TOEFL Writing for an Academic Discussion Sample Question and Answer 

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Hi Michael! Thank you so much for this video! It would be amazing if you could check my answer:) The topic of different approaches of conducting lessons has caused much discussion in recent years. If I had to choose, i`d rather take traditional lectures. I strongly believe that they allow to concentrate on material deeply and absorb new knowledges much easier. I understand Rachel`s concern over this question. However, I believe she misses another crucial point. Visiting lectures without any discussions is also less stressful and unnerving for students due to the fact that they do not need to be ready to come up with arguments towards the information they might elaborate on. For instance, if it is a new or challenging class, it is much better to simply sit and listen to a professor without distractions. Furthermore, I think that during conversations some students might misinterpret what a professor is trying to get across to them. For example, when students are talking about something during classes, you can hear different ideas, proposals or assumptions which you might take the wrong way. Thus, it will cause misunderstanding and mistakes in the future.

Hi Michael, thank you for your amazing contents! here's my response: I align with Rachel’s perspective that lectures are superior to interactive classes. I'd like to highlight that classes that involve extensive discussions often proceed at a slower pace. Everyone wants to engage in these discussions, so it takes a lot of time for instructors to complete a topic. Such classes require an experienced instructor to guide the direction of arguments and manage time efficiently to cover the syllabus adequately. Moreover, in the context of interactive classes, it becomes more challenging to follow the main topic and identify the connections between the ideas being discussed. While Mike is correct regarding the potential for deeper learning in interactive classes, it is possible to organize extracurricular activities for students to discuss the class materials. Overall, I'd say that classes centered around lectures offer greater content richness compared to discussion-based ones.

I appreciate your efforts Mr. Michael. l will be so glad if you give me your feedback about my essay: .............. This is a challenging topic, but I think that obtain classes with a lot of discussions will be the best approach. I strongly support Mike's idea that discussions help students analyze the information and make it easier to memorize. I would add that discussions also help us to develop our communication skills and expand our understanding of the topic. While Rechel raised the relevant point that classes mainly focused on lectures will be helpful to organize the ideas and stay focused with the lecturer, she didn't mention that these classes sometimes will be boring because they just focus on certain content without any Interventions from the student that are going to make the classes more effective and exciting. For instance, in the history classes, I'd like to participate with the teacher just to obtain more knowledge and attract the attention of my friends to make the class more interactive.

Thank you for your very helpful and informative guide. And I had a question. In this sample of questions that ETS has set for the second task of the new format when the number of words exceeds a certain limit, a score of zero is awarded. I wanted to know if there is an upper limit for writing in the main exam? Or just because of the AI limitation of the ETS website?

In my opinion, lecture-based classes are more straightforward than classes with a lot of discussions. I strongly agree with Rachel’s viewpoint, and I’d add that discussion can get skewed from the main topic and be difficult to control. Lectures allow teachers to summarize engaging material more effectively and give students the exact information they will need later in the course, whether in the lab, quiz, or test. Additionally, teachers are able to explain the reasoning behind the information they are presenting, something students may not be aware of while discussing new topics. Lecture-based classes allow for more direct learning as well as teach students broader skills. Therefore, lectures help students not only by providing thorough knowledge but also by presenting them with challenges and enhancing their capacity to concentrate.

This is a dubious topic giving rise to various arguments. However, I am mostly convinced that working in a class where peer discussions and debates prevail would be much more beneficial both for students and lecturers. Although Rachel's point seems reasonable as discipline and more outlined procedure of class may lead to higher performance, Mike's position on in-class debates is on par with mine since topics touched by contemporaries during the class have proved that peer reviews and discussions eliminate all possible ambiguities related to certain concepts and phenomena. Studies show that peer learning leads to higher academic performance and warmer atmosphere among learners. Moreover, from professors' perspective, the mentioned approach will make the lesson more interactive, subsequently, engaged students will be way more content both with the class and the professor.

Hi Michael! Thank you for your efforts to assist us in preparation... Here is the answer: This is a challenging topic, but I think that discussion is the most effective way of learning. I strongly agree with Mike’s argument that colloquiums provide vital feedback for understanding information better. I would add that they are helping to share points of view which are not that frequent. While Rachel’s point about better structure and plan of the lecture are relevant, she did not mention that discussions deliver certain positions which are not represented in the lectures. I believe that disputes put forth new ideas relying on the info given in the lecture. As a result, I would say that these two types of the learning both could lead us to astonishing results.

Hi Michael, thanks for your videos. Both options have real advantages, but I’m convinced that classes which focus on lectures are more beneficial for me, as listening to the information from an expert person like the professor in the right sequence and in a quiet environment would make it easier for me to understand the subject and retain the important information. Moreover, discussions during classes sometimes make me lose focus, since some comments may not relate to the subject which makes me forget what the main subject was. Overall, I’d say that although discussions sometimes motivate students to prepare for the class to participate, they also might take their attention from important information that the professor mentions.

Thanks Michael! I think just looking at the professor's question and then start writing is a good strategy. Here's my answer: Both options have real advantages, but I’m convinced that taking classes with a lot of discussion can be more beneficial for the students for many reasons. Firstly, students will pay more attention to the class because they will also be listening to the opinion of other students while the professor is explaining the topic. Some students get distracted in the class, and this will make the class more engaging. We tend to be more engaged with some topic while we listen to it from another perspective. Moreover, the class will be more dynamic and engaging because we will have the professor in front of us explaining the topic. While Rachel is right about that we can be better informed with lectures having an expert. If we are dedicated to listening more to others in a discussion, we can learn more than learning from an expert.

Personally, I prefer classes that are focused on lectures, since I'm a pretty good listener, I like to listen to a lecture and write down crucial points. I understand what Mike says about benefiting from other student's opinions on the topic, but I feel like discussions might cause confusion, since the students aren't well aware of the topic and they might suggest wrong statements that may stick in one’s head since as Mike said discussions are memorable. In addition to what Rachel stated about discussions taking away from the learning experience, they also take away from the time of the lecture causing delay.

While both Mike and Rachel brought interesting points, I agree with Mike’s opinion that classes full of discussions are the best approach for efficient learning. By discussing any theme, is mandatory that you prepare before the class, as it would be embarasing to be asked any question and not be able to respond properly. The result of this is a habit, among the students, of studying the given subject in advance in order to actively participate in the classroom. Although Rachel brings an interesting point of view when she states that lectures allow a prepared professional to discuss a topic which he dominates, the student’s role in this scenario is such insignificant that learning turns into a harsh activity, which makes this type of class inefficient.

