5th LEARNING UNIT: Seminar and group discussion

A seminar in higher education generally means a form of teaching and learning in which a relatively small number of students participate. The seminar is basically intended for discussion of questions that are usually related to the topic of the lecture. Another possible form of seminar is a seminar, which is a presentation of a seminar assignment (which is not necessarily related to the topic of the lecture), followed by a group discussion. An essential part of one or another form of seminars is, or should be, group discussion.

When preparing, it is good to consider and include:

• learning goals/outcomes of the course, prior knowledge of the students, difficulty of the topic, 
• preparation of the content (as a rule, it is determined by the content of the lectures, it makes sense to limit it to key content) and 
• didactic preparation (time plan, space, teaching aids, sequence and dynamics, etc.). 

It is important for participants (students):

• that the teacher familiarizes the students with the content of the seminar (before the seminar, he gives them one or two questions to think about or assigns them preliminary reading), 
• that students are familiar with the basic rules and know what is expected of them, 
• that the spatial organization (arrangement of tables and chairs) is adequate,
• that the seminar includes various methods and forms of interaction (e.g. brainstorming, work in pairs and small groups, case studies, etc.),
• that the teacher does not act from the position of expert and authority,
• not to assume the main role of the speaker (speaks only up to 30% of the time),
• to summarize the main points at the end, ask the students for their feelings and possible comments, announce the future topic, etc.

The most important element of the seminar is the group discussion. Group discussion among seminar participants (among students) is extremely important for consolidating and deepening knowledge, as well as for consolidating trust and confidence among group participants, which leads to the development of soft skills - global competences.

The main objectives of the group discussion are:

• understanding – clarifying concepts, finding connections, etc.;
• critical thinking – posing and solving problems, logical thinking, argumentation, etc.;
• personal growth - clarification of attitudes and values, strengthening of self-confidence, responsibility, etc.;
• communication - listening, asking questions, presenting and defending positions, etc.;
• the ability to work as a team - setting goals, sharing tasks, mutual assistance and encouragement, etc.
• self-direction of learning – clarifying one's own goals, setting priorities, evaluation, etc.