#  Leading Discussion Self-Assessment 

 



Leading discussions requires time and careful planning. Lack of sufficient preparation or simply “winging it” can result in confusion, low participation, student disengagement, and a missed opportunity for learning. Go through the checklist below to see what you might be missing.

#### [Download the fillable PDF here](/file_url/130)

#### Resources

Brown University (n.d.). Tips on Facilitating Effective Group Discussions. The Harriet W. Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from [https://www.brown.edu/sheridan/teaching-learning-resources/teaching-res…](https://www.brown.edu/sheridan/teaching-learning-resources/teaching-resources/classroom-practices/learning-contexts/discussions/tips)

Carnegie Mellon University. (n.d.). Discussions. Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence &amp; Educational Innovation. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from [https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/instructionalstrategies…](https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/instructionalstrategies/discussions.html)

Carnegie Mellon University. (n.d.). One student monopolizes class. Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence &amp; Educational Innovation. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from <https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/solveproblem/strat-monopolizes/index.html>

Christensen, C.R. (1991). Questioning, Listening and Responding. The Christensen Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard Business School. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from [https://www.hbs.edu/teaching/case-method/leading-in-the-classroom/Pages…](https://www.hbs.edu/teaching/case-method/leading-in-the-classroom/Pages/questioning-listening-responding.aspx)

Duke University. (n.d.). Leading Effective Class Discussions. Duke Learning Innovation. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from [https://learninginnovation.duke.edu/resources/art-and-science-of-teachi…](https://learninginnovation.duke.edu/resources/art-and-science-of-teaching/leading-effective-class-discussions/)

Grover, N. (2007). How to create successful discussions in science classrooms. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 35(6), 397-403.

Harvard University. (n.d.). The Art of Discussion Leading: A Class with Chris Christensen. Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from <https://vpal.harvard.edu/artofdiscussionleading>

Harvard Business School. (n.d.). In-Class Assessment of Discussion-Based Teaching. The Christensen Center for Teaching and Learning. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from [https://www.hbs.edu/teaching/Documents/In-Class-Assessment.pdf](/file_url/171)

Harvard Business School. (n.d.). Questions for Class Discussions. The Christensen Center for Teaching and Learning. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from [https://www.hbs.edu/teaching/Documents/Questions\_for\_Class\_Discussions\_rev.pdf](/file_url/176)

Harvard Business School. (n.d.). Strategies and Tactics for Managing Challenging Moments in the Classroom Related to Sensitive Topics. The Christensen Center for Teaching and Learning Retrieved September 9, 2022, from [https://www.hbs.edu/teaching/Documents/Strategies%20and%20Tactics%20for%20Managing%20Challenging%20Moments%20in%20the%20Classroom.pdf](/file_url/181)

Henning, J. E. (2005). Leading discussions: Opening up the conversation. College Teaching, 53(3), 90-94.

McKeachie, W. J., &amp; Svinicki, M. (2014). Teaching tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Mejia, S. (n.d.). Leading Effective Discussions. Chicago Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Chicago. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from <https://teaching.uchicago.edu/resources/teaching-strategies/leading-effective-discussions/>

Saville, B. K., Zinn, T. E., &amp; Jakobsen, K. V. (2012). Leading discussions. Effective college and university teaching: Strategies and tactics for the new professoriate, 107-114.

University of Connecticut. (n.d.). Leading Effective Discussions. Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from <https://cetl.uconn.edu/resources/teaching-your-course/leading-effective-discussions/#>

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (n.d.). Leading Discussions. Center for Innovation in Teaching &amp; Learning. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from <https://citl.illinois.edu/citl-101/teaching-learning/resources/teaching-in-specific-contexts/leading-discussions>

Vanderbilt University. (n.d.). Discussions. Center for Teaching. Retrieved September 20, 2022, from <https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/discussions/>

Yale University. (n.d.). Leading Discussion. Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from <https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/teaching/teaching-how/chapter-2-teaching-successful-section/leading-discussion>



 

##  Improve your Q scores 

 Take our self-assessments and view our list of resources:

- [Feedback Self-Assessment](/feedback-self-assessment)
- [Assignment Self-Assessment](/assignment-self-assessment)
- [Lecture Self-Assessment](/lecture-self-assessment)
- [Leading Discussion Self-Assessment](/leading-discussion-self-assessment?admin_panel=1)