Neealana Naushin, lecturer of the School of General Education at BRAC University, participated in a weeklong workshop at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York from 9 July, 2023 on equipping educators with effective strategies and techniques to facilitate engaging classroom debates.
Organized by OSUN Global Debate Network and OSUN Center for Liberal Arts and Sciences Pedagogy, the workshop focused on understanding debate dynamics and techniques and improving students' critical thinking abilities. It comprised interactive sessions, hands-on exercises and insightful discussions on crafting compelling arguments, encouraging student engagement and fostering a respectful and inclusive debate environment. Participants also receive personalized feedback and insights from experienced facilitators on teaching methodologies.
On her experience, Neealana says, “The weeklong workshop…provided a number of valuable insights into harnessing the power of debates to enhance students' analytical skills, presentation abilities, and overall confidence in expressing their argument.”
The event gathered educators from various institutions worldwide, including Al-Quds University/Al-Quds Bard College of Arts and Sciences (Palestine), American University of Beirut (Lebanon), American University in Bulgaria American University of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan), Ashesi University (Ghana), Bard Early Colleges (United States), Birkbeck, University of London (United Kingdom), BRAC University (Bangladesh), European Humanities University (Lithuania),Central European University, Vienna, Austria, and Universidad de los Andes (Colombia).