Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The twin volume of his classic, "What's the Use of Lectures?"

Anyone in education, industry, business or social services who uses discussion methods should buy this book. Its central maxim is: "begin with simple tasks in small groups for short periods of time. Then gradually increase their complexity, size and duration."

To achieve this, Bligh describes with simple informative diagrams the steps to develop up to 23 discussion methods to teach problem solving, original thinking, decision-making, attitude change and interpersonal skills.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Part I What can Discussion Achieve?
• Introduction (p. 1)
• 1 Discussion is effective, but not efficient, to teach information (p. 2)
• A. Educational Research (p. 2)
• B. Psychological Research (p. 5)
• C. Conclusion (p. 8)
• 2 Discussion methods can teach thinking (p. 9)
• A. Educational Research (p. 9)
• B. Psychological Research (p. 10)
• C. Conclusion (p. 13)
• 3 Discussion can develop attitudes, values and motivation (p. 14)
• A. Educational Research (p. 14)
• B. Psychological Research (p. 18)
• C. Conclusion (p. 20)
• 4 Specific methods teach interpersonal skills (p. 21)
• A. Discussion can help us to see ourselves in new ways (p. 21)
• B. What interpersonal skills can discussion teach? (p. 24)
• C. Summary (p. 27)
• D. Conclusion (p. 27)
• Part II What Discussion Tasks Develop Thought and Attitudes?
• Introduction (p. 28)
• 5 Listening and attending (p. 30)
• A. Recognising the words (p. 30)
• B. The background to poor listening skills (p. 31)
• C. Recognising the feelings (p. 32)
• D. The problem of distractions and divided attention (p. 32)
• E. How can leaders help serial processors? (p. 34)
• F. Conclusion (p. 34)
• 6 Tasks to help group members understand and talk (p. 35)
• A. Tasks for understanding unfamiliar words (p. 35)
• B. Tasks to help students say what they think (p. 38)
• C. Conclusion (p. 41)
• 7 The use of reason (p. 42)
• A. Learn, and teach, how to analyse rational discussion (p. 42)
• B. Tasks to teach the skills of reasoning (p. 47)
• C. Common errors of reasoning in discussion (p. 52)
• D. Conclusion (p. 55)
• 8 Problem-solving (p. 56)
• A. Psychological descriptions of problem-solving (p. 56)
• B. Precepts for teachers (p. 60)
• C. Conclusion (p. 68)
• 9 Teaching creativity (p. 69)
• A. Its importance (p. 69)
• B. Opinions on what creativity is (p. 70)
• C. Creativity as diverse abilities for teachers to cultivate (p. 71)
• D. Unusual association of ideas as necessary, but not sufficient, for creativity (p. 73)
• E. Creativity as an attitude (p. 77)
• F. Creativity as cognitive strategies (p. 78)
• G. Conclusion (p. 79)
• 10 Decision-making and judgment (p. 80)
• A. Tasks for each step in decision-making (p. 80)
• B. Difficulties in decision-making (p. 87)
• C. Issues when teaching decision-making (p. 90)
• D. Conclusion (p. 91)
• 11 Developing 'affect' (p. 92)
• A. Theories of attitude change (p. 93)
• B. Seven responses in discussion (p. 99)
• C. Factors influencing the development of affect in discussions (p. 101)
• D. Conclusion (p. 104)
• Part III What Factors Affect Interaction in Discussion Groups?
