The Sunday Mail
Evans Gutu Midlands State University
Discussions play a pivotal role in deepeing students’ understanding in the sense that they promote exchanging of ideas, generation of high level questioning, provide a detailed treatment of a topic and promotes active participation.
Discussion refers to an action or process of talking about something in order to reach a decision. It is through discussions that learners exchange ideas within a set group discussing particular events. Exchanging ideas promotes critical thinking in the sense that the more ideas we share the more understanding there is, as each group member has his or her unique qualities or ideas to offer to the study group.
Unlike studying alone which creates individualism, discussions bring about various viewpoints which are shared among group members. As such the exchange of ideas helps students to reach their own conclusion. It must also be noted that discussions can be an excellent strategy for enhancing student motivation, fostering intellectual agility and encouraging democratic habits, for instance ‘freedom of speech’. Therefore it is of paramount significance to note that exchanging ideas in discussions helps in deepeing students understanding in a school setup.
In addition discussions generate high level of questioning, thus clarification of certain events will also be taken into consideration. Good questions are the key to productive discussions. These may include not only the question to jump start the discussions but also the questions used to probe, examine and analyse deeper understanding of the subject matter. Thus questions are asked for clarification, examples, exploration, implication and so much more. Students learn more when they participate in the process of learning, whether it’s through discussion, or questions which help them in deepening their understanding.
Furthermore discussions provide a detailed treatment of a topic. Through discussions students become more connected to the topic easily in learning and teaching environments. This usually happens through a platform of facilitation of student talk. It therefore brings about a link between what students are taught in academic institutions and what happens in the world around them. As discussions articulate students’ feeling about a set topic, there is an element of creativity in the students’ mind as he/she contemplates about a set time in a certain subject.
Discussions also promote active participation in a school set up, since ,the teacher together with students deal with the problems that promote critical consciousness. And thereafter students are assigned to dig deeper to the question underlying assumptions discern underlying values being presented.Consquently in the classroom with such circumstances, students develop confidence because they are taken solemmy and respected as thoughtful ,intellectual academics
In a nutshell, since some subjects like history are coined as a basic and boring discipline, it is essential to engage in discussions or debates about critical views and insights that underpin historical events. The more we are able to engage in enthusiastic discussions with each other the more we will be able to uncover the best in ourselves and each other.
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