Hardly a month goes by without an article appearing somewhere lamenting the shortcomings of our traditional educational system. Even in the business pages you will find articles about how contemporary education is failing to produce work-ready students in a 21st century world where creativity, problem solving and independent thinking have become more important than at any time in our history. history.

One of the most efficient and cost-effective means of promoting these skills in educational settings is group discussion. Content of all kinds that was once reserved for lecture notes is becoming instructions for group discussions.

With some students, the transition from a teacher-centered reading approach to a student-centered group discussion approach is easy. Students are delighted with the opportunity to actively participate and teachers are equally delighted with the level of motivation and enthusiasm that effective group discussions can generate.

However, some students struggle to make that transition. The fact is that not everyone is comfortable talking in a group setting. Also, some students just don’t want to get involved and go to great lengths to “hide in plain sight.” Experienced teachers are well aware of this phenomenon when dealing with students who never raise their hand to answer a question in traditional settings and show discomfort when asked.

Placing such individuals in a group setting will not lead to behavior change overnight. However, as the old saying goes, Rome was not built in a day. It takes time to develop some of the skills necessary for effective group discussions.

Even in situations where all group members are more than willing to talk, there can be problems in the early stages of introducing group discussion into your educational setting.

On the one hand, a free-for-all discussion where students are talking to each other and interrupting can be disruptive. It takes time to develop the ability to participate in a group discussion without dominating it.

Tasks that require a group decision require conflict resolution skills to overcome differences of opinion. There are other types of conflicts that can arise in group discussions such as selling, especially those that have to do with control issues. In some cases, dominant individuals need to develop the necessary skills to allow others to participate. Reluctant people need to develop skills to contribute to the discussion.

Developing the necessary skills sometimes takes time. Ideally, instructors have an idea of ​​their students’ skill level before developing group discussion tasks. Groups with lower skill levels often require more detailed instructions and a well-defined structure for discussion.

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the teacher to observe the group discussion sessions to ensure that the necessary skills are present and to make adjustments when necessary. In theory, group discussion is an ideal way to promote active participation. However, in practice, the discussion serves to enhance the learning of those who choose to be active, while passive members are no better off. However, skills can be learned with practice. It just takes time.