Creating Engaging Discussions

"I've stolen a lot from this book. I regard myself as an avid collector of new pedagogic baubles and love it when I stumble across a new way to engage my students as I have done many times by reading Herman and Nilson's work. I have no doubt that as you read this book your own collection of discussion-based teaching strategies will be significantly enlarged."

Stephen D. Brookfield, University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis-St. Paul

"Creating Engaging Discussions encourages instructors to have high expectations for, and to give serious attention to, discussions. This insightful, practical book not only summarizes best practices, explains common problems, and suggests possible solutions, it also helps us to diagnose and frame problems with discussions in the larger context of overall course design, challenging us to think carefully about and make explicit the exact purposes for discussions, vis-a-vis well-conceived course learning goals and assessments.”

Alan Bender, Associate Professor, Biology

Indiana University, Bloomington

"This book injects new life into discussion as an active-learning tool by demonstrating that to be effective, discussions must be tethered to course learning outcomes and rigorously assessed. After astutely analyzing common problems associated with discussion, the book provides 12 principles and a framework that faculty and TAs can use to design discussion activities that result in meaningful learning. Case studies provide a rich illustration of how these principles can be put into practice in classrooms and online. An essential resource for instructors who use discussion in teaching."

Linda M. von Hoene, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Professional Development, Director, GSI Teaching & Resource Center

University of California, Berkeley

"Creating Engaging Discussions examines one of the most challenging parts of teaching—designing and managing discussion activities that engage students while contributing meaningfully to their learning. Faculty members will love the way the book addresses their common instructional challenges with a mix of evidence-based principles, use-it-on-Monday activities, and in-depth case studies. Educational developers will appreciate its scholarly background and suggestions for using the book within reading groups and workshops. A must-have addition for your bookshelf.

Greg Siering, PhD, Director, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

Indiana University Bloomington

"Like many of Nilson’s previous books, this one is packed with information. As a practitioner, it is tempting to grab one or more of the discussion activities referenced in the quick guide at the front of the book and then return the book to the shelf. Doing so is a mistake precisely because of one of the ideas this book successfully advances: the need to align discussion content and process with course learning goals. This emphasis on alignment is one of my main learnings from the book, and one I will need to keep pondering and experimenting with. Each teacher must consider her course content, delivery system, institutional objectives and constraints, and student population in wisely selecting and applying discussion tactics to her particular circumstances."

Reflective Teaching