Preparation.
Everyone (not just the panelists) should read the entire chapter in Taking
Sides on the issue (including the introduction, both articles, and the
challenge questions) before class and come to class ready to discuss the
issue. This is really your time to discuss the issues and learn from one
another. Moreover, remember that your participation in discussion when not on panels counts as part of
your course grade.
Students who are not members of the panel
must come to class with at least one question or comment based on the YES
reading and at least one based on the NO reading. These questions or comments
need to be typed; I will collect them during each class, and I will not
accept them late. These written questions will contribute to your participation
grade in the course, as will your attendance in the discussion sections.
The discussions will take the following
format which, due to time constraints (that is, 30 minutes per discussion),
will be followed strictly. Note that, because we want to give as many people as
possible a chance to participate in each discussion, they will start on time.
Opening comments: I
will start each issue discussion with a brief introduction (1 - 2 minutes).
Other than brief introductions and concluding comments, my job is to keep the
discussion on track and make sure that everyone has an equal chance to
participate. I will try as much as possible to have you rather than me talk in
discussions. I honestly believe, and I hope you agree, that students can learn
a lot from one another. In addition, one of the goals of these discussion
sections is for you to gain practice in speaking in groups, and presentation
and defense of ideas and arguments.
Presentation of Arguments (leaders)
Each issue has two or three
leaders/presenters. The groups can
decide how to split up the YES/NO arguments (flip a coin?). However you decide, you need to be sure that
the main points/arguments supporting the positions are clear. Even if you disagree, if you have the YES
argument, be sure to present its main points.
Each person should talk for 4 minutes
or less. Always present the YES side first, then the NO side. I will time the
presentations and stop each of you after 4 minutes. Thus, you should prepare,
practice, and time what you want to say beforehand. This
preparation and practice will help you speak clearly while adhering to the time
limit. Yet, it is much better to talk in conversational style from prepared
notes, rather than to read verbatim from a script. If you talk (rather
than read) it will be easier to listen to you and you will be more engaging and
interesting.
The leaders should get together beforehand
to organize and coordinate their presentations. Before they arrive at the
discussion, they should split up responsibilities (e.g., specific arguments
and/or points) among them, making sure that their presentations are linked to,
while not being redundant with, one another.
Make your presentations clear,
interesting, relevant, engaging, and within the time limit. Deliver
your presentation to the audience, making a connection with them (e.g.,
talk to people, making eye-contact with them). State your argument as
clearly and as interestingly as possible within the time limit. The keys are to
(1) not be boring! (We have all listened to boring
presentations and know what a drag they are.) (2) Be knowledgeable and
accurate, and (3) be engaging -- get the audience to listen to your
presentation. In other words, know what you are talking about and present your
knowledge and beliefs in a well-reasoned, interesting, attention-keeping
manner. It is often good to provide illustrative examples (perhaps from your
own life) and/or ask (perhaps rhetorical) questions that are relevant to
everyone. It also often helps to use audio-visual aids (e.g., the whiteboard,
handouts), but for these discussions, we will not use powerpoint. If
you plan to have handouts or use the board, have everything ready before class,
so all will be ready during your presentation. -- Obviously, you will need
to put some time into preparation of your presentation. If you don’t
everyone will know, and it is embarrassing.
In preparing for your panel presentation, you
will find it helpful to do research and reading beyond that provided in Taking Sides. When you refer
to information from sources in your presentations, please tell us whose work
you are referring to and the source of the information (e.g., article by Dr.
Kinsey in the April, 2001 issue of Journal of Sex Research; homepage of
COYOTE; New York Times, Feb. 14, 2007 article by Dr. Smith on stem cell
research.) Be sure to bring copies of the work you are citing to class.
So as group leaders- be
sure to have at least one other source related to each side (Yes or No).
As a group, you must turn in a reference
list and copies of the source(s).
Open Discussion
After the presentations, we should have about
15-20 minutes left for discussion, comments, and questions from the class
members NOT being leaders. To get the discussion going, sometimes I will
ask for volunteers to ask questions and/or make comments and sometimes I will
call on people. This is where your preparation before class and your written
questions come in. I will try (1) give all the non-panelists a chance to
participate in discussion each class and (2) give everyone an equal chance to
participate throughout the semester when not on the panel.
Please state your discussion point, question,
or comment clearly and concisely. Most importantly, be respectful and
considerate of your classmates, but don't be afraid to disagree with and
critique their positions and arguments. Don't make personal, ad hominem attacks
on people. Critique the ideas presented, not the person presenting them him- or
her-self.
Responses to Questions and Comments
After each question or comment is raised, I
will ask others (first non-leaders, then leaders) to follow-up and/or comment
on the issue raised. After the first issue seems to have been discussed
sufficiently, I will ask for a question or critique on the other side of the
issue, and so on.
I hope that all discussion leaders will be
involved in, but NOT dominate, the open discussion. Thus, each leader
should try to anticipate questions, weaknesses, flaws, and problems in the positions
and arguments that might be raised. When you get together beforehand, you
should help one another in this preparation.
Wrap-Up:
I will end each class with a
short summary of the session's events and highlights. (1 - 2 minutes)
Grading Criteria: Below
are criteria that I will use in grading leaders:
SUMMARY of what you need to turn in
Leaders
As a Group:
1. A reference list of the resources you found
besides the textbook and the Taking Sides
book. These can be news or magazine
stories, info from the internet, info from a scholarly journal, etc.
As Individuals:
DUE in class one week after your presentation
(earlier if you want): A 2 page typed
reaction to 1) the Taking Sides
articles and the issue itself (e.g., did you change your mind about the topic
based on your readings? Were the Yes and
No articles equally strong?); 2) the other sources your found; and 3) being a
leader and working with the other leaders- what worked, what would you do
differently? Any other reaction comments
you have?
Audience Members
Bring to class (typed): one question for the YES side; one question
for the NO side. Be sure to have read
the whole chapter before class.
(Parts
of handout adapted from Taking Sides web page)