Project 2

            Debating on college campuses is an important key to learning new ideas, along with others’ opinions. Many do not see debating as a stepping stone for new insights, but rather a confrontation match between two opposing sides. This is quite often the case, but debating on college campuses has very many overlooked positives. Debate, in a formal collegiate setting, has so many ways in which it enlightens people to new thought, but also to a more in depth understanding on a topic that they thought they knew so much about already. Debate, regardless of the setting, can have a positive impact for the good of an individual or the group.

            The College Republicans Club at Florida State University puts the debate idea into practice. The club meets in Bellamy room 021 on Tuesday night at 7:30 PM, and is comprised of many of the university’s young conservatives and Republicans. Almost every other week they hold a debate session during one of their meetings to discuss the issues that are appearing in the headlines, such as relations between the United States and North Korea or Second Amendment Rights. Viewpoints, held by club members, on these specific issues appear to mostly be conservative, meaning that members are in favor of preventive actions that would not start a war, but show that the United States will not back down from dictators or abridgement of individual rights. The club’s stance on the Second Amendment is overwhelmingly pro-gun, with a majority even favoring being able to carry guns on this college campus. Other topics include lowering taxes, the NFL player kneeling, and border control. Regarding the lowering taxes and having strong borders, the club members are quite in favor of these, while the NFL kneeling seems to have the members a bit indifferent. Many of the members recognize that this can appear to be unpatriotic, as though they are intentionally disrespecting the flag, along with the military, but a lot of the members recognize that they players are exercising their First Amendment right, by highlighting an issue that is important to them, in a peaceful way. Even though some members have differing opinions, each member is still shown the same respect, whether they hold the views a majority of the club does, or not. The club holds the debates very highly in respect, acknowledging that they are a time to not only express one’s opinion, but to help learn more about a topic with multiple perspectives in mind. For example, I have observed throughout the club that many people have the same conservative mindset, but look at issues in a different way; so, the debate allows for fellow members to receive more perspectives and information to better educate themselves. The debates are quite informal, with the Chairman of the club being the mediator, the one that keeps the debate on topic, along with being the person who calls on club members to state their opinion. There is no time limit for the member’s opinion or response to an opinion, just a common courtesy to not take too much time so that others may get a chance to speak their mind. This is good for the individual to be able to express their own opinion, and good for the collective group to be able to think about more than just one side of an issue. With multiple opinions that focus on one perspective, it is recognized there can be multiple individual perspectives of the very same issue. The club encourages people with other more liberal opinions to come to the meetings and speak out on why they think they are correct. They believe that this not only provides a place to promote new thought, but gives an inclusive nature to their debates that one could possibly argue has more conservative bias, since that is the basis of the club.

            Nicholas Bique, Vice Chairman of the College Republicans Club at Florida State University, confirmed my observations made during my attendance of the meetings. Bique says the club is the “hub of conservatism on campus”, adding that “we represent free speech”. Bique does know that this club is based on conservative principles, but also recognizes the need for free speech laid out in the Constitution. The idea of “free speech” to the club and its members is that all are welcome, despite possible differing viewpoints. Since the club is rooted so deeply in the Constitution, the club holds the First Amendment quite proudly, hoping to give those that may not have a strong voice, a place to speak out and contribute their conscience, along with learning new ideas and new information. I saw this first hand in the meetings I have attended, watching the club members have a voice in a larger setting than a typical conversation.

            With all this talk of debate, whether in a club setting or in a classroom setting, what exactly is debate, and what contributes to one? “Argumentation and Critical Decision Making” breaks down the key concepts that go into the formation of a debate. Such vocabulary concepts include claim, issue, evidence, argument, and support. I have seen speakers in the club have a certain claim on an issue, in which they must have evidence to support their argument upon that claim. They follow this methodology to be taken seriously while talking. It is important to first know what goes into the formation of a debate or opinion, otherwise one would be lost while others around them are waiting to have them state their opinion. The book looks at how one builds their opinion, putting pieces together to form an argument or opinion on a certain topic. My experience in the club has shown me that the speakers have well formulated opinions on whatever topic is being spoken about. They are able to create and formulate well thought out claims, while supporting their positions with facts.