I personally prefer discussion classes for lecture based classes can be less effective and boring. As Mike has also said we get to listen to multiple perspectives on a topic in discussion classes. It helps us keep ourselves actively engaged in learning. It also helps us reconsider our perspectives and preconceptions. Such classes can indeed be a little disorganized owing to their inherent nature of discussions. However, if the students come prepared for discussions having done their reading before classes, it can lead to really effective discussions in which insights from various sources can be integrated. Learning can likewise be fun and interesting when we get to learn actively with peers without listening to monotonous lectures that can be boring.

thank you ...may allah help me 😅

Thank you for your feedback! I believe it is better to have a class focused on the lectures. It is important for the students to gain knowledge from the experience that the teacher is providing since it is not available anywhere else. A lecture that has a lot of discussions can be distracting to students. Personally, I’ve had a bad experience when my English SAT teacher would allow students to discuss a lot during the lecture and, most of the time, the main topic of the subject would get lost in these small discussions. Another example, a math teacher would ask students to discuss their answers with each other and the time of the lecture would end up being lost. Therefore, in conclusion, I believe that it is essential for teachers to mainly focus on delivering the right ideas of lecture to their students.

Thank you for making this valuable video. I'd definitely follow these tips

In my opinion, i think classes that are more focused on the lecture are much better than classes with a lot of discussions. I strongly agree with Rachel's perspective about listening to an expert , and I'd add that sometimes students might mention false information during the lecture, and therefore, other students will memorize these wrong informations. While Mike raised the relevant point that hearing multiple points of views from students can be very beneficial, he neglected to address that this may cause confusion to some people. Overall I'd say that although class discussions are important for some classmates, they could harm others and distract them from the main idea of the lecture.

Hi Michael, I am so grateful for your videos. Here is my response, could you check it out please? Thank you! I think I prefer to take classes focused on lectures. I believe, as Rachael, that gives the student a clearer view of the topic. The organization given in a lectured class can help the student keep on track, while the discussions can confuse the student or make the topics less clear. Moreover, the lecturer can give different perspectives from different people who study the same topic, making richer the content. In addition, the lecturer can give time at the end of the class for students to ask their questions, giving them the opportunity to clear dubts. In my experience, everytime I have a lecture class I leave having a better undestanding of the topic.

While I appreciate the points mentioned by both Mike and Rachel, I really think that having a lot of discussions in the classroom is a fantastic idea that more institutions should consider. Nowadays, teaching and learning practices have changed dramatically. Students often demand quick responses from their teachers, and instant feedback provides them an opportunity to correct their problems, allowing them to retain knowledge more deeply and clearly. Moreover, proper discussions on particular topics make the classroom environment more interactive and memorable, so this approach is probably best for everyone. However, relying solely on discussion classes doesn't guarantee that students have concise information and a solid understanding of their theoretical courses. Therefore, students should be well-motivated to attend lectures. Attending lectures enhances their capabilities to face new challenges, and develops a strong theoretical background. Thus, it is valuable to attend lectures rather than relying solely on discussion classes.

Hello Michael, thank you very much for our help. Here is my response: In my opinion both options have its own advantages and disadvantages, but I am more inclined to benefits of interactive classes. Here I will explain why. By myself I am a lecturer at university and from my personal experience the students find it hard to stay focused on specific topic for a long time without interaction. While I believe that lectures where the teacher is the main presenter is invaluable and helps the students see the big picture as well as key points about the subject, at the same time I have witnessed that listeners lose concentration if they are just passive observers and are not involved in a process. Overall, I support having classes of two types. Proportionally less time should be devoted to lectures where teacher is the main presenter, but they should try to rise discussions meanwhile, not to lose the bond with the audience. After the introductory lecture, main focus should be on interactive seminars where the topic is more reinforced by discussions.

The topic of how to teach students has generated much discussion in recent years. In my opinion, it depends on the given subject. From my perspective, if some classes would combine both strategies, it could generated the best results. For that reason, I agree about both Mike and Rachel’s arguments, but they are missing the point that is not black and white answers. The most effective way to teach a specified topic rely on the nature and the complexity of the subject given. For example, the students can prepare before hands for the classes, reading and do some exercises by themselves to be more prepared for the lecture or discussion. During the classes, the young students can have a much deeper lecture from the professor or they can discuss the subject, or it could be both. The thing is how complex and unusual is the subject for the students. To sum up, we cannot stated only one approach, because some subject are more exactly as physics and math, e some others could be more a broadly and has multiple point of views as political and social science.

Hello Michael Could you please tell me that how many marks are deducted in capitalization error? Does it affect the score significantly? Thank you

Hi Michael, thank you for your amazing videos. Here is my response: In my perspective, it is far better to have interactive classes. I strongly agree with Mike’s opinion, and I’d add that in these situations, students have to conduct research, read and think deeply about the topic beforehand. Hence, they will gain a certain extent of mastery over the topic and be aware of its all ins and outs of the topic. Moreover, they will be inspired by other students’ opinions during discussion and develop their own idea progressively. Furthermore, by having discussion, students will be able to store the details and all information in their memory much better and accordingly get better grades. On the other hand, in terms of psychology, these kinds of discussions will help students become more flexible and be more receptive to others opinion. This will help them act competitively and try to convince others while having this opportunity to being convinced by others. Overall, I’d say that this kind of classes are so influential for improving students’ education quality and also their personality.

Here is my personal response, if anyone could give me feedbacks 😅 : I think both Mike and Rachel raised good points. As Mike said, in a class with a lot of discussion we as students have an opportunity to ask questions about complex topics that we are being taught, and therefore retain better. On the other hand, what Rachel is right about is that it can get off track, for example if everybody talks at the same time without listening to each other. In my opinion, the best way to learn efficiently and stay focused in class would be in a class with mainly discussion. Besides, I realised from my personal experience that I tend to memorize informations better after an interactive and fun class. Hence, if students listen to every point of view and that the discussion is organized, this type of class would be highly beneficial to everyone.

Great videos Michael! Simple questions: Should we always refers the students comments? Thanks!

In my opinion, discussion-based classes play a pivotal role in boosting valuable hands-on skills. I strongly agree with Mike's idea that students get familiar with various assortments of perspectives when they discuss in the classroom. I'd add that students hone critical and analytical thinking while listening to fellow students' standpoints. This is because students are responsible to provide a new opinion which is not expressed previously. Specifically, they listen to other students' viewpoints meticulously then promptly analyze them from various angles and finally come up with the most innovative solution. While Rachel raised the relevant point that lecture oriented classes give a sense of discipline, she did not mention that professors lead discussions as well so as to ensure pupils deal with the set agenda. Thank you in advance for providing valuable comments on my essay. Bests, Reyhane

I strongly believe that its better to discussions the details in class. for that i agree with Mike's point about u can understand better .But i would like to add that it helps student to improve himself in weakness subject and to understand lesson well to have a good grade in exam . For instance, i remember i was bad at biology , but my teacher was explaining the topic in details and that help me to increase my grade in test , moreover their are many difficult scientific topics need to explain it and need more research on it to understand .For that its better to explain the lecture in details .