• Introduction (p. 105)
• 12 What motives and emotions affect group members? (p. 107)
• A. Fear as the dominant emotion in discussion groups (p. 107)
• B. The effect of feedback on identity, anxiety and performance (p. 109)
• C. The effect of others in the group (p. 111)
• D. Co-operation in groups is better than competition (p. 113)
• E. Use the desire for friendly interaction (p. 116)
• F. Task motives: to achieve or avoid failure? (p. 117)
• G. The pitfalls of groupthink (p. 118)
• H. Conclusion (p. 119)
• 13 How is a group influenced by its tasks? (p. 120)
• A. Different tasks require different styles of discussion (p. 120)
• B. The influence of tasks upon group dynamics (p. 121)
• C. Factors affecting task difficulty (p. 122)
• D. Setting own tasks (p. 124)
• E. Steiner's theory of task achievement (p. 127)
• F. Conclusion (p. 131)
• 14 Norms, conformity and deviants (p. 132)
• A. The nature of norms (p. 132)
• B. Conformity - the power of group norms (p. 134)
• C. Why do people conform? (p. 135)
• D. Variables affecting conformity to norms (p. 136)
• E. The influence of nonconformists (p. 138)
• F. Conclusion - strategies for teachers (p. 140)
• 15 Which characteristics of group members make a difference? (p. 141)
• A. Which personality factors are most influential? (p. 141)
• B. Do men and women behave differently in groups? (p. 145)
• C. How do age factors make a difference? (p. 146)
• D. The abilities of group members (p. 148)
• E. Should teachers put similar or contrasting students together? (p. 148)
• F. Conclusion (p. 150)
• 16 Factors related to group size (p. 151)
• A. Large groups: more resources, less learning (p. 151)
• B. The effect of greater size upon group processes (p. 153)
• C. Conclusion - group effectiveness (p. 155)
• 17 Group structure and leadership (p. 157)
• A. Group structure and roles (p. 157)
• B. Leadership (p. 159)
• 18 The history and previous experience of the group (p. 164)
• A. What norms do students assume? (p. 165)
• B. Patterns of development in tutorless groups (p. 165)
• C. Patterns of development in subject-centred groups (p. 167)
• D. Patterns of development in student-centred groups (p. 170)
• E. Conclusion (p. 172)
• 19 The influence of the environment (p. 173)
• A. Seating position (p. 173)
• B. The room (p. 177)
• C. College environments (p. 178)
• D. Conclusion (p. 179)
• 20 Patterns of interaction in small group discussion (p. 180)
• A. Interpersonal perception (p. 180)
• B. Verbal communication (p. 182)
• C. Non-verbal communication (p. 184)
• D. Patterns of communication (p. 185)
• E. Group cohesion (p. 187)
• F. Conclusion (p. 188)
• Part IV A Developmental Sequence of Discussion Methods
• Introduction (p. 189)
• A. Learning to think requires a developmental sequence of discussion methods (p. 190)
• B. A developmental sequence is needed to learn and teach discussion skills (p. 191)
• C. What that developmental sequence is (p. 192)
• 21 Tutorless groups (p. 195)
• A. Individual work plus small tutorless discussion (p. 195)
• B. The nominal group technique (NGT) (p. 197)
• C. The Delphi method (p. 198)
• D. The use of dyads (p. 199)
• E. The pyramid technique (p. 201)
• F. Co-tutoring (p. 203)
• G. Buzz groups (p. 204)
• H. Horseshoe groups (p. 212)
• I. The cross-over technique (p. 214)
• J. Conclusion - applying the maxim (p. 217)
• 22 Tutorless groups with procedures for particular tasks (p. 219)
• A. Brainstorming for creative solutions (p. 219)
• B. Pyramid decision groups for facing criticism (p. 221)
• C. Case discussion for complex decisions (p. 223)
• D. Group projects or 'syndicate method' (p. 227)
• E. Role plays in rotating triads for observing interpersonal skills (p. 231)
• F. Quiet meetings for reflective thought (p. 232)
• G. Conclusion (p. 234)
• 23 Tutor participation in discussion (p. 236)
• A. What to do before a group tutorial (p. 237)
• B. Techniques and skills during a group tutorial (p. 240)
• C. Subject-centred group tutorials (p. 252)
• D. Seminars (p. 254)
• E. Free group discussion (FGD) (p. 256)
• F. Individual and personal tutorials (p. 260)
• G. T-groups, sensitivity groups and encounter groups (p. 264)
• H. Conclusion to the book as a whole (p. 266)
• Appendices (p. 267)
• References (p. 277)
• Index (p. 307)