Discussion as a Way of Teaching

Thoroughly revised and updated, the second edition of the landmark book Discussion as a Way of Teaching shows how to plan, conduct, and assess classroom discussions. Stephen D. Brookfield and Stephen Preskill suggest exercises for starting discussions, strategies for maintaining their momentum, and ways to elicit diverse views and voices. The book also includes new exercises and material on the intersections between discussion and the encouragement of democracy in the classroom. This revised edition expands on the original and contains information on adapting discussion methods in online teaching, on using discussion to enhance democratic participation, and on the theoretical foundations for the discussion exercises described in the book. Throughout the book, Brookfield and Preskill clearly show how discussion can enliven classrooms, and they outline practical methods for ensuring that students will come to class prepared to discuss a topic. They also explain how to balance the voices of students and teachers, while still preserving the moral, political, and pedagogic integrity of discussion. Written for teachers, trainers, faculty administrators, professional developers, facilitators, and other educational leaders, Discussion as a Way of Teaching is a comprehensive volume that offers step-by-step guidance for everything from preparing students to participate in discussion to evaluating its meaning and effect. The chapters in this practical resource contain a wealth of helpful techniques, suggestions, and applications that can be adapted to a wide variety of discussion settings.