ERIC Number: ED573770
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Academic Controversy: A Cooperative Way to Debate
Jacobs, George M.
Online Submission
The purpose of this article is to introduce and explain a cooperative learning technique, Academic Controversy (Johnson, Johnson, & Smith, 1996), also known as Cooperative Controversy, Structured Controversy and Structured Academic Controversy, that has potential for use in intercultural education and has support in both research and theory. Briefly, the technique involves a cooperative form of debate in which groups of four, divided into twosomes, take turns representing two opposing views on an issue before attempting to reach a consensus on the issue. The present article begins with a brief review of the potential educational benefits of controversy. Next, the Academic Controversy technique is described. In the final part of the article, variations to the technique are discussed, with some of these variations informed by cooperative learning principles. [This paper was published in "Intercultural Education" v21 n3 p291-296 2010; see .]
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A


