Dialogic Feedback - In-class Discussion/Debate

The following examples describe how to promote dialogic feedback through in-class discussion and debates, so students can get verbal feedback from peers and the teacher.

Example 1: In-class Discussion

Description: Case-based teaching aims to create an interactive and dynamic in-class discussion, and students can get verbal feedback from peers and the teacher.

What teacher does (and when) –

•	Gives the basic guideline to students about the cases; and
•	Facilitates the in-class discussion

What students do (and when) –

•	Interact with peers to discuss the case

Teacher’s comments-

•	The teacher thought the interaction in the class helped students to know right away if the feedback was making sense or not, and they would know whether they are on the right track

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Example 2a: Class Debate (Several Student Groups)

Description: A small group class debate - by having students into groups to argue on a controversial issue, with diverse opinions or interpretations.

What teacher does (and when) –

•	Arranges the second half of the lecture to have a workshop that allows debate on, application of or challenge to the topic;

•	Sits with one or two student groups, and the tutor will sit with the other two groups, to listen and comment about students' arguments; and
•	Swap the groups the teacher and the tutor joins in the next lesson, so all students can get the benefit of sitting both with the tutor and the teacher

What students do (and when) –

•	Divide into groups of 6 or 8 in the class with the size of 25 to 30; and

•	Learn how to argue and how to strengthen their arguments about the case in the debate

Teacher’s comments-

•	The teacher thought small group debates were useful to help students to develop ideas in a relatively non-threatening environment

•	The teacher said students could learn to argue, which was an essential skill they would need in to organize their thoughts before doing the written piece of work

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Example 2b: Class Debate (Two Student Groups)

Description: To split the class into two groups and to have a class debate - for or against a bioethics issue, but without letting students know which side they have to be before the lesson.

What teacher does (and when) –

•	Splits the class into two groups during the lesson – for and against a bioethics issue; and

•	During the discussion, comes in on both sides of the argument to see what they have argued and what they have missed

What students do (and when) –

•	Study the reading materials given on both sides of the arguments before the class;

•	Have a discussion in the group that the teacher assigned – either for or against a bioethics issue - during the lesson; and

•	After the class debate, nominate a person in the group to present what’s been discussed and argued

Teacher’s comments-

•	By alteration of the two groups, the teacher was able to observe students' discussion and know what they had missed and what they knew about the topic;

•	The teacher said he would usually join the argument of the weak side to help them with another point for argument and guide students into another way of looking into the issue