The Fishbowl Discussion Strategy

A Fresh Approach Utilizing ChatGPT and Class Companion

I am a US Government teacher. Many years ago, I experimented with the Fishbowl Discussion Strategy but shelved the idea when I found it lacked the dynamic engagement I sought. Much ado about nothing, I concluded (as did many other teachers I know.)

But then, with the 2022 launch of ChatGPT and Class Companion, I decided to revisit the strategy, and was I ever impressed with the outcome!

The Fishbowl Discussion Strategy in a Nutshell

The Fishbowl Discussion Strategy seeks to promote civil discourse by dividing participants into two groups: an active “fishbowl” group and an observing outer group. A topic is chosen, and after a set time, members rotate between the groups. A facilitator ensures the discussion remains civil and on-topic. Post-discussion, participants reflect on the discourse and its content.

While the strategy aims to model civil discourse, the implementation of the strategy in my class often resulted in a few students dominating the conversation while the majority, unsure of how to participate, remained silent. This disparity was exacerbated by the challenge of providing individual coaching in a classroom setting.

To rejuvenate the Fishbowl strategy and address its shortcomings, I turned to ChatGPT and Class Companion.

My Revamped Approach

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of this revamped approach, field-tested recently in my non-AP US Government course

1. Ground Rules:

I first established some discussion ground rules with the assistance of ChatGPT. These rules, along with a piece of art from one of my students, were then printed onto a 24x36-inch poster board.

The text on the poster reads: “Name calling, accusations, verbal attacks, sarcasm, and other negative exchanges (to include eye rolling and interrupting) will be viewed as counterproductive to successful teaching and learning and will not be tolerated.”

2. Topic Selection:

I then selected a topic for the students to discuss: a proposed California ballot initiative seeking to prohibit teachers by law from assigning homework prior to a holiday and making it due after a holiday.

3. Class Division:

Next up, I divided my class of 18 students into three groups, each group consisting of six members.

4. Role Assignments:

I then assigned roles to four students:

• Lisa D: Represented a teacher opposing the ballot initiative.
• Carlo P: Represented a teacher favoring the initiative.
• Jane T: Assumed the role of the president of the California Teachers Association.
• Mira M: Assumed the role of the school’s student body president.

The remaining fourteen students were given the freedom to express their views without any assigned roles.

5. Fishbowl Mechanics:

Next, I explained the Fishbowl Discussion process to the students:

• First round: 5 minutes, with groups rotating in.
• Second round: 3 minutes.
• Third round: 2 minutes, during which each student was expected to speak and provide a closing statement within 30 seconds.

6. Sentence Stems:

I then told the students that in a discussion, their goal should not only be to share their own perspectives but also to genuinely understand the thinking of others. To assist them in achieving this, I provided a series of sentence stems.

• “Peter, a moment ago, you said [ . . . ]. If that’s true, then why do you think that [ . . . ]?”
• “Weiko, a few minutes ago you said [ . . .]. Could you please elaborate on that?”
• “Yanni, why do you feel that way about [ . . . ]?”
• “Jane, what did you mean when you said [ . . . ]?”
• “Hunter, I respectfully disagree with what you just said because [ . . . ]?
• “Alex, based on what you mentioned about [ . . . ], how would you address the concerns of [ . . . ]”
• “Maria, can you provide an example to illustrate your point about [ . . . ]?”
• “Jordan, how do you reconcile your viewpoint on [ . . . ] with the evidence presented by [ . . . ]?”
• “Taylor, from where or whom did you gather the information that led you to believe [ . . . ]?”
• “Casey, how do you think your perspective on [ . . . ] aligns or contrasts with the majority?”
• “Riley, if we were to follow your line of thinking on [ . . . ], what do you predict would be the outcome?”
• “Sam, can you clarify the connection you’re making between [ . . . ] and [ . . . ]?”
• “Charlie, what experiences or readings have influenced your stance on [ . . . ]?”

I also provided this list of sentence frames:

https://www.socialstudies.org/system/files/publications/articles/yl_310403.pdf

The terms “sentence frames” and “sentence stems” are often used interchangeably, but they can be distinguished as follows:

Sentence Stems:

• These are the beginnings of sentences that students can use to get started in their response or writing.
• They are often shorter and more open-ended.
• Example: “I believe that… because…”

Sentence Frames:

• These provide a more structured scaffold for students, often giving them a fuller template to fill in.
• They are typically longer and provide more guidance for the structure of the response.
• Example: “Based on the evidence from the text, it is clear that ___ because ___.”

In essence, while both are scaffolding tools designed to assist students in formulating their responses, sentence stems are generally more open-ended, and sentence frames provide a more detailed structure for the student to follow.

7. Preparation Time:

I then provided the students with an entire class period to prepare for the discussion, encouraging them to utilize ChatGPT for this purpose.

8. Discussion Kickoff with ChatGPT Script:

On the day of the planned discussion, I opened the session by reading from a script that I had produced with ChatGPT the day before.

Good morning all. Today, I’m going to have you use the fishbowl strategy to discuss the question: Should teachers be prohibited by law from assigning homework prior to a holiday and making it due after a holiday?

Here’s how the discussion will unfold:

The inner circle, or the “fishbowl,” will be occupied by one group at a time, starting with Group A. Each group will have 5minutes to discuss the topic in the fishbowl. Michael, you will serve in the role of timekeeper. With 30 seconds left, you will say “30”, with ten seconds left you will say “10”, and with five seconds left, you will count down from 5. After saying “1”, you will loudly announce “TIME!”

