Using Debates to Teach: A Multi-skilling Pedagogy Often Neglected by University Academic Staff

David Onen

Abstract


This paper describes both qualitative and quantitative studies that addressed the use of debate as a pedagogical strategy in a graduate level course at Makerere University (Uganda). The investigation was triggered by persistent complaints from students who had participated in international exchange programmes where they were taught using different pedagogical methods including debate. They wondered why they were hardly taught using debate; yet, its use would equip them with extra skills. Using a descriptive cross-sectional survey design, the study established that: a whole 20 percent of the student participants had never been taught using debate; the academic staff respondents acknowledged their limited use of debate due to hurdles; and all respondents reportedly perceived the use of debate as an effective pedagogical strategy for enhancing class participation, oral communication, research, and critical thinking skills. It was concluded that members of academic staff were aware of the benefits of using debate as a pedagogical tool; though they were unable to use it, regularly. The author recommends academic staff in universities to consider using debate since it is perceived not only to encourage active learning, but to equip learners with additional competences.

Keywords


Debates, Graduate students, Multi-skilling, Pedagogy, Skills, University academic staff.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. New York: General Learning Press.

Berdine, R. (1984). Increasing student involvement in the learning process through debate on controversial topics. Journal of Management Education, 9(3), 6-8.

Brown, Z. (2015). The use of in-class debates as a teaching strategy in increasing students’ critical thinking and collaborative learning skills in higher education. In Educational futures, Vol.7 (1).

Camp, J. M., & Schnader, A. L. (2010). Using debate to enhance critical thinking in the accounting classroom: The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and US tax policy. Issues in accounting education, 25(4), 655-675.

Candela, L., Michael, S. R., & Mitchell, S. (2003). Ethical debates: enhancing critical thinking in nursing students. Nurse Educator, 28(1), 37-39.

Chang, K., & Cho, M. H. (2010). Strategy of selecting topics for debate teaching in engineering education. Religion, 30, 50.

Combs, H. W., & Bourne, S. G. (1994). The Renaissance of Educational Debate: Results of a Five-Year Study of the Use of Debate in Business Education. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 5 (1), 57-67.

Darby, M. (2007). Debate: A Teaching-Learning Strategy for Developing Competence in Communication and Critical Thinking. In Journal of Dental Hygiene, Vol. 81, No. 4.

Department of the Academic Registrar, Makerere University. (2016). Mid-term Report of the Department of Academic Registrar. Kampala. Author.

Fallahi, C. R., & Haney, J. D. (2011). Using debate in helping students discuss controversial topics. Journal of College Teaching & Learning (TLC), 4(10).

Green, C. S., & Klug, H. G. (1990). Teaching critical thinking and writing through debates: An experimental evaluation. Teaching Sociology, 18, 462-471.

Hall, D. (2011).Innovative teaching to enhance critical thinking and communication skills in healthcare professionals. In the Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, 9 (3).

Healey, R. L. (2012). The Power of Debate: Reflections on the Potential of Debates for Engaging Students in Critical Thinking about Controversial Geographical Topics. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 36(2), 239-257.

Kennedy, R. R. (2009). The power of in-class debates. Active Learning in Higher Education, 10(3), 225-236.

Lin, S. J., & Crawford, S. Y. (2007). An online debate series for first-year pharmacy students. American journal of pharmaceutical education, 71(1).

Macquarie Dictionary Search Word program. (2016). www.macquariedictionary.com.au. Macmillan Publishers Group Australia. 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2016

Makerere University. (2011). CEES, Strategic Plan (2011/12-2018/19). Kampala. Author.

Makerere University. (2014a). Annual Report of the Department of Academic Registrar. Kampala. Author.

Makerere University. (2014b). Annual Report of the Department of Directorate of Human Resource. Kampala. Author.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (2016). Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved April 24, 2016.

Omelicheva, M. Y., & Avdeyeva, O. (2008). Teaching with lecture or debate? Testing the effectiveness of traditional versus active learning methods of instruction. PS: Political Science & Politics, 41(03), 603-607.

Park, C., Kier, C., & Jugdev, K. (2011). Debate as a Teaching Strategy in Online Education: A Case Study. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology/La revue canadienne de l’apprentissage et de la technologie, 37(3).

Selwyn, N. (2007). Web 2.0 applications as alternative environments for informal learning-a critical review in Background paper for the CERI-KERIS International Expert Meeting on ICT and Educational Performance. Cheju National University: South Korea.

Shen, D. (2015).Debate. Retrived from http://ablconnect.harvard.edu/debate-research on 29 Decmber, 2015.

Snider, A., & Schnurer, M. (Eds.). (2002). Many sides: debate across the curriculum. IDEA.

Vargo, S.P. (2012).Teaching by debate. A paper was completed and submitted in partial fulfilment of the Master Teacher Program, a 2-year faculty professional development program conducted by the Center for Faculty Excellence, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY.

Vo, H. X., & Morris, R. L. (2006). Debate as a tool in teaching economics: Rationale, technique, and some evidence. Journal of Education for Business, 81(6), 315-320

Vygotsky, L.S. (1962). Thought and Language. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. (Original work published in 1934).

Zare, P. & Othman,M. (2013). Classroom Debate as a Systematic Teaching/Learning Approach. In World Applied Sciences Journal, 28 (11): 1506-1513.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


e-ISSN: 1694-2116

p-ISSN: 1694-2493