In less hierarchical settings, such as gatherings of their friends, some students find that discussing controversial topics leads only to hard feelings or fights. Besides, many students claim, when it comes to morality, everyone's opinion is as good as everyone else's, so there is no point in talking about it. It is important to teach students that there are valid criteria for discerning good arguments from bad ones and better arguments from worse ones. It is also important to challenge the kind of intuitive, defensive relativism that leads students to assert that all moral stances are equivalent. These challenges are not the focus of this paper, however.
Many students are reluctant to speak up in front of a large class on any topic.
One effective strategy for breaking the ice is dividing the class into small groups. Once students have enjoyed success expressing their opinions in the safer, less formal small groups, they often feel more comfortable about speaking up in front of the entire class. When using small groups, make sure the assignment is clear, including its goal, ground rules, and the amount of time to be spent on it. Make sure the students understand whether one member of each group is expected to take notes and report to the whole class. It is also essential to set aside time, probably at least one-third of the exercise, for the whole class to explore what the small groups have discussed.