Leading discussions on the readings
Each chapter and article has been selected to contribute to your learning about sustainability and collapse and to contribute to the quality and rigor of our research. Leading a discussion requires a close reading of the selected chapter/article and time to develop a thoughtful summary and useful questions. The central questions both discussion leaders and readers should hold in mind while reading are: "What is important for me and the class to understand in this reading?" and "What are the key take-aways from this reading?" Preparation is essential for an effective discussion.
We are reading Sustainability by Thiele to build a common understanding of sustainability, resilience, and collapse. As you read each, make notes on potential causal factors of socio-environmental collapse.
Discussion leaders of each chapter will: (1) lead a review of each chapter to solidify understanding among the class of the key points in the chapter (see recommended flow of discussion below); and, (2) specifically identify potential causal variables of collapse. These variables will be documented and accumulate on the white board in class. During Week 2, we will identify the variables we will investigate across the Southwest during the 1000 to 1500 CE period.
Recommended flow of discussion of readings:
1) What is the problem the writer is addressing?
2) Who cares about this problem?
3) What credibility does this writer have to write about this topic?
4) What is the research question?
5) What is the central claim?
6) What are the methods the author used to answer the research question?
7) What is the evidence the author brought to their argument to convince me?
8) Why was this article assigned?
9) What are a few take-aways from the article that are worth remembering?
Example of a focused discussion based on course objectives:
1) Start with summarizing the chapter identifying the major take-aways relevant for our research.
2) Lead a useful (for our research) discussion of the article to solidify understanding and stimulate additional learning.
3) Identify and briefly discuss potentially causal variables for demographic decline (collapse).
Visual Thinking Strategies--discussion leaders may use to discuss the readings involves asking three key questions:
1) What's going on in this reading?
2) If a response is interpretive, ask: What do you see that makes you say that?
3) After paraphrasing each comment, ask: What more can we find?
We are reading Sustainability by Thiele to build a common understanding of sustainability, resilience, and collapse. As you read each, make notes on potential causal factors of socio-environmental collapse.
Discussion leaders of each chapter will: (1) lead a review of each chapter to solidify understanding among the class of the key points in the chapter (see recommended flow of discussion below); and, (2) specifically identify potential causal variables of collapse. These variables will be documented and accumulate on the white board in class. During Week 2, we will identify the variables we will investigate across the Southwest during the 1000 to 1500 CE period.
Recommended flow of discussion of readings:
1) What is the problem the writer is addressing?
2) Who cares about this problem?
3) What credibility does this writer have to write about this topic?
4) What is the research question?
5) What is the central claim?
6) What are the methods the author used to answer the research question?
7) What is the evidence the author brought to their argument to convince me?
8) Why was this article assigned?
9) What are a few take-aways from the article that are worth remembering?
Example of a focused discussion based on course objectives:
1) Start with summarizing the chapter identifying the major take-aways relevant for our research.
2) Lead a useful (for our research) discussion of the article to solidify understanding and stimulate additional learning.
3) Identify and briefly discuss potentially causal variables for demographic decline (collapse).
Visual Thinking Strategies--discussion leaders may use to discuss the readings involves asking three key questions:
1) What's going on in this reading?
2) If a response is interpretive, ask: What do you see that makes you say that?
3) After paraphrasing each comment, ask: What more can we find?