After the 5 minutes are up, the next group will rotate in, in this case, Group B. The goal is to have each group rotate into the fishbowl three times during our 54-minute period.

Then at the end of our discussion, you will have 20 minutes to answer a number of reflection questions on Class Companion.

In the meantime, just remember, the purpose of this discussion is not necessarily to reach a consensus but to understand the various perspectives on this issue.

So, as the posted ground rules suggest, let’s respect each other’s opinions, listen actively, and engage thoughtfully.

And with that said, Group A will you please take a seat in the fishbowl and Michael, when ready, say begin.

9. Photos from the Day:

Here are some pictures of the students on the day of the discussion:

10. Post-Discussion Reflection with Class Companion:

After the discussion concluded, I directed the students to respond to a series of reflection questions that I had crafted with the assistance of ChatGPT and uploaded to Class Companion the previous day. The students were provided 20 minutes to answer these questions.

1. How did you feel about your level of preparation?
2. How did you feel about your level of participation?
3. What strategies or sentence stems did you use to engage in the discussion? Which were most effective?
4. How did the discussion change or reinforce your perspective on the topic?
5. Recall a statement or viewpoint shared during the discussion that you had a strong reaction to, whether it was agreement, disagreement, surprise, or another emotion. Describe the comment and explain your reaction in detail.
6. If you were to do it all over again, what if anything would you do differently?
7. What do you think of the fishbowl discussion strategy as a method for class discussions? Did it enhance your engagement or understanding compared to other discussion methods?
8. To what extent did you use ChatGPT to prep and what did you think of the assistance that ChatGPT provided? If you didn’t use ChatGPT to prep, why not?

Here’s a look at how one of my students answered one of the reflection questions:

To evaluate the reflections, Class Companion utilized a rubric I crafted with the help of ChatGPT and uploaded to the platform. Here’s that rubric

In Retrospect:

Integrating ChatGPT into the Fishbowl strategy was a game-changer. The most striking difference was the level of participation. Every student, including those who had been reticent to speak up in class since the start of the school year, actively engaged in the discussion.

To put it another way, the use of ChatGPT leveled the playing field, ensuring no student felt left out or overshadowed.

Besides that, the use of ChatGPT resulted in the quality of the discourse elevating. No question — there was a palpable deepening of topic comprehension.

The aftermath of the discussion was especially heartening. Students exited the classroom with a sense of camaraderie, patting each other on the back and offering words of encouragement. Those who had previously been silent in class discussions received particular commendation. Their peers were genuinely impressed with their ability to articulate, even if with the aid of ChatGPT. It was a bonding moment for the class, one where collective pride was evident.

As for the incorporation of Class Companion, its impact was evident in the students’ approach to reflection. The allure of instant feedback seemed to motivate them to put forth their best effort. They appeared to value and enjoy the process of answering reflection questions on Class Companion far more than they would have in a traditional classroom setting. The immediacy of feedback, as opposed to waiting days for a response, made a significant difference in their engagement and enthusiasm.

In witnessing the transformative effects of ChatGPT and Class Companion on my students, I am determined to conduct at least a few more fishbowl discussions before the year is out.

Sidenote #1:

For individuals eager to explore Class Companion further, there’s a dedicated Facebook group available — a space where thoughts, feedback, and suggestions are valued.

Sidenote #2:

• Class Companion Puts AI To Work Helping Teachers Help Students
• The Fishbowl Method (Edutopia)
• Fishbowl (Facing History and Ourselves
• Fishbowl (Learning for Justice)
• My Favorite Class Discussion Strategy: The 4 Chair Fishbowl (Trevor Muir)
• How I Use Fishbowl Discussions to Engage Every Student
• How to Organize Fishbowl Discussions for Your Students (Kids Konnect)
• How to Use the Fishbowl Teaching Strategy in Math Distance Learning (Oryx Learning)
• Everything that Could Go Wrong with Your Fishbowl Discussions (Next Time Teaching)

Sidenote #3:

Sidenote #4:

For AP social studies teachers wanting to integrate AI into their respective courses, the “AI in AP Social Studies” Facebook group is a valuable resource. While tailored for AP teachers, it’s not exclusive; all social studies educators and their supporters are welcome (which includes site and district leaders, instructional coaches, civil learning coordinators, etc.)
All are bound to discover valuable insights within this community.

Sidenote #4:

If you want to give the Fishbowl strategy a go, but can’t decide on what question to put before your students, try copying and pasting the following prompt into ChatGPT.

Hey ChatGPT, I want you to assume you’re a prompt engineer. I’m looking for questions to use in a fishbowl discussion with my students, related to the learning in my class. Please follow the steps below:

Step 1: Start by asking, “What grade and class are you teaching?” Wait for the teacher’s response.

Step 2: Once you receive the answer, proceed with, “What topic(s) would you like to address in the fishbowl discussion?” Again, wait for the teacher’s response.

Step 3: After gathering the necessary information, say, “Based on your input, I will search for questions designed to divide the room in terms of opinions, aiming for a range of perspectives. Here’s an example of what might be created for a different subject, say AP Psych, to give you an idea of the style and depth of the questions:”

Does the SAT accurately predict college success, or does it merely measure test-taking skills?

Is the pressure associated with the SAT detrimental to students’ mental health?

How relevant is Freud’s Oedipus Complex theory today?

… [and a few more example questions]

Then, generate questions tailored specifically to the teacher’s provided topics and grade level without referencing the example again.