Engaging Large Groups in Discussion Through Play

Although the title of the article on the UW Center for Teaching and Learning's web site - Classroom Participation & Stuffed Animals - would likely put off many faculty members, the author provided me with a great idea to share with instructors. When trying to engage a large group of students in discussion, consider making it into a structured game. Bring a stuffed animal (or nerf ball or any soft, throwable object) to class and when you want to open the floor for comments or questions, throw the object to the group. Whoever gets tagged has two choices - comment or pass. That student must keep the game going by throwing the object to someone else who also either comments or passes. This continues until you feel like you've gotten enough input to move on. It's important to try and follow up each comment with some sort of feedback to further everyone’s thinking. As the post points out, "Dallimore et al. (2004) suggest students are likely to actively participate in classroom discussions when: the learners’ ideas and experiences are incorporated into the discussion; the facilitation is active; the classroom environment is supportive; and the instructor provides both positive and constructive feedback."

References:

Dallimore, E.J., Hertenstein, J.H., and Platt, M.B. 2004. Classroom participation and discussion effectiveness: student-generated strategies. Communication Education 53(1): 103-115.