The use of a debate league as a learning tool: high school students´ attitudes, satisfaction, and intention to re-use

Abstract

A Debate League offers a wide range of activities for a student-centered approach to education. By searching for information to prepare the debate, preparing the public exposition of arguments, and being trained to behave in a bidirectional real time debate, students learn how to develop basic communicational and emotional skills in a highly engaging and challenging context. This paper describes a pioneer program in which 70 Spanish High Schools are involved. Through a three months Debate League, students were encourage to enhanced their rational thinking, communications skills, personal and social adjustment in order to better solve intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts. This paper presents the first results of the project analyzing students attitudes and satisfaction with the first part of the program. Results suggest that students motivation and involvement with the Debate League relates with their satisfaction and intention to re-use/recommend the program.