C. Conferences and Discussions
Another type of classroom interaction and assessment takes place
via discussions and conferences. These interactions can be formal
(a pre-arranged, weekly conference with each reading group, for
example) or they can be informal (impromptu conferences requested
by the students or by the teacher, based on the occurrence of
Many conferences and discussions, however, are
carefully planned by the teacher. Stiggins (2001) offers the following
guidelines for class discussions (p. 244-245).
- Prepare questions or discussion issues in advance to focus sharply
on the intended achievement target.
- Be sure to differentiate between achievement targets that are
a matter of the content of students' contributions and targets
that are a matter of the form of their communication. Be clear
about the meaning of success in both cases.
- Involve students in preparing for discussions, being sure their
questions and key issues are a part of the mix.
- Rely on debate or other team formats to maximize the number
of students who can be directly involved. Pay special attention
to involving low achievers.
- Formalize the discussion format to the extent that different
roles are identified, such as moderator, team leader, spokesperson,
recorder, and so on, to maximize the number of students who have
the opportunity to present evidence of their achievement.
- Remember, the public display of achievement represents a risk
that links that achievement (or the lack thereof) to self-concept.
Be aware of those times when that risk must be controlled a bit
for student good.
- Provide those students who have a more reserved personal style
or whose cultures disdain public displays of competence with other
equally acceptable means of demonstrating achievement.
- Contexts where achievement information derived from participation
in discussion is to influence high-stakes decisions, such as a
grades, require dependable written or taped records of performance.
Online discussions have also become feasible for many schools,
and they should adhere to many of the same guidelines that are outlined
by Stiggins. Providing a clear structure is especially important
for online discussions. For example, if you want students
to post responses or peer reviews to papers, etc., you should provide
a list of specific issues for them to address.