what participants are to do - Beyond setting ground rules, good leaders help participants know how to be good listeners, hearing the message and intent as well as the words. Good leaders may recognize that what may seem like agitation is merely a person’s inability to adequately express a thought. In instances like this the leader can help learners reshape their thoughts and help them communicate more clearly. Occasional a leader may need to prompt students who tend to sit on the sidelines to get more involved.

Deal with group difficulties - Good student leaders recognize first that group discussion techniques do not represent necessarily the best or only way to learn, just that some learners prefer this approach. So balance is required in using this approach. Sometimes the discussion topic may be volatile and sensitive. One participant may be very passionate and very rigid about the subject, exhibiting through verbal as well as nonverbal communication that he or she will not bend on this subject. Help this learner listen to and be tolerant of people who have different opinions.

Serve as guide and co-learner - One particular benefit of this approach is that teachers can be participants more than a teacher in this approach. Although teachers should retain control and ultimate leadership, this approach can provide a feeling of being on the same plain with the leader, a feeling that can motivate some learners to become more active participants.

Start early when planning to use this approach. Not only will you need to know the printed material, but also be prepared to answer relevant but peripheral questions. Listening sheets, visuals, and other teaching-learning aids could benefit the process of discussion by adding visual support. Finally, be prepared to bring the discussion to a conclusion with some clear sense of direction. Let participants walk away feeling that they not only participated in a good learning experience, but also that they learned something about the content and something about themselves as well.

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