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► Cues to Encourage Student Thinking and Productive Discussion
The Role of Class Discussions
Class discussions provide students with important opportunities to engage with one another and with the instructor. In asynchronous courses, discussions occur online. In synchronous courses, discussion can occur verbally in real time, or asynchronously online.
How Discussions Support Learning
- Invite students to share, expand, and clarify their thinking about texts, ideas, and concepts
- Encourage careful listening and respectful engagement with peers
- Promote collaborative exploration of course material to engage respectfully in multi-person conversations.
Tips for Facilitating Discussions
Use intentional prompts to guide participation and deepen engagement:
- Invite students to expand their thinking — e.g., “Can you say more about that?”
- Encourage careful listening — e.g., “Who can repeat what their partner just said in their own words?”
- Deepen reasoning — e.g., “What’s your evidence?” or “Does it always work that way?”
- Foster peer-to-peer engagement — e.g., “Do you agree or disagree? Why?” or “Who can build on this idea?”
TLC Guide to Class Discussions
Cues to Encourage Student Thinking and Productive Discussion
Additional Resources
See the Carnegie Mellon Eberly Center’s Guide to Effective Discussions for information on how to plan focused and productive discussions and strategies for addressing common challenges that can arise during student-centered dialogue.