When Class Discussion Goes Haywire - Professor LS Murty

Abstract

In this video, Professor LS Murty reiterates the importance of channelizing and bringing a structure to the discussions in the classroom. DIRECTION dimension in a classroom discussion is important. Direction in a classroom is about bringing in structure to a discussion, managing discussions and bringing some shape to it. For this, a teacher will need a teaching plan, blackboard plan and directive questions.

If a direction of thought from a student is not relevant to the context of session objectives, teachers should clarify why it’s not relevant. If the direction is relevant, but it cannot be immediately discussed, since a teacher can only discuss one issue at a time and this point should come up at a later stage, then the teacher can capture them on the blackboard at an appropriate position.

If no student has raised a dimension that is essential to discussion, then the teacher needs to bring it in carefully (by the Socratic method), without directly talking about it. It is important to teach students how to think on their own.

There may be situations where a student may try to bring in one issue well ahead without discussing the underlying issues. In that case, the teacher should not dismiss the student. Teachers can take the point and raise other questions, to bring all the issues together in a structured manner. In the end, it should be the framework the teacher had planned. Professor Murty concludes by mentioning that to manage direction, teachers need to have a good teaching plan, a blackboard plan that is aligned to the teaching plan, and be ready to ask directive questions to reach the framework they have in mind.