Hockett, J. (2017). ASCD Express 13.01 – Empathy Through Academic Inquiry: A “Controversial” Approach. [online] Ascd.org.

The ability to empathize is innately human, but that doesn’t mean it comes easily to all students in all situations. Associated behaviors—like listening without judging, acknowledging without agreeing, questioning without interrogating, and even attending without interrupting—are skills that take time and practice to develop. Structured academic controversy (SAC), developed by cooperative learning experts David and Roger Johnson, is one practical strategy that rises to the challenge of teaching empathy within academic inquiry.