Stella Jones-devitt - Centre for Leadership in Health & Social Care, Jackie Cawkwell - QE, Ann-Marie Steele - Centre for Leadership in H&SC The Twenty Minute Debating Society: Engaging Students in Interactive Learning. The innovation lies in the flexible approach to communicating ideas; debates can utilise art, drama and comedy, offering opportunity for independent research, problem solving and can animate difficult and complex issues

1. The Twenty Minute Debating Society:
Engaging Students in Interactive Learning
Stella Jones-Devitt, Jackie Cawkwell and Ann-marie Steele
(aka: Jacinta Blue-Sky, Mandy Manager and Dame Sally
Balance)
To Spoon-Feed or Not to Spoon-Feed?

2. • Flexibility in communicating ideas
• Debating mode can utilise art, drama and
comedy/pathos
• Opportunity for independent research
• Using problem-solving and reasoning skills
• Animates ‘difficult’ and complex issues
Context

3. The term 'caricature' thus may function in different
ways when used in processes of debate. The term
'caricature' when used within an alternative epistemological
stance is a symbolic device pleading for a style of interaction wherein
participants recognise the complexity arising from different ways of reading
texts. Use of the term 'caricature' thus expresses the feeling that there could be
an alternative way of conducting the argument about differences in different
readings.
Romm, N. (1998) Caricaturing and Categorising in Processes of Argument,
Sociological Research Online, 3, (2) http://www.socresonline.org.uk/3/2/10.html
Underpinning Theory
Romm (1998) defended caricature as a
legitimate means of argumentation:

4. • Session 1 – concepts explored
• Session 2 – students provided with
(or they construct) debating brief
• Session 3 – students perform debates
• Session 4 – evaluate performances, questions and
explore key learning points
The Process

5. The Debate: To spoon-feed or not to spoon-feed?
Chaired by: Dame Sally Balance
Proposing the use of spoon-feeding: Mandy Manager
(Head of Student Enjoyment and Entitlement, Neo-Liberalia
University)
Opposed by: Jacinta Blue-Sky (Public Relations Manager, The
Bluestocking Society)
Order! Order!