TEXASTECHNOLOGY.COM

Createdebate.com, is an online tool that lets educators find debates that most interest them (or their classroom curriculum). In short, it’s a social decision-making software that was built to spur conversation and critical thinking two coveted elements to any learning environment.Educators can integrate technology into their classrooms by allowing their students to discuss and debate their thoughts and opinions on current topics of study.Currently the program offers two types of debates: the For/Against and the Perspective Debate.And if educators have a problem coming up with their own topics for debates, they can browse the over 300 pages of ideas ranging from types such as politics, travel, science, religion, world, and business with headings such as:

• Should juveniles be tried as adults?
• Do you believe that Pluto should be considered a planet?
• Do we as humans have the right to disrespect others?
• Is the Internet a letdown?
• Evolution is it a theory or a fact?
• Is life better today than it was in the early 1900s?
• Is it religion that creates wars or bad people who are blinded by religion?
• Should parents be required to have a license in order to raise a child?
• Taxation is Legalized Theft
• Can government create jobs and wealth?
• Is global warming really happening?
• The founding fathers never intended the U.S. to be a secular nation

And on and on. Now, as a caveat, we suggest that you not let students go to the site directly to come up with debate topics since there are some debates listed that some might find inappropriate for school-age children. And, as with a lot of things available online, there’s some rubbish that surrounds the entire tool.But all of that aside, it might be worth taking a look at if you are considering ways to bring technology into your classroom. We can only expect such offerings to continue to improve with time.