An effective discussion creates a context for students to share their thoughts and, through the facilitator’s encouragement of students’ critical thinking processes, can result in surprising, thought-provoking discoveries. In a class discussion, the goal is the process itself. That process can focus on one or more specific objectives, such as:

• Explore what students know, think they know, and want to know about a topic
• Identify counterarguments and rebuttals to the claims made in the instructor’s lecture
• Create a research question for a specific assignment
• Explain and test a theory or principle by applying it to an example, narrative, or analogy
• Encourage students to explain their thinking and identify their assumptions

In synchronous settings

• Participants are challenged to “think on the spot” and give their immediate impressions on a topic. While this is an important skill to master, some participants will need more time to formulate responses.
• Students will be able to see and hear each other in real time, which gives participants a closer sense of community and mutual respect.
• Personality type strongly influences students’ eagerness, or reluctance, to share thoughts and opinions in a group setting.
• It is important for the facilitator to model guidelines for professional conduct and determine the format and length of time for the discussion activity.

In asynchronous settings

• Participants have more time to consider their thoughts, ideas, and perspectives before commenting or responding to others.
• Participants can join on a more equal basis. Because they cannot see or hear each other in real time, they are less aware of potentially exclusionary differences.
• Participants can feel more “protected” from others due to their increased anonymity.; For some, this encourages more creative thinking while, for others, the lack of face-to-face interaction can intensify disagreement.
• It is important for the facilitator to establish guidelines for professional conduct and communicate the format, timeline, and target length of posts and replies.

Engaging questions lead to great discussions. They create opportunities for collaborative learning and sharing of insights and experiences. Rather than necessitating a simple “yes/no” or “agree/disagree” response, an effective discussion question provides an entryway to critical thinking. Many start with the words “why” and “how.”

Ask these five “questions about questions” when writing discussion prompts:

1. How does this discussion relate to a learning objective?
2. How can students give unique, original answers?
3. How can posts and replies help other students learn?
4. What can your students learn from each other?
5. What can you learn from your students?

These questions all emphasize the wealth of experience and perspectives that NPS students can contribute to a discussion. Facilitators can leverage students’ professional knowledge, skills, and attitudes, not only to achieve learning objectives, but also to gain valuable feedback and improve courses and teaching.

Consider an example of the evolution of a discussion question. An initial draft of the question might be:

How does the term “thinking outside of the box” apply to the military? In what contexts? What historical examples support your position?

This question is clearly stated, and students will probably have read and studied key concepts and terms surrounding the topic. However, there is no applicable context in this question; students are expected to provide that context. Be prepared to begin with silence. The cognitive process may take time, delaying responses or causing students to hesitate to be first to speak.

Here is a second iteration of the question with an example or analogy provided:

This question includes an analogy of a specific political-military event. Without the second explanatory question, it is a “yes or no” question, which may limit the discussion. By itself, the first question asks students to apply a concept to a complex, real-world situation, which stimulates some critical thinking.

A final version of the question introduces a narrative. There are many ways to introduce a narrative into a discussion prompt. One strategy that is equally useful for face-to-face and online discussions is to use an image as part of the discussion question. Consider the following question and the accompanying image:

The image and the active verb phrase, “would you say,” make the students “inhale,” giving them a moment to think and inviting them to offer a response. They are being asked to apply a concept, as well as explain their thinking.

The quality of a discussion also depends on the strength of the instructor’s facilitation skills. Strong discussion facilitators do the following:

• Carefully craft several questions, but don’t be afraid to abandon some of them if the discussion is robust.
• Communicate ground rules.
• Guide the students rather than dominate the conversation.
• Allow for silence as students gather their thoughts.
• Listen actively as students express themselves.
• Ask a student to summarize key takeaways from a discussion session before moving on.
• Regroup the students by summarizing key takeaways and themes by the end of the class session.

Ultimately, through a combination of structure, active listening, and acknowledgement of student leadership in the dynamics of the discussion, the facilitator can enable unique discoveries through a rich, active learning experience.