While I appreciate the points made by Mike and Racheal, in my personal opinion, a mix of lectures and discussions about that topic would make a session much more engaging. I remember when my friend recommended me to join a class of a professor who allocated separate time to discuss the topic before and after lecturing about it. This opened the minds of students and helped them get ideas who were not familiar with the subject. On top of that, it was really captivating, and it made easy to memorize the concepts. Therefore, in my view, I highly recommend the students to learn this way under a professor or a teacher.

hi i really appreciate your efforts. I would like to ask you how many marks for this question. What i am really trying to reach is that there are two questions in the writing how can i know if i scored 20 in this section how can i know how much i got in the discussion and in the integrated essay. thanks.

Hi Micheal, your content is so clear and right on track. Can you please give a comment on the below answer. I will be grateful to you. "Both options have real advantages, but I'm convinced that classes with a lot of discussion can help students retain the knowledge much better than classes that are entirely focused on lectures. I strongly agree with Mike's perspective, and I'd add that discussions can help students clear the confusion about the topic they have at that moment. This way, they can memorize the information more effectively. While Rachel is right about the fact that sometimes discussions can get off track, I think it depends on the teacher's ability to guide the discussion and provide all the necessary information within the limited time frame. Overall, if the teacher is capable enough, it will help the students learn in the best academic environment."

Hello, thank you for your video and feedback in advance. I would appreciate to have it. I completely support Rachel`s opinion. Besides the fact that lectures are a strong source of new information whatever is the topic about, it is widely known that discussions have a different approach and could be more distractive. Mike has a good point when he says that obtaining feedback in different subjects can be a good way to understand better a determined topic. However, some students can interrupt repeatedly a professor and distort the aim of the lecture if they have the opportunity to discuss a topic. For example, when I was at the university, in my organic chemistry class, there was a student who used to ask his doubts, nevertheless, he also used to ask every single detail and even the professor began to feel uncomfortbable and couldn`t teach us other lessons properly. That`s why I feel that it`s much better for students to have classes mainly focused on lectures.

Thank you for your video. It was of help to me. A good guide.

Hi Michael, thanks for your video. Here's my response, please take time to comment, thanks. Different people hold different opinions about these two options but from my perspective, discussion-based classes have more advantages. First, with the involvement of discussion, students need to prepare in advance of the class. With the preparation, students would have an overall acquaintance of the knowledge and also can think and talk more actively rather than passively sitting there listening to the lecture. Second, as the learning system of our brains, we do not only need to listen to the content of the class but also organize the materials of what we will discuss so that we will have a deeper memory of what we are learning. Last but not least, when we have the opportunity to discuss, we can learn both from the professor and the other students. In conclusion, studying through discussions during the class would have an enhanced result for all of us.

Hi, do you have any video like this for integration essay? It is so clear and easy to understand!

Hi man, I would appreciate it if you can grade my response. Nice video :) While I appreciate the points from Mike and Rachel I think that best approach to education would be a combination of discussions and more structured lectures. Otherwise disadvantages of one of the methods would become more dominant. Students come from variety of backgrounds thus there can’t be a fixed solution to this problem. In order to adapt to peoples need education methods should become more flexible. For instance some of the students could have short attention spans thus a lecture base method wouldn’t be useful for them. In addition a student that learns in a slower pace could have trouble keeping up with the argument base teaching. Overall than I’d say that to be able to create a system that is suited for all kinds of students, we need a method that balances discussion base lectures with fixed structure lessons.

It is no doubt that discussion- based and lecture -based classrooms are both beneficial to an academic student. However, I firmly believed that lecture-based classes are much more informative not to mention focus-based. In this kind of environment, a student can take important and integral notes while lessons are being discussed by a mentor. On top of this, learning materials provided in the class are basically lifted from published academic books or real news items, so that references provided are factual information with scientific basis. I can cite one instance while I was attending a discussion- based classroom and the class has become unruly because of varied inputs from each of the participating students. The end result is a wasted 1.5 hour where students tried to outprove each other. This setting may create an unfriendly environment because of differing opinions. In this regard I firmly believed that a conventional setting where lessons are conducted by an educated and a professional lecturer, can pave the way for a much disciplined but educated learners.

thank you for your amazing effort. here's my response, I hope you give me an estimated score .... Personally, I find it more interesting and engaging to join in group discussions for many reasons. Firstly, interaction with classmate provide students with a great apportunities to express their feelings and viewpoints, bringing many positive attention and interaction among them. Secondly, joining an open conversation can strengthen their bonds and help them to make new friendships with other student who are against their opinions, moreover, I believe that these discutions broaden students perspective witch can leed to better comperehention of various subjects, allowing them to step out of their comfortzone and invest more time and effort in their study and absorb as much information as they can to succede in the debate. Eventually this can result in a great academic success for students.

Hi bro To get just a score of 20_22 should I refer to any of other members in discussion Advice please 🙏

Could you please this integrated essay ; The reading passage the benefits of the potential life of colonizing an asteroid. The lecture challenges this argument that there is no clear evidence that supports these benefits based on several reasons. First of all, the article raises doubts about the most important benefit of colonizing the asteroid is to provide a great resource for scientists to do research. However, the lecture disagrees with this point of view. The professor also highlights that the colonizing asteroid lacks knowledge that can the scientist take advantage of it, no evidence about how many asteroids are there and the surface is hard to have a scientist on. Secondly, the author argues that the colonization asteroid is great for increasing economic resources and improving the natural resources in order to build new industries and get jobs. The professor identifies flaws in this argument. He goes on to say that asteroids are not a good resource for the economy and nature, and mining is not available on the asteroid's surface, so it is hard to be a good resource. Furthermore, the article contends that colonization asteroids might serve long-term survival for humanity; it’s a good place for refugees to live. The professor, on the other hand, expresses doubts about the accuracy of such claims. He provides that an asteroid is not a suitable place to live with small space and low gravity, and also needs to be designed to become appropriate for humanity's survival. He adds that living on an asteroid is dangerous for people in the long term.

