Teaching with Technology

Kathryn F. Winsted

Marketing Education Review (spring 2010)

This was about as flimsy of a Journal Article as I have ever read, however it does have a point of view and an online project approach that is defensible. With the need to engage students in learning while keeping them “entertained” she surmises, as have many teachers, that the “chalk and talk” of lecture is no longer enough to keep their attention. She adds that the “prevailing philosophy in teaching today is that faculty should be doing more facilitating of learning than imparting knowledge.”  While students expect to actively participate the benefit of this involvement can lead to “increased understanding and retention” (Wolfe & Luethge 2003).  An interactive discussion can lead to a higher order of learning.

The author uses debate as her forum to engage the students and aid in a more in-depth academic experience. She includes the forum in both traditional and on line classes, using much the same application. She feels debate provide a number of elements that help achieve a higher level of learning and that the practice of “argument” is a career skill.

Although the guidelines are similar for each “location”, there are some unique to the online:

• She emphasizes the importance of picking a topic with clear opposing sides and assigning students to a side randomly. Students must also take extreme positions so they can more strongly support their arguments.
• In order to keep the debates manageable online the class is divided into groups of 4 to 6 people-half of each assigned to a position. A discussion board is uses for posting
• Students must respond to one other persons post before making a new point
• If there are not enough post challenges, she will add a question
• Debates conclude after 6-10 days upon which students can submit their actual position
• Professor can grade easily as there is a trail of information-feedback is also provided

Case selection is important, as you do not want something whose results are to well known. Searching the topic’s prior to assigning them will also provide an idea of the information the students will find as they begin to research. It’s also important to provide the “ending” as students like to know what “really happened.”

In her experience students come to class better prepared, post “more frequently and more eloquently” when in a debate and tend to get “highly involved” in the subject, all outcomes one hopes to achieve.  While she focuses on marketing cases, it seems a debate can be an easily adapted tool for many classes. I would also venture that an online debate could take place as an assignment for a traditional class-with the “results” being reviewed in a live forum.  Whatever the format, it does appear that the students are more engaged when debating and therefore tend to retain more and learn at a deeper level, goals of most educators.