"The discussion leader," Chris Christensen wrote in Education for Judgment, "is planner, host, moderator, devil's advocate, fellow-student, and judge—a potentially confusing set of roles.  Even the most seasoned group leader must be content with uncertainty, because discussion teaching is the art of managing spontaneity.  Nonetheless, a good chart can help a mariner navigate safely even in fog.  The premises and associated operational practices described here are my personal chart, tested over years of practice and found dependable in groups that range in size from twenty to eighty or even a hundred participants.  Four premises seem fundamental:

"1. A discussion class is a partnership in which students and instructor share the responsibilities and power of teaching, and the privilege of learning together.

"2. A discussion group must evolve from a collection of individuals into a learning community with shared values and common goals.

"3. By forging a primary (although not exclusive) alliance with students, the discussion leader can help them gain command of the course material.

"4. Discussion teaching requires dual competency: the ability to manage content and process."

Print
C. Roland Christensen