Tell students what why discussion is important to help students understand your expectations and focus their attention appropriately.

Action:

  • Explain to students the role that discussion plays in their learning within the class. For example, you might help students take different perspectives, practice discussing the course content, help them develop a thesis topic, or help resolve confusion about a reading.

Reason:

  • Discussions are used for different purposes. Students are more likely to achieve your learning goals if they know what the goals are for the discussion.