Stronger arguments with AI? Students use AI to explore perspectives, prepare debates, and reflect on critical thinking and responsible use.
- Group activity
- Debate
- In class
- GenAI for argument development & reflection
- All disciplines
- Basic-Intermediate
- 120 min. / 2-3 sessions
- 15-30 students / groups up to 5
- Devices + GenAI tools
- Flexible classroom setting
Short description
In this activity, students work in teams to prepare for a classroom debate, using AI tools to develop and try out arguments for an assigned or chosen position on a given topic. The activity invites hands-on exploration of how AI can strengthen but also challenges the way we form arguments. Emphasis is placed on safe data practices and academic integrity when relying on AI-generated content. Preparation is scaffolded over multiple sessions, culminating in a lively, structured debate that fosters critical thinking and communication skills.
Competence domain of the Didactic Framework: Collaborative Intelligence (Humans & AI)
By the end of this activity, students can…
- use GenAI as a support tool to generate, expand and refine coherent and persuasive arguments for multiple perspectives (FLAIR Didactic Framework: LO19)
- decide which aspects of debate preparation should be completed independently and which can be supported by GenAI. (FLAIR Didactic Framework: LO21)
- critically evaluate AI-generated arguments using reliable sources and set appropriate boundaries for AI collaboration. (FLAIR Didactic Framework: LO22)
- defend positions using logical reasoning and evidence during oral debate.
Instructions
Begin by presenting the debate topic, providing relevant context, and connecting it to students’ prior knowledge. This can include a short input, an interesting fact, or a provocative question to spark curiosity and engagement.
Clearly explain the task: Students shall prepare and present arguments for their assigned position using AI tools to support research, while adhering to academic integrity and safe data practices. Provide access to approved generative AI tools and discuss guidelines for responsible use of AI.
Divide the class into small groups, ideally of up to five students. Assign each group a position on the debate topic (or allow them to choose), ensuring a balance of perspectives.
Groups research the topic and their assigned position, develop arguments, and anticipate counterarguments. GenAI tools can support this process by helping to brainstorm ideas, gather perspectives and evidence, simulate counterarguments (e.g. devil’s advocate), and improve clarity and persuasiveness of arguments. Teachers can support this phase by providing sample prompts (e.g. “Play devil’s advocate and challenge my viewpoint…”) and structured templates for argument development.
Students should be advised to critically evaluate AI outputs and cross-check information with reliable sources. Opportunities for feedback or peer review can further strengthen preparation.
Introduce the debate format (parliamentary style, fishbowl, penal etc.) and arrange the classroom accordingly. Outline speaking times and expectations for respectful discussion to ensure fairness and engagement. Larger classes can be managed by running sequential or parallel debates, while smaller classes may opt for a single, whole-class debate. During the debate, moderate (or assign observers to moderate) the discussion as groups present their arguments and respond to counterpoints. In this phase, the teacher has the role of facilitator: step back and allow students to take ownership of the debate. Intervene only to keep time, ensure respectful interaction, and clarify rules if needed.
After the debate, guide students in reflecting on their performance, the quality of their arguments, and the role of AI in their preparation. This can be done through a short written reflection or open group/plenary discussion, e.g. with guiding questions.
Assessment:
Since debates can be assessed directly during class, they are often recommended as a way to reduce concerns about unsupervised genAI use. Assessment should focus on skills demonstrated in real time, such as quality and structure of arguments, logical reasoning, use of relevant evidence, responsiveness to counterarguments, critical engagement and communication skills. Using rubrics is highly recommended to ensure transparency and consistency.
In addition, it is recommended to include the AI-based preparation phase in the assessment. Students might submit a short reflection on how GenAI supported their preparation and include excerpts from their chat logs. This helps evaluate responsible AI use and critical engagement with AI-generated content.
Possible challenges
- Uneven participation within groups
- Over-reliance on AI-generated content
- Limited critical evaluation of sources
How to adress them
- Setting clear expectations for academic integrity and critical thinking when using AI
- Providing structured roles within groups to ensure balanced participation.
- Offering templates or checklists for evaluating AI outputs and integrating different credible sources
The activity can be adapted to different stages of the learning journey: for first-year students, the emphasis can be on basic argument construction and teamwork, while for advanced students, the activity can incorporate more complex research and nuanced reasoning.
Using this resource
This resource is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Suggested citation: Flair Collaboration. (2025). FLAIR Toolkit. Teaching GenAI Competencies.
