FYI..
Folks:
After September 12, 2001 I posted a set of guidelines for discussing
the previous days events developed by the Center for Research on
Learning and Teaching (CRLT) at the University of Michigan. CRLT
has just formulated guidelines for the purpose of of discussing the
current war in Iraq. The guidelines are posted below and can also be
found at: www.crlt.umich.edu. I am indebted to Constance Cook,
Director, Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, Associate
Professor of Higher Education, and Adjunct Associate Professor of
Political Science at the University of Michigan for this information.
Regards,
Rick Reis
[log in to unmask]
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GUIDANCE FOR INSTRUCTORS CONCERNING CLASS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WAR IN IRAQ
The Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT) at the
University of Michigan offers the following guidelines to help
faculty and graduate student instructors deal with class discussions
of the war in Iraq. The guidelines contain three sections:
* Issues to consider before discussing the war
* Suggestions for classes in which the topic of war comes up unexpectedly
* Suggestions for instructors planning and leading discussions about the war
Issues to Consider Before Discussing the War
1. Students will have very different interpretations of the war, its
causes and its potential outcomes. It is important to allow students
to express these differences without fear of ridicule or attack,
while also encouraging disagreement, which is a cornerstone of
critical thinking and part of the academy's long tradition of
intellectual inquiry.
2. Some individuals have a special and complicated relationship to
this war. For example, discussions about the war may be especially
difficult for faculty and students from certain groups, including the
following:
* those personally connected to the U.S. armed forces,
including those in the campus ROTC
program and those with family and friends in the armed forces
* those from the Middle East and those who have close
connections to the Middle East
* international faculty and students, who may be viewed or
treated differently during this
crisis
* members of groups that some are blaming for the current crisis
For each of these groups, there is a potential for backlash during
class discussions. It is important that students not be doubly hurt
as a result of discussion - first by effects of the war itself, and
second by misguided generalizations.
3. Comparisons of current world leaders and events with historical
figures or events must be made carefully and with an awareness of the
complexity of history. Individual perspectives on these comparisons
are shaped by differences in political point of view, personal
history or age, past experience of violence or tragedy, group
membership, or geographical or cultural origins or reference points.
Expression of these differences can be a resource for enriching
discussion.
4. Instructors should not feel compelled to lead a discussion,
especially if your own emotions or reactions make you hesitant to do
so, if you have strong views that would make it difficult to relate
to all students, or if you do not consider this discussion an
appropriate use of class time. You can make a simple statement to the
class to this effect and then move on.
Suggestions for Classes in Which the Topic of War Comes Up Unexpectedly
1. Acknowledge the concern of the student who raised the issue and
also point out that all those in the room have their own individual
responses and concerns.
2. Decide whether you are ready and willing to engage with this topic now.
3. Get a quick sense from the class if others would like to devote
time to sharing views. If you do pursue a discussion, set a time
frame and then look to the strategies outlined below for suggestions
about format for the discussion.
4. If a discussion seems inappropriate, or other students resist
having a discussion on the spot, point out the available forums on
campus and encourage students to attend them, stay informed, and
share their concerns. Alternatively, you could schedule a discussion
for a later class and suggest ways that students could prepare for it.
Suggestions for Instructors Planning and Leading Discussions About the War
1. Think through appropriate ways to introduce and close the session.
For example, you might begin with the reasons you are having the
discussion, acknowledging that there are widely divergent opinions
and feelings about the war. In closing a discussion, you might
reiterate the fact that substantial differences of opinion remain,
and you can encourage students to continue the dialogue and look for
ways to take advantage of campus programming on this topic.
2. Ask the class to establish ground rules for the discussion before
it begins. For example, you might suggest that the class:
A. Commit to use the discussion as an opportunity to learn more
about complex and difficult
issues, rather than re-enacting polarized debate.
B. Respect each other's views and avoid inflammatory language.
C. Allow expression of personal stories and feelings. (Be
prepared for students to be emotional
about this topic.)
D. Allow students to express anger and frustration within
limits. (While it is important for
students to express themselves, it is also vital to control
the class and maintain an
environment that encourages responsible discourse.)
E. Limit the length of any one student's contributions to avoid
"speeches" so that all students
have an opportunity to participate.
F. Agree to discuss this topic in a way that does not shut out
any members of the class.
3. Create a framework for the discussion. Where you can, explore
links to your discipline, letting topics emerge from the specific
content of your course. Discussion topics applicable to all students
include the following:
A. What questions and fears do you have about this war?
B. In what ways are you personally affected by these events?
C. How might these events affect your/our future?
D. How can you become better informed?
E. What positive actions can individuals take in response to
this war (e.g., attend university
events about the war, support students who are far from home)?
4. Encourage participation, but don't force students to participate.
Ways to accomplish this include:
A. Use of a "round," i.e., giving each student a chance to
speak without interruption or discussion
in response to a guiding question, and allowing students to
pass if they desire. Following the
round, open the discussion for general response.
B. Division of students into discussion partners or small
groups of 3-5 students.
C. Offering students a chance to write down and organize their
thoughts before speaking.
5. Be prepared for the ways these discussions can go awry:
A. Prepare questions that will help break down silence and
hesitation about speaking. Some
examples include the following: What makes this hard to
talk about? What is most confusing
at this point?
B. Balance the emotional and intellectual aspects of the
discussion by helping students
differentiate between these ways of responding. For
example, acknowledge the emotion in
responses and help students to identify important questions
and issues embedded in these
responses.
C. Validate personal experience while also helping students to
identify inappropriate
generalizations.
D. Prepare a brief in-class writing assignment that can be used
to refocus discussion if you feel
as if you are losing control of the class or if the
discussion is going in unproductive directions.
6. Exchange ideas and strategies with other instructors, including
debriefing the class discussion.
Contact [log in to unmask] or 734/764-0505 with comments or questions.
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