The Impact of Debate Lessons, Powered by Generative AI, on Student Learning
Humanities education in Singapore at the secondary level emphasises the inquiry-based learning pedagogical approach to engage students, inculcate critical thinking skills, and achieve the necessary knowledge and skills outcomes stipulated by the national curriculum. Inquiry-based learning is structu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The International Academic Forum
2024-12-01
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| Series: | IAFOR Journal of Education |
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| Online Access: | https://iafor.org/journal/iafor-journal-of-education/volume-12-issue-3/article-1/ |
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| author | Seow Yongzhi |
| author_facet | Seow Yongzhi |
| author_sort | Seow Yongzhi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Humanities education in Singapore at the secondary level emphasises the inquiry-based learning pedagogical approach to engage students, inculcate critical thinking skills, and achieve the necessary knowledge and skills outcomes stipulated by the national curriculum. Inquiry-based learning is structured by a Humanities inquiry cycle involving four steps and can take various forms in the classroom. In this paper, I explore the use of debate as an active learning tool to enact inquiry lessons in Social Studies, framed by the inquiry cycle and leveraging Generative AI tools. I ran 5 debates for two Grade 9 classes comprising 79 students over two schooling terms (20 teaching weeks). Student speakers were assigned for each debate, and all students formed teams to do research with the help of AI tools such as Chat GPT and Microsoft CoPilot. Through student preparatory work, student survey data, and teacher observations, I find that debates are powerful devices to build excitement and spark joy amongst students but require a high degree of preparatory work and active student management by the teacher to achieve desired knowledge outcomes. As a teaching tool, debates can deepen reflection and foster critical thinking on specific topics, and debate lessons foster a positive learning environment that celebrate learning and improve student outcomes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c77af6b42f344923bc3d8efa383682de |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2187-0594 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | The International Academic Forum |
| record_format | Article |
| series | IAFOR Journal of Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-c77af6b42f344923bc3d8efa383682de2025-01-10T02:03:02ZengThe International Academic ForumIAFOR Journal of Education2187-05942024-12-01123133910.22492/ije.12.3.01The Impact of Debate Lessons, Powered by Generative AI, on Student LearningSeow Yongzhi0Ministry of Education, SingaporeHumanities education in Singapore at the secondary level emphasises the inquiry-based learning pedagogical approach to engage students, inculcate critical thinking skills, and achieve the necessary knowledge and skills outcomes stipulated by the national curriculum. Inquiry-based learning is structured by a Humanities inquiry cycle involving four steps and can take various forms in the classroom. In this paper, I explore the use of debate as an active learning tool to enact inquiry lessons in Social Studies, framed by the inquiry cycle and leveraging Generative AI tools. I ran 5 debates for two Grade 9 classes comprising 79 students over two schooling terms (20 teaching weeks). Student speakers were assigned for each debate, and all students formed teams to do research with the help of AI tools such as Chat GPT and Microsoft CoPilot. Through student preparatory work, student survey data, and teacher observations, I find that debates are powerful devices to build excitement and spark joy amongst students but require a high degree of preparatory work and active student management by the teacher to achieve desired knowledge outcomes. As a teaching tool, debates can deepen reflection and foster critical thinking on specific topics, and debate lessons foster a positive learning environment that celebrate learning and improve student outcomes.https://iafor.org/journal/iafor-journal-of-education/volume-12-issue-3/article-1/debateinquiry-based learninggenerative aisocial studies |
| spellingShingle | Seow Yongzhi The Impact of Debate Lessons, Powered by Generative AI, on Student Learning IAFOR Journal of Education debate inquiry-based learning generative ai social studies |
| title | The Impact of Debate Lessons, Powered by Generative AI, on Student Learning |
| title_full | The Impact of Debate Lessons, Powered by Generative AI, on Student Learning |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of Debate Lessons, Powered by Generative AI, on Student Learning |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of Debate Lessons, Powered by Generative AI, on Student Learning |
| title_short | The Impact of Debate Lessons, Powered by Generative AI, on Student Learning |
| title_sort | impact of debate lessons powered by generative ai on student learning |
| topic | debate inquiry-based learning generative ai social studies |
| url | https://iafor.org/journal/iafor-journal-of-education/volume-12-issue-3/article-1/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT seowyongzhi theimpactofdebatelessonspoweredbygenerativeaionstudentlearning AT seowyongzhi impactofdebatelessonspoweredbygenerativeaionstudentlearning |