Environmental Science

266 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

teacher should encourage sincere questions and comments. He must gear the

discussion to the realization of specific objectives and development of proper skills

and methods:

4. A relaxed and informal climate is essential to achieve desirable results. As the
   discussion is truly a cooperative experience not a competitive quarrel. The teacher
   must continually discourage attack upon persons and seek to bring the participants
   to focus their comments on the proposition not the person. He should be ensured
   that discussion is objective-oriented, the questions should be skilful and direction
   sound. A happy rapport should be established between the teacher and the taught.


5. Discussion results in expanding information or lessening or removing prejudices,
   changing attitudes or ideals, increasing the range of interest, altering ideas
   concerning national and international policies, or causing a member to become a
   more active citizen. One must evaluate the discussion with these motives in mind.

Advantages of Discussion

1. Useful both for the Juniors and Seniors

Junior children learn through conversation and discussion, to take turns, listen
attentively, act cooperatively, speak distinctly, stand and sit correctly, respect the ideas of
others, share interests, ask pertinent questions, utilize simple information and comprehend
the problem before the group. Senior children plan and discuss problems with the entire
group and in smaller units. The group learns together and presents important information,
makes suggestions, shares responsibility, comprehends the topic, evaluates the findings and
summarizes results.

2. Clarification and Sharpening of the Issues

In discussion new ground is discovered both for agreement, disagreement, and old ideas
and new ones may replace values.

3. Increase in Knowledge

Through discussion children crystallize their thinking and identify concepts needing
further study. Therefore, their knowledge of Environmental Science becomes clear.

4. Moderation

Through discussion students know and understand that difference in perspective need
not result in disaster and that people may believe in the same thing for different reasons.

5. Knowledge of Limitations

The student discovers what he did not know, what he has overlooked and wherein he
was mistaken both as to facts and the method of interpreting them. He may find out what
he knows and the surety with which he knows it.

6. Intellectual Teamwork

Discussion represents a type of intellectual teamwork resting on the principle that the
pooled knowledge, ideas’ and feelings of several persons have greater merit than those of a
single individual.