Alternatives to Lectures: Discussion Sections

What are different types of discussion activities?

• M&M Talk

• Think-Pair-Share

• Jigsaw

• Fishbowl

• Last Word

• World Café

• Check In/Check Out

M&M Talk• Class size: any• Time frame: 20 or more minutes • Setting: moveable seating required, a lot of space preferable • Purpose: introduce students to many of their peers,

introduce/review course topics

Description:1. Each student gets one bag

of M&Ms.2. Students divide into a group

of 3-4.3. One person takes out an

M&M at a time. Depending on the color of the M&M, students will tell their group members something about themselves.

M&M Talk

Describe a time in which you experienced a sense of being able to deal effectively with a particular task.

Describe a time in which you overestimated or underestimated your capabilities compared to your actual performance.

Describe your motivation to succeed academically as you advanced through school.

Describe a time in which you expected to be successful at a task and you highly valued being successful at the task.

Describe a time in which your parents did or did not encourage you to master different skills with appropriate feedback.

Describe sources from which you value different activities or tasks.

Think-Pair-Share• Class size: any• Time frame: 5-10 minutes• Setting: no limitations• Purpose: generate ideas, increase students’ confidence in their

answers, encourage broad participation in plenary session

Description:1. Students think individually

about a particular question or scenario.

2. Students pair up to discuss and compare their ideas.

3. Students are given the chance to share their ideas in a large class discussion.

Jigsaw• Class size: 10-50• Time frame: 20 or more minutes• Setting: moveable seating required, a lot

of space preferable • Purpose: learn concepts in-depth, develop

teamwork, have students teaching students

Description:1. Divide a topic into a few parts (“puzzle pieces”).2. Form subgroups of 3-5 and assign each subgroup a different

“piece” of the topic (or, if the class is large, assign two or more subgroups to each subtopic).

3. Each group’s task is to develop expertise on its particular subtopic by brainstorming, developing ideas, and if time permits, researching.

4. Once students have become experts on a particular subtopic, shuffle the groups so that the members of each new group have a different area of expertise.

5. Students then take turns sharing their expertise with the other group members, thereby creating a completed “puzzle” of knowledge about the main topic.

Jigsaw

Fishbowl• Class size: 10-50 • Time frame: 15 or more minutes • Setting: moveable seating and a lot of space

preferable; if necessary, have inner group stand/sit at front of lecture hall and the outer group sit in regular lecture hall seats

• Purpose: observe group interaction, provide real illustrations for concepts, provide opportunity for analysis

Description:1. Divide students into groups.2. The first group forms a circle and either discusses an issue

or topic, does a role play, or performs a brief drama. The second group forms a circle around the inner group.

3. Depending on the inner group’s task and the context of your course, the outer group can look for themes, patterns, soundness of argument, etc., in the inner group’s discussion, analyze the inner group’s functioning as a group, or simply watch and comment on the role play.

4. Groups swap roles.

Self-EfficacyFish Bowl ActivityDirections:Two groups will be formed in which group members will create a role-playing scenario for one of the basic psychological needs. One group forms a large circle around the performing group and looks for themes, patterns, and concepts that connect to the material as the other group performs their scenario. The outside group will then discuss their observations. The groups will exchange places and proceed as before. 

FishCreate a short skit where you role play a scenario in which a teacher is not supportive of a psychological need.

ObserversDiscuss themes, patterns, and concepts that connect to self-determination theory.

Last Word• Class size: 10-50 • Time frame: 20 or more minutes • Setting: moveable chairs or tables

preferable • Purpose: help students become

engaged and reflective about a specific topic or theme

Description:1. Everyone reads an article and underlines a sentence or two

that they connected with and found important.2. Divide into groups of 3-4.3. One person starts by sharing his/her underlined passage and

explains why this passage was important in exactly two minutes.

4. Moving around the circle, each person has one minute to respond to the first person’s comments.

5. Once everyone is finished, the person who started the round gets the last word and summarizes their thoughts, making connections across all comments.

6. Each person takes turns to start a round and continues until everyone has had the opportunity to have the last word.

World Café• Class size: any• Time frame: 20 or more minutes • Setting: moveable chairs or tables

preferable • Purpose: create a living network of

conversations around questions that matter

Description:1. Have students choose a seat at various tables around the

room.2. The group will be asked to respond to meaningful questions

for each conversational round.3. After each round, students are guided to move to new tables.

With each move, a table host remains behind, sharing the essence of his/her table’s conversation. The other students move out into the room to another table and discuss the next meaningful question, making connections across conversations.

4. Groups in the last conversational round will record their ideas on chart paper by drawing images and symbols and/or writing words and phrases.

5. Use charted responses for a concluding whole-group discussion.

Check In/Check Out• Class size: up to 25• Time frame: varies• Setting: no limitations• Purpose: help students feel present or provide a sense of closure

Description:1. “Check-in” is at the

beginning of class and “check-out” is at the end.

2. Each student gets an opportunity to simply speak for a minute about what he/she is thinking, feeling, or has noticed.

Alternatives to Lectures: Discussion SectionsSymposiums

What is a Symposium?• From the Greeks.• Informal, no pressure, but can be graded (check

system).• A chance for students to better articulate their

ideas in front of others.• Can be done in groups or by individuals.• Any field at Auburn can use symposiums.• They are most helpful during the learning process

rather than the assessment process.

How a Symposium Works• Assign a topic / problem / research objective /

writing prompt / essay to your students.• Have students report on their progress towards

the final products.• Time for presentation and time for

questions/answers afterwards (involve the entire class).

• Give them some feedback afterwards (email works great for this).

Objectives and Desired Outcomes• Teaching the meta/the process.• Giving feedback on student progress.• Building confidence in students in front of groups.• Space to make mistakes without being penalized.• Drafting without knowing it.• Alternative to student conferences.• Increased class interaction.• Students teach the class and ultimately learn

more.• Can take symposiums/discussions online

(blogging- Wordpress).