Structured Academic Controversy is a cooperative learning strategy for instructing research and presentation of supporting and opposing sides of controversial issues as well as a structured discussion of the issue(s). Through a structured academic controversy lesson students learn multiple sides of a controversial issue, how to support their position when advocating a particular side of an issue, and how to discuss differing views about an issue in a scholarly manner. This method helps students formulate, categorize, and understand ideas and information surrounding a controversial topic. It also helps formulate well educated, structured responses and presentation of positions for the student. The purpose of this lesson is to teach students about a controversial issue and to deepen and extend students’ understandings of the issue by presenting factual evidence for both sides of the controversial issue and creating a ‘safe environment’ for the discussion of the issue. (Diana Hess, Structured Academic Controversy, 2004) The ability to formulate one’s own opinion on an issue after fully understanding both sides is a critical life skill all students should develop. This lesson strategy fosters an environment in which students are able to perform this task, while discussing the content material and engaging in the issue together with their peers. For an apathetic student the opportunity to learn through discussion is a motivating factor and a way to change the pace in the class while engaging students. –From Fighting Apathy
WEBSITES:
Offers a “How To Teach” with a video:
http://www.peterpappas.com/2013/06/how-to-teach-structured-academic-controversy.html
Detailed Process with helpful strategies:
http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/archive/cl1/CL/doingcl/controv.htm
Great Site for History with Helpful links:
http://teachingprimarysources.wordpress.com/teaching-strategies/
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