Hi Michael! Thank you for sharing some great advice with your personal response. And here's my response: Personally, I am more inclined to the idea that classes engaging in group discussions are more beneficial to students. Although Rachel presents some profound insights, it should be mentioned, however, that discussions actually help students to focus more, in comparison of merely listening to lectures. Since students will be required to share their perspectives and thoughts, the process encourages them to think actively, which helps them to pay more attention to the context. Also, classes will become more intriguing when discussions are involved. Students can comprehend the topics or issues more thoroughly by learning views from different aspects, significantly broadening their horizons simultaneously. On top of that, participating in discussions also trains students’ ability to give public speeches, which is a skill that can hardly be learned from merely listening to professors talking, as an enormous amount of practice is needed. Looking forward to your feedbacks, thanks a lot!

Personally, I agree with the Mike's satement. If the lecture is continuous and one sided the students cannot focus for a long period of time, as they might start day dreaming or feel sleepy. However, if the same lecture is taught as discussion then the students feel more energized and pay great attention in the class. This is beacuse they can potray their own idea infront of the class and can also hear different opinion from their classmates on the same topic. While the lecture can be boring the students can miss some of the important point, futher more they can even mix up different things together. But this might not be the same case for the discussion, the students can recall and remeber the discussion and can improve their understanding in the new topic that they hear from their classmates. This will not only help the students to achieve goodmarks but can also help them to enhance their understanding.

Is it really okay not to mention the students? That does save time, but I'm afraid that I might receive a low score. By the way, your articles and videos are extremely helpful! I'm grateful for your contribution.

While I appreciate the point mentioned by Mike and Rachel, I think that the best way to improve the learning experience is to have a combination of both lectures as well as discussions. Nowadays we have artificial intelligence which can help to get all the necessary information that we need but we still need to have discussions, share our perspectives, or learn from a different perspective which can mold our understanding in a way that helps us to retain the information and also help to understand the crystal clear concepts. Remember that if we choose any one way it will always have limitations but when we incorporate all different ideas, it can provide wholesome experience for students. Some people may feel that it can take a lot of time but I think if the students get a clear understanding after this then this is worth doing it this way.

Mike, thanks to your material I was able to score 27 three years ago. I will take a new test soon and hopeful to hit that mark again. Please have a look at my first TOEFL writing exercise since 2021. I know there are typos and probably other punctuation mistakes, but curious to know how'd you rate it as is. In my opinion, I think that learning through discussions is much more beneficial to human beings overall. Dialogue employs language centers in the brain that improve both subjective skills triggered by speaking and objective skills enhanced by listening. Therfore, it is a better comprehensive learning method than the one-way lecture type. Additionally, I believe that an interactive environment would open opportunities to build better relationships with other students. With duscussing agreements and disagreemetns, and exploring different angles of one topic with one another comes stronger bonds. I have read researches suggesting that involving in meaningful conversations strengthens your emotional resilience and intelligence. This leads to a better mental health on the long run as well!

Please review my response : I believe that the discussion method would be far greater impact for the students to gain knowledge quickly. Study shows that about 75% students choose the discussion method to be appropriate as their teaching style because of the interaction of teacher with students directly aligned and connected every lecture properly. When the teacher started to explain about the “force” topic, he begun by arising different questions related to it through discussion. The teacher might considered to give many real world examples by demonstrating various teaching materials. Applying such method will help the students to obtain the ideas and information immediately. Furthermore, the students can give their own response themselves and teacher will judge it quickly so that the precise and correct information can be achieved. Therefore, this process will enrich the students capability and improve their weakness point promptly.

Hi there, can we use specific examples from our personal life to answer these questions?

Hi Michel! Thank you very much for the video and for the help. I don't know if you're still responding to these comments, but here follows my answer to this question. Thanks again! Both options have real advantages, but I am convinced that interactive classes are way better for students. I strongly agree with Mike's option that in these kind of activities you understand things in a more profound manner. I would add that you put your thoughts to the test when you argue with someone. While Rachel raised the relevant point that lectures have a clearer structure, she did not mention that passively listening could lead to forgetfulness. For example, when you watch a movie you may understand the story, but a week latter you already forgot some important details about it. In a academic perspective, this might represent important facts that you would be missing when answering a test.

While I agree with Rachel's point that studying with a clear roadmap is a help, I still believe that only through discussions can students learn a set of crucial soft skills. Take myself for example, once I was assigned to be a leader of the group discussion and oral presentation in the Digital Education course. Choosing a team member and allocating workloads evenly is undoubtedly the most difficult decision to make as a project lead. I acknowledge that the important mindset of leadership is to be decisive. Furthermore, when the team members were arguing about whether we should stand for or against the statement that e-learning can help children, I stopped them from attacking each other, held a debate instead, and made effective communication between the team members. As a result, I delivered a perfect lecture during the presentation day. With those unique lessons I learned from discussions, I believe that it is better for students to take classes with a lot of discussion.

Though Rachel has a good point that lectures are organized and structured, another key factor to consider is interactive lecture will be more active preparation. I strongly agree with mike viewpoint, I'd add that instead of still like an ideal in the lecture. moreover the students much prepare topics in advance with will give them a better understanding. Which would improve the spice of the topic and become more interesting , can lead to amend there scores in academic grades. Additionally, interactive classes will give abundance of knowledge about the topic . To add on ,this will bring up lot of points and details make students for interactive mainly help the introverts to put forth there ideas.

While I appreciate the points mentioned by both Mike and Rachel, I think that interactive classes are more beneficial than lecture classes. This is because it helps students to share opinions, experiences and exchange ideas. Moreover, Discussions and debates will give extra support for students to improve the understanding and the comprehension of any topic. Some students may feel distracted during a discussion. However, I believe it is easier to record the lecture and listen to it later. For example, when I was in pharmacy college, I used to record all the lectures and try to focus and participate during the discussion, it helped me a lot not only academically but also it has improved my social skills.

I personally think that both, lectures and discussions have advantages. If I had to choose though, i think I would opt for discussions. I am a very open and talkative person, so I prefer to discuss topics with fellow students and professors. Adding to the thoughts of Mike, it not only helps me remember the details more easily, but I also find it quite interesting and to some point even inspiring to hear about other perspectives beside the lecturers. Moreover I strongly believe that discussions challenge our ability to take part in argumentative talking environments. I get where you are going, Rachel, but I in contrary think, that an argumentative environment is rather challenging than taking away from the learning experience. Thus, I would opt for more discussions than lectures in class.

