Flat classroom discussions? Try this sure-fire way to get students involved

Classroom discussions are often flat and lifeless because students don't read the materials to be discussed prior to the class. The professor spends the majority of the class period asking questions. Students respond with either blank stares or inconsequential answers. This paper introduces and describes a Sure-Fire way to improve student participation in classroom discussions. Students are required to write a one-page, double-spaced summary of the mini-cases to be discussed. This technique ensures students have read the materials; they have a better understanding of the concepts and are more likely to be actively involved in classroom discussions. Results of a student survey indicate that students are ambivalent toward the enjoyment of writing but consider themselves to be good writers. Although they felt writing the summaries helped them understand the concepts more fully, this comprehension did not transfer to the same degree for doing well in the exams. © 2008 EDSIG.