Last week I did my first faculty workshop on using debate as a teaching tool. It was well attended (about 27 faculty came around lunchtime) and we had good free food and a nice discussion.

A couple of highlights before I go into more depth on it. First, many were from the traditional sciences and didn’t see much of a role for debate in their courses. By the end they understood that it can be a tool to help students understand fundamental controversies in their discipline.

The second was nicely summed up on anonymous notecards that we handed out to faculty to reflect on a mini-debate we had – 2 faculty had a short 2 minute speech debate on replacing examinations with debates in class.

One of the cards said “I can see debate now as a process, not a win/lose proposition.” That sort of insight from a 45 minute session made me feel pretty good.

And somewhere Joseph Wenzel is smiling I’m sure!

More on the workshop later, for now I have to teach.