Using the Philosophy for Children (P4C) approach to facilitate discussions in higher education classrooms: insights from educators' collaborative reflections

This article explores the role of Philosophy for Children (P4C) pedagogy in higher education tutors’ facilitation of discussion-based learning (DBL). To reflect on their use of P4C, six teacher education tutors who taught on a first-year professional learning module took part in a professional development activity. Questionnaire and group discussion data from three participants were analysed using the ‘Discipline of Noticing’ approach. Key themes in the tutors’ reflections included the social and emotional dimensions of DBL, questioning strategies, and expectations of students’ capabilities. The findings highlight the complexities of embedding high-quality DBL in higher education and demonstrate how P4C can be a powerful tool for noticing, reflecting on, and evaluating discussion facilitation strategies.