DACtivism

Abstract

Academic debate, as an interscholastic and intercollegiate competition in which competitors engage in argumentation on topics of politics, philosophy and social life, has a long-history in education. Debate across the curriculum (DAC) has been advocated as a way to incorporate the activities of academic debate into the classroom for the purpose of increasing student engagement and improving student learning outcomes. The pedagogical tools of DAC align both with teaching as activism and the recognition that effective social justice advocacy requires the critical thinking, media literacy, and rhetorical skills that are facilitated when DAC concepts are applied in the classroom. In this chapter, the foundations of DAC are outlined, with particular attention to how the pedagogical use of debate activities establishes a classroom culture that empowers students to take control of their education.