PERSPECTIVE article
Front. Educ.
Sec. Higher Education
Perspective on use of debate as pedagogical practice to teach and assess learning of contentious materials
Provisionally accepted
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, Graduate School, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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In the face of current 21st century challenges and areas of contention, to enable them to adapt and succeed, graduates must develop both mastery of subject-specific knowledge and attributes, such as critical thinking, effective communication, self-reflection, being confident, adaptable, and ethically and socially aware. Debate is used as a teaching method within the problem-based pedagogical paradigm to enhance student engagement and deeper learning. However, literature surrounding the use of debate as a pedagogy and method of teaching and assessing controversial issues is lacking. Reflecting on our practice of using debate as an assessment method to teach the contentious subject of integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning in delivering precision medicine healthcare, we argue that it aligns closely with global citizenship pedagogical frameworks. This offers a valuable method for teaching and assessing learning of contentious materials more broadly. We outline interconnections between debate, contentious materials and principles of global citizenship pedagogy. Drawing on each element of existing global citizenship frameworks, we discuss the advantages and potential challenges of using debate. Finally, we propose future directions and adaptations for addressing even more highly contentious subjects than our example. We conclude by offering key recommendations to guide educators in implementing debate effectively within their teaching practice to promote meaningful student engagement and the development of global citizenship competencies.
Keywords: assessment for learning, contentious materials, debate, Global citizenship, Problem-Based Learning, Transferable skills
Received: 15 Aug 2025; Accepted: 01 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Loveridge, Graham and Lindsay. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Carolyn Loveridge
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