Consensus Discussion

Consensus Discussion fosters critical thinking and deepens scientific understanding by encouraging students to engage in evidence-based discussions. This strategy shifts authority from the teacher to 
student reasoning and scientific evidence, helping students refine ideas collaboratively and build shared explanations. The teacher acts as a facilitator, guiding the process rather than leading it.

When to use:
New concept
Connecting learning
Inquiry cycles
Consolidating understanding

Steps:
1. Review student work from prior lessons and prepare key questions to guide the discussion if needed.
2. Establish Purpose:
o Remind students of the phenomenon or problem under investigation.
o Clarify the discussion goal and revisit class norms, emphasising that questions, confusion, and evolving ideas are welcome.
3. Discuss:
o Encourage students to share and build on each other’s ideas using prompts.
4. Develop Consensus
o Summarise the discussion by documenting the class’s current understanding.
o Create a visual model or class summary that reflects areas of agreement and identifies remaining questions.
5. Navigate Next Steps:
o Identify gaps in understanding and decide on future investigations or learning activities