Because of the collaborative nature of Web 2.0 it provides the perfect environment for debating and discussion. Any site that allows comments to be posted in essence can be the starting point for a debate. So for example, why not post a video on Youtube or a photo on Flickr as a stimulus and allow your students to add comments. The same is true of some of the Survey/Poll tools and Wiki/Blog or Forum tools which can be found by following the links in the menu. In this section, however, I have tried to limit the list to those tools which are specifically designed for the purpose of debate and discussion.


1. Quick Topic - The free version allows you to create a question to be debated and post it online. Participants can be e-mailed or a link can be placed on your own website. There is no public viewing of the debates which should limit the discussion only to those who have been given the address. There is also a paid version at $49 for a year which gives additional features such as controlling the look of your discussion page. To view a sample debate click Here. You will also need to sign in to use this tool which is probably recommended for discussion and debates to allow you to retain some control and accountability.

2. DebateGraph - This tool requires e-mail to be authenticated in order to edit a discussion but you can view discussions without logging in. This is a much more complex tool than most so would probably suit more able students. There is a key to explain the different elements of the tool and some familiarisation with this would be important before beginning. The debate explorer view as illustrated below gives you a Mindmap like view of a topic. This view only seems to be accessible from the homepage or featured maps page although entering in a search term should take you to the debate you want or at least a related one. When you search for a debate you are presented with the debate map view which gives you a text version of the debate. (I found no way to toggle between the views which was a pity) There is a create map link which seemed to be blocked when I used it. In which case, as it stands this tool is only suitable for commenting on existing debates rather than starting new ones. The ideas a good one but limited educational use until you can create your own debates.



3. Decision Street - not yet publicly available.

4. Idea - This website is dedicated to encouraging debating within schools. There is advice on how to debate as well as a selection of tools to participate in debates. After a rather lengthy registration process you get access to a range of tools. You can view and join a range of existing debates which are presented in a blog-like fashion. You can track debates and earn points with the Debate Tracker. The idea portal is a list of resources to help you prepare for debates. You also have access to old debates to learn some of the key arguments. There is a radio station to join as well as a debate encycolpedia with multimedia resources for you to use. Finally the website also presents student reports in photo, audio and video format as part of a student journalism project. This site is designed more for debating groups within school rather than hosting your own debate. It is very comprehensive so may be of interest.

5. Wridea - Only works on Firefox at the moment although they do plan to have an Internet Explorer version

6. Voicethread - The tools so far have focused on written communication, but why limit yourself to this one format. I reviewed Voicethread earlier under Presentation and Slideshow tools and it could clearly be used to start a discussion around a topic where students could post opinions by voice or writing. The example below illustrates the potential



7. Diary.com - As the name suggests this is a diary rather than a debating tool. What makes this one a little different is you can post a text message, audio files, pictures and video. You can then invite others by e-mail to view your diary and add comments on the various elements you have posted and in so doing create a discussion around the other elements. Click Here for an example. The privacy aspect may appeal to some, on the other hand the difficulty of having to e-mail students to participate may prove a little difficult.

8. Glinkr - This is a tool for creating a visual discussion. The tool is reasonably easy to use although it would benefit from clearer instructions. The only way I can see to enable group editing would be to share a password and user name. Otherwise, it's more about visualising the argument.



9. Debatewise - I really liked the simplicity of this tool. You create a debate with the arguments listed as either for or against. The one weakness is that all debates are public and it would have been good to have a private room for publishing your own debates. Nevertheless, one of the most straightforward tools I have seen.

10. Lefora - I quite liked this Forum builder. You can create a Forum very easily and then simply post a topic to start the debate. You can control whether members or anyone can discuss. One added feature here is the ability to post videos and images to stimulate debate or to back up a point. You can also add a poll to the site to get members views. Click here to see an example Forum.



11. Bigthink - This is an excellent, very professional looking site. It includes videos from experts talking about various issues then users can post their own questions and ideas for others to comment on. Probably suit older students.



12. aMap - This tool gives you a visual representation of your debate. Very simple to set up and participants can be e-mailed invitations. The debate is published on aMap but can also be hosted on your own website through an enbed code. There doesn't appear to be any privacy option to allow you to limit contributions to students. The map below was created for the Science/Religion debate.



13. Truetube - This site offers teenagers an opportunity to discuss the controversial issues of the day. There are video clips to spark debate as well as discussion areas. The site also includes an online video editor to allow students to make their own videos. Clips are available for streaming or downloading depending on your network capabilities. There are a range of topics and videos and care should be taken to ensure the material is age appropriate.