Oxford-style debates in a microbiology course for majors: a method for delivering content and engaging critical thinking skills.

ABSTRACT: Developing scientific expertise in the classroom involves promoting higher-order cognitive skills as well as content mastery. Effective use of constructivism can facilitate these outcomes. However this is often difficult to accomplish when delivery of content is paramount. Utilizing many of the tenets of constructivist pedagogy, we have designed an Oxford-style debate assignment to be used in an introductory microbiology course. Two teams of students were assigned a debatable topic within microbiology. Over a five-week period students completed an informative web page consisting of three parts: background on the topic, data-based positions for each side of the argument, and a data-based persuasive argument to support their assigned position. This was followed by an in-class presentation an

SUBMITTER: Boucaud DW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3706162 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature