Engaging Students Through a Panel Discussion
By Daniel Dombrowski
EDI 550/551 Psychology of Adolescent Students
School of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
May 22, 2009
One of the best parts of today's class was the panel discussion exercise. At first when Professor Dengting told us on the first day of class about the panel, I was a little hesitant since I never did something like this, I did not know how well it would turn out. Well I did not realize how wrong I was. This seemed like another intelligent strategy from Professor Dengting to bring about class discussion and to get students involved by giving their own opinions and experiences. I think even Professor Dengting was surprised at how successful the discussion evolved from asking the panel members questions to the point it seemed even the rest of the class became extended panel members and were answering the questions that were being asked.
As the panel members were drilled with questions from the class, they answered the students by talking from experience while also giving their opinion on different subject matter. What I felt was very important about the discussion was that it was not based on theoretical findings or dry textbook readings, but was based on people's experiences in the classroom. Even better was that there were two different perspectives on the same questions: those that were teachers and their experience and from those that were students and remembered their experiences from high school. It was an amazing discussion that got everyone involved. In my experience, many people want to share their experiences and this discussion not only encouraged that, but it was difficult not to. This was another brilliant strategy by Professor Dengting that got students to participate in class in a fun, relaxed, and non-stressful way.
Long Island University, C. W. Post
May 22, 2009
One of the best parts of today's class was the panel discussion exercise. At first when Professor Dengting told us on the first day of class about the panel, I was a little hesitant since I never did something like this, I did not know how well it would turn out. Well I did not realize how wrong I was. This seemed like another intelligent strategy from Professor Dengting to bring about class discussion and to get students involved by giving their own opinions and experiences. I think even Professor Dengting was surprised at how successful the discussion evolved from asking the panel members questions to the point it seemed even the rest of the class became extended panel members and were answering the questions that were being asked.
As the panel members were drilled with questions from the class, they answered the students by talking from experience while also giving their opinion on different subject matter. What I felt was very important about the discussion was that it was not based on theoretical findings or dry textbook readings, but was based on people's experiences in the classroom. Even better was that there were two different perspectives on the same questions: those that were teachers and their experience and from those that were students and remembered their experiences from high school. It was an amazing discussion that got everyone involved. In my experience, many people want to share their experiences and this discussion not only encouraged that, but it was difficult not to. This was another brilliant strategy by Professor Dengting that got students to participate in class in a fun, relaxed, and non-stressful way.
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