Introducing the discussant role to stimulate debate in the classroom: effects on interactivity, learning outcomes, satisfaction and attitudes
研究将学术会议中的讨论者角色引入课堂辩论，发现该活动能提升互动性、学习成果和满意度，并影响学生对角色的态度。
Debates can help students to acquire cross-curricular competencies and improve their learning. However, their use in higher education is scarce and students’ acceptance is low. Considering the effectiveness of discussants in scientific conferences, this research introduces the discussant role as a teaching tool to revitalise debate in the classroom. We propose and test a model to analyse the effects of this activity on three important aspects of learning (interactivity, learning outcomes and satisfaction). We examine how these variables determine students’ attitudes towards the two roles that can be adopted in the activity (discussant or discussed) and their overall evaluation. We test the model regarding students’ expectations and perceptions in the aftermath of the activity. Results show significant relationships between interactivity, learning and satisfaction. Moreover, the three factors strongly determine attitudes and overall evaluation of the activity. Differences before and after experiencing the activity are also found.