Participate in Class Discussion

Class discussions bring your study to life by connecting you with others who are exploring the same content. We believe there is no better way to engage with the study than to experience with others through deep and meaningful conversation. This guide will help you prepare for discussions, access your content during meetings, and make the most of your class experience.

Understanding Class Discussions

Class discussions happen outside the BookFellows platform—either in person or through video conferencing tools like Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams. BookFellows provides the study content and tools to prepare, but the actual conversation happens in your meeting space.

Your role in discussions:

• Share insights from your study
• Learn from others’ perspectives
• Ask questions and explore ideas together
• Deepen your understanding through conversation

Prerequisites

First you need to have an active study on your Home or Studies page. You may have selected and started the study either as a solo study or by starting a class from your Library. Alternatively, you may have responded to a study invitation to join a class.

Before the Discussion

Preparation is key to meaningful participation.

Review Your Answers

Take time to revisit what you wrote:

1. Open the lesson for discussion
2. Read through each question and your answer
3. Note which answers you want to share
4. Identify questions where you’d like others’ input
5. Flag any topics that confused you

Tips for reviewing:

• Look for insights worth sharing
• Identify questions you struggled with
• Note connections you made
• Find topics you want to explore deeper

Review Your Notes

Check your personal notes for additional insights:

1. Review your reflections and observations captured in lesson- or question-level notes
2. Note any follow-up questions you had
3. Identify reflection points or applications you want to share
4. Find cross-references worth mentioning

Remember that notes are private

Notes are always private, so you’ll need to verbally share anything you want the class to hear.

Review Shared Answers from Others

See and learn from what your classmates might have shared:

1. Look for any shared answers from other class members
2. Read through their responses
3. Note interesting perspectives
4. Identify points of agreement or difference
5. Prepare thoughtful responses or questions

Decide What to Share in the Discussion

Not everything needs to be shared aloud:

Consider sharing:

• Insights that might help others
• Questions that could spark discussion
• Personal applications (if comfortable)
• Connections you noticed
• Different perspectives

Consider keeping private:

• Very personal reflections
• Incomplete thoughts
• Details about others
• Information you’re not comfortable discussing

Make Discussion Notes

Prepare talking points for yourself:

1. Open a note-taking app on your device
2. List questions you want to ask
3. Note answers you want to share
4. Write reminders of key points
5. Keep it brief and scannable

Or use BookFellows notes:

• Add discussion reminders to your private notes
• Mark questions you want to discuss
• These stay private during the discussion

Try Using Mobile for Meetings

If you have installed BookFellows on your mobile device, it can be handy for referencing your study during discussion time with your class, particularly if the meeting is in-person.

Different devices for different things

You may find that different devices work better for different things. For example, you may find that having a real keyboard and more screen room on your laptop or desktop is better for reading text and answering questions during your personal study time. Alternatively, you may find that a mobile device is better for referring to your answers in a group discussion when you don’t want to lug your laptop around. Everyone is different, so experiment with both modes and see which works best for you. BookFellows always keeps your data current and synced across all devices.

Advantages of mobile access for class meetings:

• Portable: Easy to hold and reference
• No lugging around: Leave your laptop at home
• Less intrusive: Doesn’t create a barrier between you and others
• Convenient: Works in any seating arrangement
• Quick lookup: Find specific answers instantly

During the Discussion Session

Make the most of your discussion time.

Active Participation

Share your insights:

• Volunteer to read or share when invited
• Speak clearly and audibly
• Share honestly but appropriately
• Build on others’ comments
• Ask clarifying questions

Listen actively:

• Give full attention to speakers
• Take mental (or written) notes
• Consider different viewpoints
• Show engagement through body language
• Respect different interpretations

Take Discussion Notes

Capture insights during the conversation:

Option 1: Paper notes

• Keep a notebook handy
• Jot down key insights
• Note what others share
• Record follow-up questions
• Easier for in-person meetings

Option 2: BookFellows private notes

• Add to your private notes during discussion
• Note insights from others
• Record questions that arise
• Capture personal applications
• Syncs automatically

