The scholarly debate is an aged tradition. It involves a push and pull of ideas, communication and dialogue, and analysis of the world in which we live.
Debate: any sort of structured, in-class discussion of an issue with many sides.
This could entail a one-on-one discussion in which each side is timed and assigned randomly to students who then prepare arguments. This could also entail a group discussion in which students self-select sides and more than two sides exist.
The diversity of debate is not something I shy away from – I think it’s something that makes debate an especially attractive teaching tool, and it ensures that a version can exist for every classroom setting or need. Whether students are independent, strong researchers, single minded on an issue, or nervous speakers, debate can be modified to benefit that specific community.