DE Oracle @ UMUC

Using Hot Topics to Engage Students

Claudine Weatherford

Management and Education Consultant

School of Undergraduate Studies

Published: March-April 2009

Category: » Online-pedagogy » Facilitating-student-communities

Introduction

"Hot topics" include just about any news- or buzz-worthy subjects, cutting edge ideas, insights and innovations, current events and trends, or controversial/debatable issues—the "hotter," the better. This article discusses the value of hot topic classroom discussions, how to present them to your students, and strategies for incorporating other hot topic activities into your classes to help keep students engaged throughout the term.

The Value of Hot Topic Discussions

Hot topics are relevant to our UMUC students who are confronted (some would say, bombarded) with daily news of information and issues that often deeply affect their lives. Instructors can use the classroom to create a bridge between real-world issues—i.e., hot topics—and classroom dialog that will help students learn to spot accurate information, form reasoned opinions, and make good decisions. Doing so will help students become engaged in brisk discussion that helps them prepare to expand into other course topics and assignments.

Students' interest is sparked by current events—what they read on the Internet, see on TV, hear on the radio, discuss with co-workers, and argue about with friends and family. Capturing that spark and channeling it into a discussion or debate can help learners gain a deeper understanding of the topic as well as master important critical thinking and group dynamic skills. The best discussion topics are those that are relevant to the discipline being taught. Some examples of hot topics that I have used in my BMGT classes include privatization of social security; the housing bubble and subprime mortgages; illegal immigration from a U.S. business perspective; and car manufacturer "bridge" loans (substituting "bridge" with "bailout" stirs up even more discussion).

Launching Hot Topic Discussions in Face-to-Face and Online Classrooms

In face-to-face classes, start with a brief warm-up before the actual hot topic discussion. Instruct your students to keep an eye out during the week for topics that are relevant to the course subject and that evoke a strong response and opinion. For example, in my fall BMGT 364 (Management and Organization Theory) class, students had much to say about AIG's billions of dollars in government bailout—and even more to say about the more or less $500,000 spent by the company on executive retreats. To ensure a lively dialog, I asked half the students to put themselves in the shoes of the company executives and try to come up with a rationale for what might appear to the tax-paying public as an arrogant, inappropriate expenditure in the middle of a bailout. This activity added fuel to the fire and increased the topic's heat.

Online discussions can be equally energizing, but they require a little more preparation. To use a hot topic for a group discussion online, I require that students research the topic and develop their own two-paragraph opinion. I also outline the participation expectations in the introduction to my Hot Topics conference, noting particulars such as how many credible sources students must research and list in their responses, the number of responses they are expected to give, and when they should post their responses. The example below shows one way you can introduce a hot topics assignment to your online class:

Hot Topics Assignment Example

Welcome to Hot Topics!

The main goal of the Hot Topics conference is to increase understanding of current and important ongoing business and management issues to help stay on top of a dynamic work and economic environment. The Hot Topics online discussion will provide:

• Opportunities to partially fulfill the BMGT 110's primary conferences Participation requirement
• Practice in researching current and ongoing key events—particularly contentious or trendy issues—related to today's ever-changing world of business and management
• Structured yet flexible opportunities to communicate and interact energetically by effectively articulating viewpoints and listening/responding constructively during a discussion

I have provided a list of topics below that are available for investigation, commentary, and discussion. The trigger questions under each topic should jump-start your thinking and help you begin. The topic list also includes "Your Turn," a discussion thread designed for you to add a topic not already posted but that, in your opinion, deserves greater understanding and discussion.

Directions: The Hot Topics discussion is a "mini-research" assignment. Your postings are expected to show an earnest effort to learn about important and interesting issues by uncovering facts and expert opinions expressed in well-grounded sources. To complete this assignment, you must:

• Choose and respond to at least two hot topic questions before the end of the term. This includes posting original commentaries as well as responding-agreeing, disagreeing, and/or providing new ideas-to your fellow students' postings.
• Include at least two (2) references for your data and information.
• Provide at least two (2) examples supporting your claims and strengthening your opinions.
• Use the APA-style citation posted under Course Content.

You have a generous amount of time to complete this assignment; however, I recommend that you begin participating in the discussions early to take advantage of the responses and interchange of ideas and opinions throughout the semester. Complete your Hot Topics discussions no later than August 11, 11:59 pm EST.  Review the late assignment policy to make sure you understand its implications.

Hot Topics and Trigger Questions

• aGhASt About Gas?
  So, just how much a barrel is oil these days? How much are you paying for gas at the pump? What explains the high price of gas carried on the shoulders of consumers? What do you think about big oil company profits? What does this hot topic have to do with the delicate balance between capitalism and the role of government in a free-market economy, such as found in the U.S.? What are other nations doing about the cost of gas?
  
• Credit Schmedit!
  Why all the hubbub about the U.S.'s credit woes? Some experts even use the phrase "global credit crises." So what's going on? Summarize the main issues and take a stand about how critical credit is to the U.S. and global economy.
  
• Mortgage Fraud?
  The media is bristling with reports about mortgage lending practices. What's this all about? What's your opinion on the events and outcomes related to this topic?
  
• Your Turn!

Additional Hot Topic Assignment Ideas

Consider these others strategies for introducing hot topics in the classroom to further engage students:

Hot Peppers: Instructors can open a new topic with a warm-up or attention-getter that I call "hot peppers" to enliven routine course content to make it more relevant to students' current lives and understanding of the world. Topics might include a brief introduction to basic text subjects, such as investment banking, followed by a discussion on the more interesting and pertinent late-breaking news about Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Citigroup.

Update Textbook Materials: Instructors can find outdated textbook examples, such as case studies or publishers' supplemental online learning activities, and fill in the gaps where needed until the textbook is updated and republished. For example, a company profile in the BMGT 110 textbook focusing on Starbucks' ethical behavior and social responsibility offers an opportunity to identify and understand today's business challenges: Will Starbucks' corporate officers continue the company's trends in corporate social responsibility as the company's stock plummets in 2008 and possibly 2009? Students can also contribute to researching and updating these materials.

Ask Students: Instructors may want to ask students for their ideas for hot topics. Give a brief explanation of "hot topics" and then ask students to review either the textbook topics or syllabus to come up with some ideas for what they would like to discuss during the semester. Provide some examples to help them get started.

Resources

The following resources will provide you with more ideas and some instruction for developing hot topic assignments:

Haugen, L. (1998). Suggestions for Leading Small-Group Discussions. Retrieved from http://www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching/small_group.html

Hertzog, J. (2006). Hot topic debates: A class activity and assignment. In S. Sweet, M. Pitt-Catsouphes, J. Mumm, J. Casey, & C. Matz (Eds.), Teaching work and family: Strategies, activities, and syllabi. Washington DC: American Sociological Association. Retrieved from http://wfnetwork.bc.edu/activities_entry.php?id=6372&area=All

Pace, D. (2003). Controlled fission: Teaching supercharged subjects. College Teaching, 51, 42.

San Diego State University Library & Information Access. Subject Guide for Hot Topics Supersites. Retrieved from http://infodome.sdsu.edu/research/guides/hot/supersites.shtml