Hi Michael, thanks for your videos! Here's my response: "In my opinion, taking classes that have a lot of discussions can be more beneficial for students than classes that concentrate on lectures. I disagree with Rachel, who overlooks the advantages of class discussions. I believe that ineractive classes provide students with a unique opportunity to participate fully in their learning proccess. By engaging in lively discussions with their peers and instructers, students can benefit from diverse ideas and perspectives, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matters and develop critical-thinking skills. These advantages combined will lead students to higher grades and, consequently, greater academic achievements. It should also be noted that interactive classes are generally more fun and enjoyable than lecture-based classes, leading to greater motivation. All in all, I think that the advantages of discussion-based classes greatly outweigh those of lecture-based classes."

This is a challenging topic, but I think that discussion-based classes may play a significant role in learning process. I strongly agree with Mike’s idea that talking about a topic provides us with varied aspects of it. I would add that discussing a particular topic gives us an opportunity to find out whether we have understood the substantial essence correctly or not. Since there is always a chance of misunderstanding an issue, talking to different people with different mindsets may help enlighten us, and of course them. While Rachel raised the relevant point that a topic can be fully explained through a lecture, she didn’t mention that without questioning the proposed ideas, there would be little chance of comprehending its main point deeply.

Thanks a lot for this video. Here's my response. The topic of classes being held in the context of discussions or lectures has generated a lot of opinion in recent years. My personal belief is that it would be really beneficial for students to pursue classes that involve a lot of discussion. I understand Rachel’s concern over discussions becoming too argumentative, but I would say that is what makes it even more significant, as sometimes even the expert professors might teach something inaccurate, and if proper discussion is involved, it could be corrected at the same time. We should also not forget that argumentative discussions were the primary reasons behind many successful and unsuccessful discoveries, like the atomic model. Also, because lectures often have a set agenda to teach, they can become quite boring, whereas in discussion, you get to share a variety of aspects, which makes them more interesting and unique.

Thank you for your help. I usually turn this into an independent essay. This is my response In my opinion, I would rather attend classes that are mainly concentrated on lectures. To elaborate, in the classes a lecturer clearly provides the important idea without Interruption from other students, allowing me to acquire a great knowledge. Moreover, I strongly believe that focusing on the topic is essential for quality of the education, and that will happen when the lecturer focuses on the materials, not on the discussion. I totally agree with Rachel’s point about the increasing of the arguments and getting out of the main point. And I would like to add that, it could be a waste of the class time if the discussion goes in this way.

Here is my answer: “The both learning types are good and delivers the main points on the subject, although I think it depends on the material if it’s pure theoretical or imperial, for theoretical courses I prefer lectures because it more abstract and needs an expert to explain it and simplifys it, in the other hand, imperial courses, the discussion way of teatching is preferred, in a way that the professor delves in discussion with the student about real cases that an advanced person in that subject will counter in the real world to give them a sense of how to deal with such real world problems, moreover, the professor could mix both learning types in a course, but this will need the professor to be experienced to teach this subject in order to know when to use each learning approach.” Thank you for your efforts.

Both options have real advantages, but open discussions in classes are the best way for young people to gain knowledge, the process will encourage them to share their ideas and think more deeply. Whenever we hear about different challenging topics, we will be able to discuss them and take immediate feedback from the teacher. However, sitting and passively listening to a professor turns out to be something gloomy. Moreover, we can easily record lectures and listen to them later so in this way, we get to benefit from the class’s time by active discussions. Overall, I’d say that this learning way creates a perfect academic environment that can support students’ knowledge.

In my opinion, it is always more advantageous to listen to the lecture without having any interruption. I feel this way because professors generally follow their personal agenda and timeline before they start to teach a course. It may be disturbing after a point of time if students initiate more discussion rather than paying attention the actual content of the course. Moreover, conflicting perceptions may create chaos and unwanted waste of time. If students focus on actively listening to the content of the class, it can help them to thinking about the concepts later in self-study hours. Furthermore, universities nowadays allot separate sessions for doubt clearing purposes, which is called as tutorial classes. Students would revise the sections and come to attend those sessions which are particularly designed for doubt clearing and discussion. It would save the time and also keep the course in its flow.

In my point of view, taking the classes with lots of discussions is much better than the ordinary lectures for three reasons. Firstly, students will express their opinions about their lessons. Then, they will brainstorm what they have dealing with the lessons they are being taught. However, in the normal way taking the lessons by lecture, the learners will only go with the ideas with the lecture. Secondly, students can share their personal views when they are in a discussion of the lessons they learn. In this case, they can even discuss with each other and get the opinions of others, which can improve their knowledge. On the other hand, lessons by the lecture will only share the knowledge provided in it. Finally, students debate with each other in more advanced way of learning by the discussion than by the lecture.

I believe that classes with myriad discussions are better for students. Firstly, it is because discussion enables us to understand different people`s perspectives from those of diverse cultures, backgrounds, religions, and sex which may be difficult to experience in a lecture class. Usually, lectures are taught by the teacher based on their experience and understanding of the topic which may contain some bias. Hearing diverse opinions is vital for the rapidly developing globalized society we live in today. Secondly, Rachel, I understand that discussions may become too argumentative but I believe that it is part of a learning experience as this is something that we may experience in our work environment in the future. Thus, it is an essential skill that will help students in the long run.

In my humble opinion, I consider better having classes mainly focused on lectures. Although, Mike's perspective is valid, I think that for being able to discuss a topic it is necessary having a base knowledge of it first. In my case, I can learn better when I first have a class with the teacher to establish what the subject is about, having then a starter point of what I understand about that information and then researching over it, developing more opinions. Meanwhile, in the discussion class I usually feel like it is a lot of information in a short amount of time which makes me more confused about the main topic of the lecture. With that in mind, I would also say that the classroom is not usually the only place you have the ability to propose discussions. Not only are we able to form study groups for those purposes but we can also discuss most of those ideas online being able to comment anytime and not using the time in the classroom only for that. So, to sum up, I totally think that the classes should be more focused on the lectures than discussions.

While there are different approaches to education, In my opinion, classes with a lot of discussion are better than classes focused on lectures. While Rachel mentions that lecture-based classes help students stay focused and organized, I tend to agree more with Mike. I'd add that having a lot of discussions make students more engaged and interactive because they have to stay focused and at the same time excited to share their thoughts to convince others about their points of view. Not only this, but it adds a kind of fun and enjoyment to the class, while in lecture-focused classes, students may feel bored and may not be able to pay attention to the professor. For example, if the lecture is about history, students just sit and listen to a huge amount of information, they may lose enthusiasm and sometimes fall asleep.