            The debate format the College Republicans Club is upholding not only works in a club setting, but also in the classroom, especially at the collegiate level. Debate in the classroom not only promotes more discussion into a topic, but it gives the student more of an understanding of the topic at hand. As found in "Debating our Way Toward Stronger Thinking”, the journal proves that structured debate in an academic setting helps dramatically in the learning process of an individual. This not only promotes growth for the individual student, but for also the class, by collectively educating on a deeper level. This ties back into the College Republicans in the sense that if more teachers were integrating discussion of ideas into their curriculum, the overall student body would not only become better educated on topics they were interested or had to take a class for, but indirectly learn more about subjects that they may have not specifically sought out after to obtain more information and knowledge.

So far, we have learned that debate is effective in helping to teach topics, but what about more complex topics that relate to medicine or healthcare. Can debates help to improve knowledge on even these subject matters? The answer is yes. This instance in which debate in the classroom has effectively improved learning for the students is "The use of Debates as an Active Learning Tool in a College of Pharmacy Healthcare Delivery Course." The journal goes into the study of the replacement of part of a lecture with a debate oriented learning technique. Something as complicated as medicine/healthcare, one could argue that the implementation of debate in this setting would have negative effects on the students, which is quite incorrect. The study shows that the students overwhelmingly did better in the understanding of the material than they would have otherwise. This is clearly another case of how debate improves the learning process, especially in a more difficult field of medicine/healthcare. This ties back into the club in the sense that some issues may appear too difficult, in the sense of understanding, to debate, but this journal shows that is not the case. The journal helps to convey that even complex issues or opinions can be effectively understood and presented.

            Being in a political based club means that there will be some controversial topics discussed, and as an educated individual you must respect that. The only issue is if you are not taught in the first place how to handle that, or even how to debate the controversial topic at hand, without disrespecting the other person, or even better yet, introducing the topic knowing there could be some repercussion. "Daring to Debate: Strategies for Teaching Controversial Issues in the Classroom”, gives insight to how academia controversial issues are dealt with in a classroom setting. These issues are addressed with a simple academic debate among students. One must realize while it can be controversial to address, it is still important to discuss and debate, not only to better educate yourself, but to also educate the people around you who may have no prior knowledge or have been led astray. One could argue that no good comes about from debating a “hot” topic, but the very debate could very well end in a simple solution. My experience in the College Republicans Club has taught me during our debates that controversial issues are still talked about, whether you like it or not. The NFL kneeling situation had many people disgruntled in the club, but they did not shy away from presenting their opinion and why they believed they were correct, rather rising to the challenge and not backing down from a difficult task of a seemingly controversial debate.

            Perception plays into the ways others can view a specific opinion or person. Auditorily one can listen to a debate, but what about the visual component? I have experienced in the club that many people may not look like they have any interest in debate, or even in politics, meaning that they are rather reserved and do not always chime into the conversation, but have found that many of these people come alive during the debate night in the club, providing their opinions on the topic at hand. This shows me that even though a person may not seem an active participant in the club, which is a subjective observation, that when they do share they have experiences and opinions that are completely valid, even though they may not be the same as mine, or maybe the same as the rest of the club. Also, I have noticed that some members only pay attention when certain individuals are speaking, which I found odd and limits their group interaction. Each person has a right to their opinion, and when they are called on they should have the same respect that is shown as to any other member of the club that is speaking.

            Debate has many different meanings to many different people, but learning should be the key word associated with debate. We as humans are always searching for new information, new ways to perceive our surrounding, new ways to learn what exactly can help us better ourselves. Debate is the key; the key in the classroom, along with the College Republicans Club. Debate introduces new ideas, new ways of thinking, along with reaffirming of thought, that no other method of learning can claim to have for the individual. I have seen that the College Republicans Club at Florida State University is doing just that, debating ideas/information with the students of today, so they can be prepared for tomorrow. The club wants new ideas introduced, it wants differing opinions, it wants diversity of thought, so that its members can effectively understand and learn to better help their community and the world. But it does not stop there, the classroom setting can do the same, teaching in an open debate style that is beneficial in the same manner that this club is already doing at our weekly meetings. The journals have affirmed this idea that the classroom is able to not only function, but improve amount learned, more effectively than a traditional lecture based course. Debate in the classroom should not be viewed as a tool of tomorrow, but as one of the current moment, just waiting to be tapped and utilized.