Role of Group Discussion in Education and Skill Development

Introduction:

Group discussion (GD) is a group activity carried by 8 to 10 member group for 15-20 minutes. GD is designed to exchange thoughts and ideas among the members of the group on a particular subject. It is the best tool to select the prospective candidates in a comparative perspective. It is a useful tool to screen the candidate’s potential as well as their skills.

A selected topic is given to the group members and 2-3 minutes time is given for thinking. Group discussion takes 10-15 minutes time based on the given topic. GD evaluation is done by the subject experts based on the discussions. A report is prepared on analyzing the facts at the end of the discussion.

Nowadays Group Discussion is being extensively used along with personal interviews for the final selection of candidates. It plays main role in selecting the best among the best. Having scored high marks, students who get selected for a higher/another course or employment are placed on a par - on equal footing - based on their age, qualification and experience. It becomes necessary to conduct further screening for choosing a few among many. It is here, the Group Discussion plays an important part. It helps in choosing the socially suitable candidate among the academically superior achievers. It is one of the best tools to study the behavioral and attitudinal responses of the participants

Effective facilitation of a discussion involves the recognition and employment of different perspectives and different skills to create an inclusive environment.  In order to do so, it is important to consider the features of effective discussions, and conditions that promote small group interaction and engagement.  Discussion is a powerful mechanism for active learning; a well-facilitated discussion allows the participant to explore new ideas while recognizing and valuing the contributions of others. 

For full Paper Click Here