Discussion over debate: History, theory and practices in Adult Education
Keywords:
Discussion, Debate, Transformative learning, Adult Education, Critical thinkingAbstract
The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate how discussion, as a teaching methodology, can prove decisive in the development of critical-reflective thinking and how it is preferable to debate. Some theoretical reflections and paradigmatic experiences from the early 20th century in the field of Adult Education will be presented. The peculiarity of discussion in contributing to the maximisation of engagement within classroom contexts will then be analysed. The correlation between the practice of discussion and the development of critical-reflective thinking in adult education programmes will therefore be highlighted. Finally, we will see how the renegotiation of worldviews and the integration of new knowledge can play a central role in the training of teachers and education professionals.
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