Chap. 9Participating in Group Discussions

A success group discussion

• What is the purpose of having group discussions?

• What is the goal of group discussion? • Why do group discussion sometimes become

“not productive”?

Path to successful problem solving for group discussion

• Step 1: Identify a problem to solve• Step 2: Prove the problem exists• Step 3: Explain the cause of the problem• Step 4: Predict possible future effects of the

problem. • Step 5: Present possible solutions to the

problem.• Step 6: Select the best solutions.

Path to being an effective group leader

• Step 1: introduce the participants• Step 2: state the problem to be discussed• Step 3: make sure that the organizational plan is

followed• Step 4: encourage all group members to

participate• Step 5: provide transitions btw each step• Step 6:bring the discussion to a close.• Step 7: Thank the participants

Path to being a responsible group member

• Step 1: be prepared with evidence• Step 2: make a sufficient number of

contributions• Step 3: don’t monopolize the discussion• Step 4: be open-minded• Step 5: pay attention to other participants’

contributions• Step 6: refer to all participants by name

Activity• Form a small group (6 people per group)• Choose a leader.• Choose a specific problem that interests all group

members.• Read through related sources. Think it through at

the same time.• Discuss in your group. Find out a better solution

to deal with these cultural issues.• One as the representative of your group needs to

report the solution.

How to make advertising GOOD for a society?

• Advertising has grown to be an industry worth many billions of dollars across the world. Almost all public space has some advertisements in sight and all forms of media. Whilst this helps companies sell their produces, and helps consumers to learn what is on offer, many believe that this huge amount of advertising can be harmful. It may make people want too much, or things that they cannot have, or it might make them feel inadequate when they don't have something. Research shows that children can be particularly open to these kinds of risk.

• Is having widespread advertising good for a society?

How to protect our own culture from being “Hollywood-ize”?

• In this topic ‘Hollywood’ is used loosely to stand for the cultural products of the USA, so popular in the rest of the world; principally films, television programmes, music and global broadcasters such as CNN, Disney and MTV. The success of Hollywood is undoubted; in 1998 the 39 most successful movies were all American, and in Europe the domestic film industries struggle to hold even 30% of their national market share. The issue of America’s cultural influence is perhaps felt most profoundly in France, where President Jacques Chirac said in 1999 that France refused “to consider cultural products like ordinary goods, subject solely to the law of the market.” This attitude is reflected in large subsidies (over $500 million) to French creative industries and in laws which limit the amount of foreign material on television and in cinemas. Such cultural protectionism has become a major issue in WTO negotiations.

• Does Hollywood have a negative impact on the world?