Hey there, Michael! Hope you're doing good. This will be my first ever academic discussion writing practice, and I'd highly appreciate if you could give me a feedback :) Thank you! In my personal view, I am convinced that learning through a good amount of discussions is more beneficial. I strongly concur with Mike’s idea that learning is more optimal if there is an exchange of inputs from various thinking bodies. I would also like to add that to be able to participate in these exchanges, one must have already read and prepared in advance, which can lead to enhancement of memory and comprehension skills. I also believe that discussions create a good opportunity for students to hone their critical thinking skills by analyzing points made by their classmates, which can also help in their understanding of the topic. Although Rachel states a sound claim, I think that passively listening and learning just from a single entity is not enough and could be boring at times. Overall, I think that interaction between students in a class can create an enjoyable experience and environment conducive for learning.

As an educator myself, I find that both options can be effective approaches to learning if applied appropriately. Learner can be categorized into different group with their specific preferences, there are active learners who acquired most of the knowledge during engaging discussions and through which they can apply the knowledge they have learnt, and there would be passive learners like Rachel who focused on self-concentration and can maximize their learning outcomes through observing and listening. Since we have different students who have their own specific needs and requirement, the most important part I think is to find a balance between these two approaches, providing enough time for passive learner to acquire basic knowledge first and then encourage students to freely express their own opinions, combined with different teaching methods and that would definitely foster a learning environment that focused on differentiation and efficiency.

There are different approaches to improve the way students learn in classes. While as Rachel stated, a one-way class in which the teacher is the active subject is more organized, in my opinion, an interactive class benefits the students more. To begin with, listening to one person for the length of a class session could be boring; Therefore, it would reduce students' enthusiasm. In general, when people participate in a conversation, they are motivated to listen to its details too. Second, as Mike mentioned, chances to gain more information during a discussion increase dramatically, while there is interaction between the students and the teacher. As an example, I remember when I was a junior, our history class teacher would have asked us to study the topic in advance and discuss what we have learned in the upcoming g class. As a result, I still remember every detail of the historical events we discussed in those classes.

Sir Is it totally acceptable , if we completely ignore the students and straight way answer the question. Kindly guide, thanks

Hi Michael! Thank you for your efforts to assist us in preparation... Here is the answer: While there are certainly some advantages of standard lecture classes, I personally prefer lectures that have a lot of discussions. I’m convinced that these type of lectures will make students more excited for their classes since they will get the chance to express their opinion freely and get a response from an expert professor instead of the boring old-styled lectures. Moreover, students can easily make new friends and work together on the projects or concepts they’re planning to understand. Also, think about the various numbers of learning and teaching techniques the instructor can imply with his students such as brainstorming. Additionally, students can develop a good bond with each other and with their professor which will have a positive impact on their learning results. However, the professor must pay attention to the flow of the class so that students don’t get into arguments or discussing things that are off topic.

What if both reviews stay on the same point... then what should mine writing be like (Q.5 practice test TOEFL official)

Both opinions have real advantages, but I'm convinced that classes with a lot of discussions can be more beneficial to students. This kind of class provides different opinions about a topic, which motivates students to prepare before the class to do some research in order to be able to discuss it. I strongly agree with Mike when he says that these types of classes help to retain information more easily since they are more interactive. However, Rachel is also right when she says that discussions can sometimes become too argumentative losing the important points of the class. To sum up, I consider that an organized and well-structured class that consists of interaction is more favorable.

Thank you very much for the opportunity! Can you please comment on my respond and tell your opinion on how many points it would take? To be honest it’s my first experience and it took me 12 minutes… In my opinion, it's much more effective for students to take classes with a lot of discussion. I strongly agree with Mike's idea that since we can get an immediate feedback at a discussion lesson, we understand things more deeply. I'd also add that while discussion the information goes through the stages which it cannot go through if you just listen to the lecturer, so that a student digest the material a lot more effective. Rachel raised the relevant point that lectures have a clear structure which helps to be more concentrated, but I believe she misses another critical point that the more we discuss the information the more we master it. Overall, then, I'd say that it's better for students to take classes with a lot if discussion.

My response: (I did subscribed) In my opinion classes centered on lectures are much more productive than those given over merely discussions. In the first place because one can be concentrated in a certain topic without scattered conversations that finally leave the main topic of discussion. Moreover, pre-reading helps us to have a deeper picture of the study and then we might discuss some of the main points. In conclusion, having a class based in lectures will lead us to a more integral dissertation in order to produce knowledge.

thanks! I think lectures are inherently more beneficial for effective learning in a classroom. I get Mike's point about the importance of communication and discussion between students, but more often than not, these sorts of discourses stray away from the main topic. On the other hand, lectures have a set structure that guarantees to inform students about a topic in a more detailed manner. Many professors who conduct lectures have years of experience, and are highly knowledgeable in their field, so students should take advantage of the golden opportunity they are given, which is to be able to listen to their talks. Besides, more meaningful discussions happen after class, when everyone has a basic idea of the material they've learned. After a lecture, conversations between students are likely to be more thought-provoking because everyone had time to process the information they gained during class.

Hi, Michael, thank you for your videos! Here's my essay: In my case, I strongly agree with Rachel’s opinion. I also prefer taking lectures instead of having lots of discussion. Giving lectures is more comprehensive. On the contrary, discussion often focuses on a few topics and sometimes people may get derailed to irrelevant issues during discussion or become emotional or aggressive when they have opposing opinions. Besides, if you have some unresolved questions or some perspectives you want to look into deeply, you can always discuss it with your classmates, teaching assistants, or even professors after class. That’s all for the reasons why I think it’s better for students to learn from lectures.

Thank you very much for the video. Here is my response: "This is a challenging topic, but I think that lectures are better for students. I strongly agree with Rachel’s point that usually lectures are more on-topic. One reason for this is that teachers can better foresee and therefore prepare lectures. I’d add that after every important point is made in a discussion, student tend to repeat statements, which were already mentioned before. While Mike raised the relevant point that discussions involve active participation of the students, he didn’t mention that not every student likes to participate in a discussion. Normally just a few students are actively involved in a discussion and students, who are shy, won’t state anything at all." (110 words)

This is a really interesting topic to think about, but I believe that classes should not involve a lot of discussion. So, I firmly agree with Rachel's view that students should be taken by classes which treat lectures provided their professor. This is because the professor has expertise rather than other people and they design the curriculum of classes, that the way of that sudents can easily understand. On the other hand, if the classes mainly deal with a lot of discussion, the students would be likely to waste their time and think wrong way, that is far away from the main topic of class. Moreover, a discussion can do anytime if students want to do that. In conclusion, I personally think that the professor should provide appropriate lecture, and also the students follow classes well.

