Class discussions offer many pedagogical benefits, including building community and offering faculty the chance to informally assess student learning. These class discussions can take many forms, including structured, semi-structured, or informal discussion sessions. When planning a class discussion, it is helpful to have a clearly defined goal for the session. In addition to establishing a goal, faculty should consider what preparation students need in advance of a discussion and how learning can be evaluated after the discussion.
Last Reviewed
March 1, 2026
First Published
January 5, 2023
Why Use This Strategy
- Class discussions can be a highly effective way to engage students actively in the learning process. Research on peer instruction shows that discussing course-related questions with classmates can improve students’ understanding and accuracy while increasing their confidence in their responses (Tullis & Goldstone, 2020).
- Tullis, J. G., & Goldstone, R. L. (2020). Why does peer instruction benefit student learning? Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 5, Article 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-020-00218-5
- Class discussions can help strengthen students’ sense of belonging to the classroom community. Students who report a stronger sense of classroom belonging also report greater enjoyment, involvement, and perceived usefulness of class discussions for learning (Zengilowski et al., 2023).
- Zengilowski, A., Lee, J., Gaines, R. E., Park, H., Choi, E., & Schallert, D. L. (2023). The collective classroom “we”: The role of students’ sense of belonging on their affective, cognitive, and discourse experiences of online and face-to-face discussions. Linguistics and Education, 73, 101142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.linged.2022.101142
Teaching Tips
- Set the class tone for productive discussions by including discussion guidelines in your syllabus or by having students write class guidelines.
- Prepare for the discussion by establishing a clear goal, selecting a discussion model (formal, structured, informal, etc.) and assigning any needed pre-discussion materials to the class.
- Determine how you will assess student learning during the discussion to evaluate its efficacy as a learning tool.
- Consider what strategies for leading discussions align with your teaching style and what techniques to engage students in discussions may be worth considering.
- Start small: you can incorporate one discussion linked to one learning objective and then work on building more discussion types into your courses.
Resources
- Using Class Discussion Questions, University of Michigan CRLT
- Types of Class Discussions, Cult of Pedagogy
- Saying the Right Thing: How to Prepare Learners for Difficult Conversations. TLC Webinar. Recorded February 2023.
- Start Talking: A handbook for engaging difficult dialogues in Higher Education. Kay Landis, University of Alaska Anchorage.
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