Assignment: Class Discussions Students helping students learn Much of the material in this presentation was drawn from the following source: “A User’s Manual for Student-Led Discussion”, Accessed 13 January 2015http://spdbv.vital-it.ch/TheMolecularLevel/StdLedDisc.html

Class Discussions As mentioned previously, each student is expected to lead at least one class discussion, with help from one supporting student Student-led discussions will start in session 3 The assignments will be made randomly, so students need to prepare thoroughly for each class session: 1.Read and study the assignment made at the end of the previous class. 2.Formulate and write down four or five discussion questions based upon the assigned reading. 3.On the assumption that you will lead the day's discussion, write a brief (less than 5-minute) opening statement about the assignment. Your statement should set the stage for, and end by listing, one or more of your discussion questions. BA 553: Business Process Management2

Leading a Class Discussion Most students have never led a discussion It is normal to be somewhat fearful about your first try. Most of us (including teachers) are afraid we'll be embarrassed by saying something wrong, being contradicted, or running out of things to say The attachment provides some suggestions to help you overcome your fears, prepare, get the discussion started, and sustain it These suggestions apply specifically to the kinds of discussions we wish to have in this course, but you may find them useful any time you are faced with leading a discussion group BA 553: Business Process Management3

Participants in Class Discussions The professor will simply observe for the first third or half of the class discussion Students should be active participants in the course discussion, listening to the thoughts of others with consideration, then forming and sharing their own opinions The discussion will have a discussion leader and a supporter: it is their role to initiate the discussion, ask relevant questions to spark topics of conversation, and keep the conversation moving (while allowing some quiet time for participants to think) The goal of the activity is to facilitate student learning on the topics being discussed. This includes identifying questions or requests from the faculty BA 553: Business Process Management4

Student Participation in Class Discussions Consider the discussion questions or issues raised by the discussion leader Discuss the issues raised, keeping to the subject of the readings, attempting -- preferably in this order -- to analyze, criticize, and connect: a) Analyze the readings to gain a deeper understanding of difficult concepts, examples, the author's position, and the author's arguments. b) Criticize the readings, articulating and defending personal opinions about the adequacy of the author's presentation and arguments. c) Connect the issues you have analyzed and criticized to material of previous assignments in order to discern broader themes, similar concepts, and comparable or contrasting opinions. BA 553: Business Process Management5

Student Participation in Discussions (Cont’d.) As you participate, make good use of the text, at times calling attention to specific passages relevant to the issue at hand. When working with such a passage, allow time for others in the class to locate it and then read it aloud. Ignore faculty during their period of enforced silence. Direct your attention to other students. Continue the student-led discussion with the same goals after faculty have joined in, using the faculty as needed to provide examples, explanations, and/or alternative positions. Take brief notes of points and examples that deepen your understanding; opinions that differ from your own; and arguments that you find helpful, convincing, or worth trying to refute. Do not, however, allow note-taking to cause you to lose the thread of the discussion. BA 553: Business Process Management6