While Rachel's opinion is also convincing, I agree with Mike, and I think that discussions in a class allow students to think deeply about topics and critically dispute each other. Moreover, if the students know they will participate in a discussion, they'll prepare better for the class and read prerequisite material enthusiastically, so they learn profoundly. Additionally, although Rachel's concern could be right, the professor observes the flow of the discussion, so it wouldn't be unnecessarily long and out of context. This method not only stimulates the class atmosphere but also allows the professor to establish a friendly relationship with the students.

Hi Michael! Thank you for your videos, here is my response While Rachel highlights a valid point, I wholeheartedly endorse Mike's perspective as active participation in discussions can open our eyes to new ideas and thoughts. Interacting with professors and fellow students, carefully listening to others' viewpoints, and expressing our opinions can strengthen our thinking and creativity, enhance our skills and ways of thinking, and improve our communication, ultimately leading to personal and professional success. For instance, I used to be a very shy individual who rarely engaged in discussions or conversations, which negatively affected my scores. However, after I enrolled in collage, I recognized the importance of active participation and asking questions, which profoundly transformed my life and contributed to my success. Therefore, I believe it would be highly beneficial for students to have classes with ample opportunities for discussions.

While the significance of focused lectures in a class is undeniable, I believe that discussions are better for students to gain knowledge and new skills. There are two reasons for contending this side of the argument. Firstly, focused lectures deliver limited knowledge. For example; if I'm a lecturer, no matter how much of an expert I consider myself in that area, my capacity is still limited, being a human. In a discussion, when different individuals contribute their limited knowledge, it becomes a vast pool which is a better approach for making someone learn. Secondly, the diversity in explaining a similar concept. This means that different speakers have different ways of communicating the same idea. It is possible that I do not understand the delivery style of my professor in class but I understand it better when my friend explains it to me. Therefore, it is better to have more discussions in classrooms than to have focused lectures, which can limit the ideas and have a more monotonous delivery style.

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In my opinion, students learn their lessons better by having more discussions in class where they actually harness their understanding of the subject to make proper arguments, so I would rather side with Mike. In fact, classes which include discussions might benefit students in various ways. One of which could be fostering their skills of critical thinking to make a good contribution to the discussion while they respect other students' ideas. In this way, they can just organize their mind to gain a deeper understanding of their lessons. Moreover, their time management skill could be enhanced through several presentations and debates that could happen in classes with such discussions. Rachel also raised a relevant point highlighting the importance of lectures on students' understanding. However, she appeared to be unaware of the fact that the theoretical knowledge of a subject cannot be enough for a student who needs all those skills and information for their future career. Thus, a ground for putting forth their current knowledge of a subject into a practical world seems necessary.

I believe that both options have real advantages , but I'm convinced that discussion is better than lectures in many ways . First , with discussion students can ask about any idea when they do not understand it so they will not wait until the lecturer permit questions by the time they could have forgotten their questions . Moreover , diacussion stimulates mind storming thus it makes the class more interesting for students by providing new ideas and their own thoughts about the topic . Overall , I would say that discussion is a new method of teaching that all students could benifit from .

For me , i think that classes that involve a lot of discussions are much better than lectures. First of all, through discussions we can evolve in learning process as discussions help us to gain more experiences through interacting with each other. Additionally, discussions make us more active than listening to professors. Moreover, learning through discussions strengthen our ability to express opinions and thus breaking our shy. Furthermore, through discussions we can understand much better through our answers and the professor's response to them. Also by learner's responses we can gain more and more knowledge and thus gain more experiences.

Thank you very much ! This is my response There is no shortage of opinions on the topic of what type of classes is preferable for students in terms of getting profound knowledge. I agree with Mike’s viewpoint on this issue. I do believe that providing students with the opportunity to discuss their opinions is able to lead to a deeper understanding of the subject. To begin with, when students are aware of upcoming discussions they will select and prepare strong arguments and during this process, their knowledge might be expanded as learners have to scrutinize vast amounts of resources in order to build their point of view. Moreover, students could enhance their ability to defend their opinion as they have to argue with others. For example, I remember my comrade who attended such classes where he was obliged to discuss various topics, and in order not to get in trouble he had to be well prepared. Thus, he possessed profound knowledge in these fields. To sum up, I firmly believe that classes which demand arguments between students during the lessons are able to boost comprehension of the material.

Both opinions have real assets but I am convinced that discussions are much more effictive learning strategy. Discussions need in advance searches and survies so they have to read academic papers and scientific articles to get familiar with topic and boost their information. Whenever they need to search more, they must concentrate and get into topic stronger and deeper. Moreover, it' s a challenging issue for students to share their thoughts because of lack of self esteem. So discussions can make them to participate in class and share and defeat their ideas with high self confidence and undoubtly. Overall, I would say that discussion can create more academic and beneficial learning environment. I strongly agree with Mike's perspective.

Please evaluate my response, I'd be grateful to you. I prefer discussion classes are way better than just lectures as Mike stated. I would add, discussion classes not only help retain or give opportunity for deeper comprehension but also gives a platform to exchange their perspective and augment communication and intellectual skills. For instance, at my school, one of my teachers gives precedence to the discussion, which is why, I muster up the courage to speak not only in her class but in general as well. If she had not encouraged us for discussion, I would not have been able to speak. While Rachel has made a pertinent point about refraining oneself from distraction, there is no point in staying focused if pupils ultimately forget since they have not discussed. In conclusion, I would rather advocate discussion classes over lectures.

What do you think? Mike and Rachel, I understand your points, but I agree with Mike. Classes with discussions are more interesting, since we can listen to people’s opinions. For example, I was used to have lecture classes, so I thought it was the only way of learning. But, when I first started having classes at the university, I realized that we could have different kinds of approach. My first professor introduced to the class this kind of methodology: discussion classes, and it was unforgettable! I found out that I could learn faster, by listening to what others have to say, furthermore realized that someone’s doubt could be mine as well, therefore the professor was able to teach us the right way to understand some subject.

While many people, like Rachel, prefer lecture-intensive courses, I do believe that discussion-based classes may bring more benefit to the students. Adding to Mike’s point about the advantages of getting exposed to different opinions, I believe that discussion-based classes encourage students to think about why their stance is better than the opposing one, which would foster critical thinking skills. For lecture classes, the professor just presents useful information and the students are usually never given the chance to challenge the points made by the professor. When students are asked why their opinion is valid, they begin to think about reasons to support their statements and refute the opposing positions by using rhetoric or persuasiveness which are some of the important skills that students should learn during their course of study. Thank you so much for this great video!