Option 3: Separate note app

• Use your device’s notes app
• Type insights as you go
• Organize by question number
• Transfer to BookFellows later

What to capture:

• Insights you didn’t think of
• Different perspectives from classmates
• Questions that arise
• Applications to consider
• Resources mentioned
• Prayer requests shared

Reference Specific Answers

Point to specific content when helpful:

In conversation:

• “In my answer to Question 5, I mentioned…”
• “When I was thinking about Question 2…”
• “My notes on Question 7 said…”
• “I wrote down that…”

This helps:

• Ground conversation in the study
• Give context to your sharing
• Help others follow along
• Keep discussion focused
• Reference specific questions

Ask Questions

Engage by asking thoughtful questions:

To the group:

• “What did others think about Question 4?”
• “Did anyone else struggle with that concept?”
• “How would you apply this?”
• “Can someone explain this differently?”

To individuals:

• “What did you mean when you said…?”
• “Can you say more about that?”
• “How did you arrive at that conclusion?”
• “What made that significant for you?”

To the leader:

• “Could you clarify…?”
• “What was the author’s intent here?”
• “Where does this passage fit in context?”
• “Can we spend more time on Question 6?”

After the Discussion

Follow up to deepen your learning.

Update Your Answers

Enhance your study based on discussion:

1. Return to the lesson in BookFellows
2. Read through your original answers
3. Add insights from the discussion
4. Note perspectives you heard
5. Update your thinking if it changed

You can:

• Edit existing answers to incorporate new insights
• Add to answers without deleting original thoughts
• Show growth in your understanding
• Track how discussion deepened your learning

Enhance Your Notes

Add discussion insights to your private notes:

1. Go to each question’s notes section
2. Record insights from others
3. Note unanswered questions
4. Add personal applications that emerged
5. Record prayer points or action items

Include:

• “From discussion: [insight]”
• “Someone mentioned: [point]”
• “Question to explore: [question]”
• “Application: [action]”
• Date the discussion notes

Follow Up on Questions

If questions arose during discussion:

1. Note questions that went unanswered
2. Research topics mentioned
3. Follow up with class leader or members
4. Explore additional resources
5. Add findings to your notes

Best Practices

For In-Person Discussions

Preparation:

• Arrive early to settle in
• Have any devices charged and ready
• Have printed backup if helpful
• Silence notifications

During discussion:

• Position device where you can see it easily
• Don’t let it become a barrier to conversation
• Balance screen time with eye contact
• Engage with people, not just content
• Put device down when not referencing it

Etiquette:

• Don’t scroll through other content
• Resist checking messages
• Focus on the discussion
• Use device only for study reference
• Close other apps during meeting

For Video Discussions

Setup:

• Have BookFellows open on second screen or device
• Keep video meeting on main screen
• Position yourself for good lighting
• Test audio and video before meeting
• Mute when not speaking

During discussion:

• Look at camera when speaking
• Reference your device naturally
• Don’t share your BookFellows screen (unless asked)
• Minimize distractions in background
• Stay engaged with video

Participation:

• Unmute to share
• Use video to stay connected
• Watch for visual cues from others
• Use chat for questions or links
• Avoid multitasking

For All Discussions

Be prepared:

• Complete the lesson beforehand
• Review your work before discussion
• Know what you want to share
• Have questions ready
• Bring necessary devices or materials

Be engaged:

• Participate actively
• Listen to others genuinely
• Ask thoughtful questions
• Build on others’ comments
• Respect different viewpoints

Be considerate:

• Don’t dominate conversation
• Make space for quieter members
• Stay on topic
• Respect time limits
• Honor confidentiality

Be open:

• Consider perspectives different from yours
• Admit when you don’t know something
• Be willing to change your mind
• Learn from others’ insights
• Grow through the conversation

Next Steps

Choose your path forward:

Participate in Personal Study Return to your personal study to continue through the next lesson

Share Your Answers Adjust sharing settings to control who sees your responses

Need help? Contact support at rich@bookfellows.net