Effective facilitation of a discussion involves the recognition and employment of different perspectives and different skills to create an inclusive environment. In order to do so, it is important to consider the features of effective discussions, and conditions that promote small group interaction and engagement.

These questions can help you reflect on your preparation for and facilitation of group discussions.

We offer these evidence-based guidelines to help with your course planning. The first part of this newsletter focuses on small strategies to develop a positive classroom climate that can be used by nearly all instructors. The second part turns to strategies associated with courses that foreground discussion or with course content related to hot topics.

Varying question stems can sustain engagement and promote critical thinking. The timing, sequence and clarity of questions you ask students can be as important as the type of question you ask. The table below is organized to help formulate questions provoking gradually higher levels of thinking.

This list of potential guidelines for classroom discussion, while by no means exclusive, may be particularly useful when approaching difficult or challenging topics.