Documentation Debate.

Instructions:

M2.  You will divide yourselves into two equally-sized teams.

ONE team will be IN SUPPORT of the following proposition

ONE team will be AGAINST the proposition.

You will prepare your thoughts and ideas (the two teams separately, of course!) during the first hour of class.

You will come back to the base room at 17.05

Tables will be arranged so that each team will face the other.

You will have a ‘Proposer’ (one amongst you who will open the debate for your team and who will call upon each of his team members in turn to advance arguments and justifications in support of the team’s position).

Your team will have 10-12 minutes to present your case without interruption from the opposing team.

The opposing team will also have this 10-15 minutes.

There will then be opportunity to argue with and cross-examine the other team to attempt to nullify their case.

Each team will then make a closing statement in support of their case.

M1 Students will then vote for the team that they feel has produced the most compelling results.

We will then discuss the outcomes of the debate and matters arising.

[Just as a little aside: I came home tonight to find a story on the BBC about the ‘hacking’ of millions of US Social Security dossiers (including Michelle Obama’s) … now you don’t quite have the same extent of problem with the old paper records!!!]

The Proposition:

This ‘House’ believes that ‘traditional’ forms of documentation and communication have been successfully supplanted by modern, digital, more ephemeral forms such as SMS, Internet Relay Chat and soial networks like Facebook, Twitter et. al.

M1. At the bottom of this page please make a comment on the debate, in English before next class!  Thanks.