TY - JOUR
T1 - Should We “just Stick to the Facts”? The Benefit of Controversial Conversations in Classrooms
AU - Kraatz, Elizabeth
AU - von Spiegel, Jacqueline
AU - Sayers, Robin
AU - Brady, Anna C.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University.
PY - 2022/6/30
Y1 - 2022/6/30
N2 - Controversial topics may be uncomfortable for teachers to include in their in-class discussions. However, there are considerable cognitive and social-emotional benefits to engagement in controversial conversations, or classroom discussion about controversial topics. It is critical that teachers support students in respectful discussion to help them develop skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, and the ability to consider issues from multiple perspectives. These skills can enable students to meet larger educational goals such as engaged citizenship. The goal of this article is to highlight the benefits of controversial conversations in the classroom and describe teaching approaches that facilitate effective controversial conversations. First, we identify important factors for teachers’ consideration in supporting effective and beneficial controversial conversations. Second, we provide examples of topics of conversations that may be appropriate for students of varying ages. Third, we review how the structure of conversation, scaffolding, classroom context, relationships, and students’ individual differences can shape controversial conversations.
AB - Controversial topics may be uncomfortable for teachers to include in their in-class discussions. However, there are considerable cognitive and social-emotional benefits to engagement in controversial conversations, or classroom discussion about controversial topics. It is critical that teachers support students in respectful discussion to help them develop skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, and the ability to consider issues from multiple perspectives. These skills can enable students to meet larger educational goals such as engaged citizenship. The goal of this article is to highlight the benefits of controversial conversations in the classroom and describe teaching approaches that facilitate effective controversial conversations. First, we identify important factors for teachers’ consideration in supporting effective and beneficial controversial conversations. Second, we provide examples of topics of conversations that may be appropriate for students of varying ages. Third, we review how the structure of conversation, scaffolding, classroom context, relationships, and students’ individual differences can shape controversial conversations.
UR - https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/curriculum-facpubs/315
UR - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00405841.2022.2096381
U2 - 10.1080/00405841.2022.2096381
DO - 10.1080/00405841.2022.2096381
M3 - Article
SN - 0040-5841
VL - 61
JO - Theory into Practice
JF - Theory into Practice
ER -