How to Prepare and Lead a Discussion

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How to Prepare and Lead a Discussion

• Chapter 13

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Key Concepts

• Discussion planning
• Discussion circumstances
• Session plan
• Discussion conduct

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What a Discussion is and is not

• A discussion is not an easy way out
• When you use a discussion technique you
  substitute a discussion for the body segment
• During the discussion you must search for
  behavioral feedback so that you can judge if the
  trainees are moving toward the session
  objective(s).
• Use a discussion to promote learning

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When you should use a discussion

• Training objective incorporates
• thinking and reasoning critically
• exhibiting independent thinking
• improving communication and/or social skills
• When trainees would benefit from discovering
  content for themselves

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• When group size is important
• 4-15 participants
• 6-8 participants are optimum
• When you want to monitor individual progress
• When you want to change or form attitudes

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• When trainees have some knowledge of the topic
• When content covered per unit time is not
  critical
• Quality of learning counterbalances the
  additional time that learning may require

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Preparing a Discussion

• Decide objectives
• Decide whether a discussion is appropriate
• Write a session plan
• Introduction conclusion
• Outline of the major content area of what you
  want to cover in the time frame allotted
• Questions you can use to direct the discussion
• Visual aids and when to use them
• Summary points
• Connections among different areas of discussion
• Connection between the discussion and the job
  world

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The Content-Focus Plan

• Used for structured discussion
• Structure a series of questions based on the
  content you will be dealing with
• Used for improving recall or motivating for
  future learning
• Trainer usually plans a number of primary
  questions

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The Broad-Focus plan

• Leads to semistructured discussion
• The content is less incontestable
• Could cover a wider range of views
• Some primary questions are planned
• Usually not as many as used in content-focus plan
• Primary questions are further up the funnel and
  are more general

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• As you become more confident in your discussion
  leading skills, your session plan will become
  less detailed.
• A behavior objective is still given.
• Timing is carefully planned.
• Introduction and conclusion are still outlined in
  some detail.
• Thought has been given to the content areas that
  are most likely to emerge.

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• Skilled discussion leaders will be able to create
  question on the spot and fit it with the
  discussion as the discussion develops.

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The Strategy-Focus Plan

• Relies on the trainers ability to manage
  instantaneously the process of
• Questioning
• Paraphrasing
• Observing behavior
• Giving feedback
• Keeping visual record of the important learning
  points

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• Only a few primary questions are used in the
  Strategy-focused plan
• Questions are broad at the top of the funnel
  sequence and are linked to the training
  objectives.
• Trainer relies heavily on secondary questions and
  probing.
• Strategy-focus plan is used for unstructured
  discussions.

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Beginning Trainers

• Beginning trainers should build up experience on
  the preplanned in detail (content-focus) type
  of discussion before moving on to more difficult
  discussion types.

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Tips for Leading a Discussion

• For good motivation, choose topics that are
  recognizably important to trainees.
• Master all relevant content yourself.
• Choose topics of which trainees have some
  knowledge.

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Conductions a Discussion

• Using questions
• Giving rewards
• Additional guidelines
• Keep discussion on a clearly defined topic
• Use summaries as part of the discussion
• Visual record

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Problems and Solutions

• Discussion gets out of control
• Group or individual does not contribute
• Persistent objector or disrupter in the group
• Lack of preparation by trainees

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Summary

• A discussion requires a plan. The trainer, as a
  discussion leader, is basically the guide.
• Look at the checklist for Discussion Feedback.