In this exercise the students discuss their problem statements on the basis of a concrete assignment in brief one-on-one dialogues. The students give each other feedback on the problem statements and generate further ideas on the basis of this. This causes the students to become active ‘peers’ in each other’s writing processes, and from the exercise they harvest various input for their own problem statement which they can continue working on in future.
The use of the speed dating exercise in your teaching helps you to ensure that the students gain greater independence in their writing process and sharpen their analytical senses. The exercise trains the students to identify central concepts and ideas in a problem statement which can be used in a targeted manner in literature searches and the ongoing writing process. The exercise also teaches the students to consider each other’s work and give each other feedback based on their academic intuition. This is because the exercise forces them to engage in fast-paced academic discussions. This creates a high energy level and sheds light on many different ideas.