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Debates

Erin Trado

Description

Debates are based on controversial subject matter. “Controversy exists when one individual’s ideas, information, conclusions, theories, and opinions are incompatible with those of another.” (Johnson, et. al., 1997, p.2) The steps to implementing debates are: to break the class down into groups of four students, which are then divided into two pairs. Each pair is assigned a pro or a con position on the issue that is at hand. After the students follow the following steps: (Johnson, et. al., 1997, p.2-3)

1. Research and prepare the best case possible for the assigned position.
2. Make a persuasive presentation as to the validity of the position.
3. Engage in an open discussion by continuing to advocate one’s own position, attempting to refute the opposing positions, and rebutting others’ attacks.
4. Reverse perspectives and present the opposing position as persuasively and completely as possible.
5. Create a synthesis that is students’ best reasoned judgment on the issue.

Step four is imperative because it increases the students’ ability to synthesize the best evidence and reasoning from both sides. (Johnson, et. al., 1997, p.3-p.4) It also ensures that the students do not form an opinion on the current issue, simply because they know more about the side assigned to them.

It is important that debates are not attempted before the students have a firm grasp on the fundamental of the content. This is the case because if the students have misconceptions about the content then they will be unable to accurately form evidence-supported opinions.

Major Concepts

Much of adult learning is about forming their own opinions on real life situations and being able to back those opinions with evidence. The instructors encourage their students to think for themselves about the controversial issues. This leads to the students forming conclusions that are based on their own understanding of the subject matter (Miller, 1997, p.196-206). When using debates the instructor is using more of the “learner-centered” philosophy of teaching in that the instructor’s knowledge of the content or the content itself is no longer of most importance. Truly, the learners move into the foreground and actively take part in ‘hashing’ through the content and developing their own opinions regarding subject matter. (Pratt, 2005, p.46) This leads into the discussion of debates being used as part of the developmental perspective.

Relationship to Teaching Perspective

When considering debates from the developmental perspective, it is important to note that the debate itself is the bridging element that moves learners from an area of “unsophisticated conception” and superficial knowledge of the subject matter to a better and more useful understanding in which the students quantitatively think differently about the content. (Pratt, 2005, p.136) “The teacher’s role, then, becomes one of interpreting the curriculum plan into meaningful experiences from the student’s viewpoint.” (Pratt, 2005, p.135) In some instances the students would be able to gain a deeper level of understanding the subject matter even if the instructor was not there. For example, if two students were to sit down and discuss their opposing viewpoints on an issue that was discussed in class that day. It is possible for both students to have a quantitatively different level of understanding of the content after that conversation. However, if they were having a formal debate in a classroom, with a teacher, they would have some guidance and some insight into the opposing opinions. In my opinion, the teacher’s role in helping the students to cross the bridge, to some degree, is to steady the bridge. This means that they do not put their beliefs in the foreground or force the content to be at the center of attention. Instead, they allow the learners to lead the discussion. But if the bridge starts to sway a little too much, then they can steady it with their expertise and translation of that particular subject matter.

Benefits

The benefits of debates, as mentioned previously, are that the students are taught and able to practice forming their own opinion on a particular issue and supporting that with evidence. When in the workforce adults must be able to form opinions on many issues and take a stance. It is imperative that they support their stance with evidence to defend their opinions.

Drawbacks and Cautions

Teachers’ role:

The teacher’s role changes in the implementation of this strategy because they no longer simply tell their students the information that they want them to know. This means that they have less control over the knowledge they want to cover and are less able to direct the students to the key ideas that they deem most important. Because of this teachers will sometimes take over the conversation or guide the conversations more than they should, which leads to them “doing the thinking for their students. (Miller 1997, p.196-206) This does not allow the students to think for themselves; instead they are only informed of the instructor’s opinion.

Environment:

When discussing controversial issues, it is important for the instructors to “create nonthreatening, emotionally supportive environments that will encourage participation and in which discussion is free flowing and responsive to student interests.” (Rossi, 2006 p.113) With the nature of debates the discussions can get heated which can lead to a few students taking over the conversations while others simply listen. (Rossi 2006, p.113)

Final Thoughts

Debates are a great strategy to get students thinking about the content through different perspectives. Debates provide learners with confidence that they can research, form, and support an opinion, which is an extremely important skill to have in any situation. In one of my psychology classes, we had to debate whether or not marijuana should be legalized. I was assigned the viewpoint that it should be legalized, although that was not my true opinion. Through the process of researching and debating the idea that it should be legalized, I crossed the bridge to be able to think about the topic from a quantitatively different perspective. Although, my opinion still stands that I do not think marijuana should be legalized, I now have a deeper understanding as to why others might not agree. Also, I have a deeper understanding of why my opinion is against the legalization of marijuana. If we had simply been told the pros and cons of legalizing marijuana in a lecture, in which case the content would be in the foreground, I would not have this better and more useful understanding of the opposing viewpoints, because I would not have been required to defend my opinion and the opposing opinion.

References

Johnson, D.W. et. al. (1997). Academic Controversy. Enriched College Instruction Through Intellectual Conflict. ERIC. ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education. ED409828.

Miller, S.M. 1997. Language, democracy, and teachers’ conceptions of discussion: Insights and dilemmas for literacy research. Theory and Research in Social Education. 25 (2). p.196-206.

Pratt, D.D. (2005). Fiver Perspectives on Teaching in Adult and Higher Education. Chapters 3 and 6. Krieger Publishing Company. Malabar, Fl.

Rossi, J.A. (2006) The Dialogue of Democracy. The Social Studies. 97 (3). p112-120.