BLUFFTON, OH (WLIO) - On Election Day, Bluffton University students put their debate skills to the test during a university forum.
Students say a true debate format gives them a chance to look at both sides of an issue.
Members of the argumentation and advocacy class debated the topic of whether to allow students to do off-site religious instruction during the school day, which is a topic that Ohio lawmakers are looking at currently. The students were assigned either to defend the issue or to debate against it. Learning the art of debating can give people a better understanding of a topic, even if they don't agree with it.
"In our society, we have often started to associate political policy positions with our own personal identities in a way that is not helpful. So, people are often frightened to argue and debate because they feel that people will judge them personally. So, one of the things I make clear here is that when the students argue, when they argue are not necessarily arguing their own personal viewpoints; they have been assigned to argue a position. I hope that they learn that it is worth wild to take up a position like that just for the sake of an argument in order to test an idea," says Dr. Gerald Mast, communication professor at Bluffton University.
Learning the art of debating can give people a better understanding of a topic, even if they don't agree with it.
And the students say a true debate format gives them a chance to look at both sides of an issue.
"I think when a current debate, like what we see in a presidential election, that may not be the best example of something where everybody is listening to both sides. But in a debate format like this, where its classes going head to head and following a structure and rules, I think that it's able to more clearly show exactly what both sides are about and what the positives and negatives are," says Andrew Collinsworth, a senior at Bluffton University.
Members of the argumentation and advocacy class debated the topic of whether to allow students to do off-site religious instruction during the school day.
"I think it's very important to challenge your side of beliefs. If you are constantly stuck in your same mindset, like this is what I believe, you are not going to question anything else. You will be stuck in your ways. You need to be a lifelong learner in my opinion and constantly keep learning, keep challenging your beliefs, and keep educating oneself," says Caleb Foltz, a junior at Bluffton University.
The last time the class held a public debate was two years ago on the topic of assault weapons ban.
