Abstract:

In this project we explore the development of a university pedagogy course aimed at empowering university teachers to facilitate dialogues and discussions in teaching and learning.

The four principles have guided us in the development and ongoing improvement of the course:
1. The course should be connected to participants' own teaching and present a repertoire of teaching activities, providing participants with hands-on experience.
2. The course should be based on current research, and participants should become familiar with and be encouraged to stay updated on relevant research.
3. The course should encourage participants to try out new learning activities in their own teaching and explore how this affects students' discussions.
4. The course should promote academic collaboration and sharing of experiences among colleagues.

The research design for developing the course follows a model for critical participatory action research as an iterative process. Based on conversations, logs and evaluations of the course, we discuss two themes. Firstly, participants stressed the need for a balance between theoretical and research-based knowledge on dialogue and dialogue-based teaching and practical strategies for implementing these concepts in teaching. Secondly, course participants highlighted the value of fostering collegial collaboration, enabling the exchange of experiences among participants from diverse academic backgrounds and programs.

Keywords:

Dialog teaching, Argumentation, Peer discussions, Active learning.