This is an intense and important topic that we cannot pick a side to it. I believe the class environment and lectures should be different based on the different subjects. In some subjects having constant discussion on a topic is required for example if it is a philosophy class students should be involved in the lesson as much as possible, in meanwhile in some subjects, there is no room for discussion and students should be focused on the lecture 100 percent as example I will refer to a math class in which being focused to the process and everything is more important. Overall I would say that using different methods in different classes are as important as the taking right classes at the right time.

While there are certainly advantages of taking more lectures with less discussions. I think when the students engage in more discussions is more value for them for many reasons. Firstly, the students will gain al lot of encouragements to be a great researcher in the future. What is more is that participating in more discussion make a learner braver in presenting his or her ideas. I agree why the perspective of Rachel .i remember that when I was child I gained a huge knowledge by engaging myself in discussion with my teachers and friends . that is why it really crucial to be more involved with teachers.

Thank you for the video and the opportunity below: From my point of view classes with a lot of discussions it’s better for students. I tend to agree with Mike that the possibility of hearing people’s doubts and sharing add a lot to the experience of learning a new topic. Once that learning it’s a process, when you actively participate and get involved with it, increases the chances of remembering and assimilating the new learning. To Rachel’s point about possible deviations in the agenda, I think it’s important that the professor, or the mediator, bring people back to the core of the subject. I also think having time do discuss between colleagues it’s a good way to pass from the passive learn mode to a more active one.

Hello, thank you so much for your videos, they are incredibly helpful! I would be really grateful if you could check my essay This controversial topic has caused many discussions and disagreements, but I believe that lecture classes have much more advantages than lessons with discussions. I understand Mike’s concern over some beneficial aspects of discussions but I think that he misses some critical points. The thing is, in the classes with a lot of discussions students might be too concentrated on expressing and formulating their own thoughts, so by participating in such conversations they may do not pay attention to some crucial things. In contrast, lectures help students to focus on presented material and peacefully memorize it. Moreover, in the lecture classes students do not have to stick to only one point, they can change it throughout the lesson and form their own critical point. If I had to choose, I would definitely go for the classes with lecture because I am strongly convinced that this type of learning and memorizing information will lead to the success in the aspect of education.

Though both the ways of learning in class have some advantage and some disadvantage. I prefer the class with group discussion. When we can share our thoughts with others, we can find our mistakes and can reconsider our way of processing the issue. Discussion with peer groups helps us to remember the specific details of the discussed topic that eventually make the learning easier. Moreover, discussion on a topic require us to prepare ourselves before the debate, therefore we can have an effective conversation in the group. At the same time, teacher can join in the group discussion that make the group discussion and learning even more robust. That’s why I prefer this.

Just To confirm, whether you choose to mention the two students' responses or not, your idea cannot be the same as these students and make a different point towards the attitude，right？Thank you for the video!!!

Here's my version. Education is one of the key aspects of human life and it has undergone some major changes and improved its methods over time. Actually, I am inclined to believe that using discussions during the class is more preferable for me inasmuch as it helps students to think differently and look for certain topics from different angles, which in turn develops their critical thinking and analyzing skills. I completely sympathize with Rachel’s concern that lectures often follow specific structures which keeps the class more organized, however, this might seem boring sometimes. I would also add that students sometimes are inclined to learn from peers, since they are the people with whom they spend most of their time and sharing some kinds of ideas and knowledge would seem beneficial and interesting for them. Overall, despite having ordinary lecture classes, some changes such as class discussions will improve the way students learn which is why I have no doubt that this is a good approach to education.

Thank you for your informative video. Here is my response : In my opinion, classes with interactive discussions are far better than the lecture oriented classes. As Mike has said, in case of discussion based classes we can have the opportunity to have the feedbacks from the professor or other students. By discussing with other students we can easily get the idea and also various new ideas can also be developed during the discussions. The problem of not having the concentration during discussion, as depicted by Rachel, can also be solved by observing notes of the discussions taken by other students. These notes can be shared in a common drive so that everyone can have the access to see the discussion summary later. In conclusion, I'd say that discussion is definitely an amazing way to learn new things.

Although, both approaches to education proves good, I would personally prefer classes with discussions rather than classes focused on lecture. Nowadays, students tend to lose their concentration easily and get distracted during classes. This happens mostly because of a single person teaching for hours which can get boring. This can be avoiding by involving all the students in discussion such that they will learn the topic, since they are preparing for it. Also the students tend to be more attentive to learn their classmates point of view as well. Overall for these reasons, I think classes with discussions is a better and more productive option.

I would strongly recommend a discussion-based classes. I believe this method of teaching will add an extra layer to understanding the material. For example, learning about two different perspectives on a topic or engaging in lively back and forth debates during the class, which will further retain information. Moreover, while I do see Reachel's point of why having a certain agenda will save time and be sharp to the point, many professors do not really follow that agenda, or follow it strictly without taking notes if students actually follow the topic, which creates a rigid learning environment where only a few top students are able to follow the material properly, while students who have questions and prefer a more lively discussions will fall behind. Overall, while I see advantages for both, I would prefer the lively discussions so all students will be able to follow equally.

Classes according to me should be discussion based. Well I won’t say a hundred percent should be discussion but definitely the information added by the students give the class a turn to understand the subject better. I personally have felt much knowledgable after being in a class with interactive discussions like Mike explains it, I do understand the difficulty with class interactions how Rachel represents the students who might find difficulty similar to hers. While discussions are exciting and interactive I feel the basic framework of the lecture should be clear to all at the end of the class. Sometimes the lectures do deviate from the structure completely. Generally, I would choose a class with active discussion involving contemporary topics rather than plain lectures which might be boring for me.

well, as professor stated everyone has their own perception to any situation so do i have my own . moreover i got the point what both Rachel and mike are trying to convey but i personally believe that there should be both the practice of listening to lectures and a certain amount of time should be devoted to the discussion that might be after the lecture finishes. but it is very important to discuss a topic not only for the student to get a broad perspective of a topic but also for the professor to know whether the lecture they are delivering is beneficial for the students or not. we could to both of them in order to balance out both learning and imparting what we have learnt.

Hi, I am new to your RU-vid channel but your content helps me a lot!! Thank you so much and here is my answer. (It is basic but I tried to use your structure as much as I could.) In my opinion, the lecture-based classes are much better than discussion classes. I strongly agree with Rachel’s perspectives, and I’d add that the lecture is something that you only can listen to while you are in the classroom. Whenever we listen to a well-organized lecture by the professor, we can gain new knowledge and perspectives that we might not be able to absorb from discussions with our friends. Although Mike is right about the benefits of discussion which you can receive feedback right after your opinion and help students retain their memories, we can have time for discussion outside of class. So if we want to have a chance to get the feedback you can have a discussion with your classmates after class or even with professors.