1. How to Lead a Discussion

2. If I built it, will they come? Lack of interest to participate Having nothing to talk about Lack of knowledge to contribute Conflict of personalities Confused about the central issues Being nervous and shy Being unprepared to talk

3. Stategies Decide the topic and scope of your discussion. Narrow it down. Pick a starting question. Assess your participants. (Guess what they can or cannot do to contribute to the discussion.) Be prepared. Make arguments. Move from the known to the unknown. Manage personalities. Summarize as you go. Tie it all together.

4. Tips Prepare a backup plan and a different set of questions if the participation is low. Avoid asking abstract and technical/ theoretical questions. Use anecdotal stories. Use humor. Find disagreements and controversies. Agree to disagree. Relate to the current events and personal experiences. Focus on the big ideas with depth and breadth.

5. Warnings Many people become emotional when their assumptions are questioned or their beliefs are refuted. You can expect some people to become angry, others to become hurt and withdrawn. Others, however, will see that the benefits of learning are worth the costs. Discussions tend to be wide-ranging, and feel like we're all wandering around. This is normal. Tradition, experience, and the latest research tells us that a lecture, which appears to be more organized, is a neither as lasting nor as effective a way to learn. Stay with the process! – There are roughly two kinds of discussion: Theoretical and Practical. Distinguish between dialogue that leads to discovery of truth, and dialogue that leads to consensus and action, and be clear with everyone about which one this is! Is theoretical conversation practical? That's a tough question. Sometimes the most important question is the one that is the hardest to answer. "What is a human being?" Though there is no satisfactory, end-all scientific answer to the question. I may not know the answer, but I know it's relevant -- I am one! Let yourself and the group explore issues that captivate your interest, even if you can't yet articulate the "practical value." Trust your gut.

6. Formats of Discussions Debates Q & A Games/ challenges Sharing ideas and stories and soliciting opinions or making conclusions

7. How to Maintain Conversations Listen carefully to what others say. Ask follow-up questions. Paraphrase the responses. Agree or disagree. Use controversies. Offer compliments and feedback. Ask for clarifications. Make a guess about an event with clues.

8. Possible Sample Questions What do you see is wrong in the UN’s decision about the Rwanda’s crisis?