Online Online Discussion Discussion

ForumsForums

Pat AnderchekPat Anderchek

Coordinator/Faculty Liaison Coordinator/Faculty Liaison

IARIAR

Connections 05Connections 05

Welcome Welcome

Tips & Reasons Oh my/

BarriersOur Role

Experiences& Thoughts

Please comment, ask, Please comment, ask, interject, question at any interject, question at any

time!time!

During this session…During this session…

Your experiences, Your experiences, your questionsyour questions

Introduction Introduction

Learning involves Learning involves two types of two types of interaction:interaction:

interaction with the interaction with the content & content &

interpersonal interpersonal interaction.interaction.

Online discussion is Online discussion is one learning strategy one learning strategy

to increase to increase interpersonal interpersonal interaction.interaction.

We suggest that when We suggest that when you you

use discussion forums use discussion forums

you start small you start small and grow…and grow…

AsynchronousAsynchronous - messages are left and - messages are left and read by others whenever they choose read by others whenever they choose to log into log in

SynchronousSynchronous – real time – real time – chatting, – chatting, instant messaginginstant messaging

Terminology Terminology

Assumption Assumption

Through discussion forums Through discussion forums we increase communication we increase communication and therefore our students: and therefore our students:

• move from passive to active move from passive to active learnerslearners

• learn with greater meaninglearn with greater meaning• move from surface to deeper move from surface to deeper

learninglearning• have a greater retention of their have a greater retention of their

learninglearning

Which means…Which means…

Students have Students have an improved learning experience an improved learning experience

and enjoy greater successand enjoy greater successwhen we provide the opportunitywhen we provide the opportunity

for online discussion for online discussion in their courses.in their courses.

Advantages Advantages

• Promotes virtual learning communityPromotes virtual learning community• Interact at a distance, overcome Interact at a distance, overcome

isolationisolation• Accommodates different schedulesAccommodates different schedules • Time to think before participating Time to think before participating • Promotes critical thinking, reflection, Promotes critical thinking, reflection,

analysisanalysis• Initial postings often sets the tone for Initial postings often sets the tone for

future postingsfuture postings• Use skills necessary for workplace & Use skills necessary for workplace &

personal livespersonal lives

Advantages Advantages (con’t) (con’t)

• Levels the playing field – reserved Levels the playing field – reserved studentsstudents

• Cultural/gender/special needs Cultural/gender/special needs implicationsimplications – –more time to formulate, spell check more time to formulate, spell check etc.etc.

• Improves writing skillsImproves writing skills• Written account – more accurate Written account – more accurate

assessment of student thinking and assessment of student thinking and learninglearning

• Clearer participation grades Clearer participation grades

Disadvantages Disadvantages

• Takes timeTakes time• Requires reliable access to networkRequires reliable access to network• Not spontaneousNot spontaneous• Must be moderated, monitoredMust be moderated, monitored• Requires clear expectations regarding Requires clear expectations regarding netiquette, #of postings, quality of netiquette, #of postings, quality of posting, gradingposting, grading• Cultural/gender/special needs Cultural/gender/special needs implicationsimplications• MisunderstandingMisunderstanding

““discussion is by its discussion is by its very nature very nature

unpredictable”unpredictable”Steven BrookfieldSteven Brookfield

• Invest time Invest time • Model effective use, therefore be Model effective use, therefore be

comfortable and proficient with the comfortable and proficient with the technologytechnology

• Be promptBe prompt• Set expectations for participation –Set expectations for participation –

netiquette, rubricnetiquette, rubric• Keep discussion on trackKeep discussion on track• Contribute special knowledgeContribute special knowledge• Weave together various threads and/or Weave together various threads and/or

connect to content.connect to content.

Faculty Role Faculty Role

• Probe for student responses that focus Probe for student responses that focus on critical concepts, principles and skills on critical concepts, principles and skills & reinforce these& reinforce these

• Maintain group tone and harmonyMaintain group tone and harmony• Become the expert questioners Become the expert questioners • Manage agenda, pace, objectives, Manage agenda, pace, objectives,

timelines, rulestimelines, rules• Manage flow and direction without Manage flow and direction without

stifling participantsstifling participants

Faculty role Faculty role (con’t) (con’t)

• Reward participationReward participation• Guide students towards a deeper Guide students towards a deeper

analysis of the issues through analysis of the issues through constructive feedbackconstructive feedback

• Introduce contradictions, play devil’s Introduce contradictions, play devil’s advocate, link to controversial sitesadvocate, link to controversial sites

• Provide feedback frequentlyProvide feedback frequently

Or Or

assign the role of ‘moderator’assign the role of ‘moderator’

Faculty role Faculty role (con’t) (con’t)

• Moderator Moderator

• Lurker Lurker

• Participant Participant

Student roles Student roles

• Keep discussion on trackKeep discussion on track• Manage flow and directionManage flow and direction• Weave together various threads Weave together various threads • Develop critical thinking, reflection, and Develop critical thinking, reflection, and

skills in analysisskills in analysis• Improve writing skillsImprove writing skills• Improve questioning skillsImprove questioning skills• Develop leadership skillsDevelop leadership skills• Develop listening, summarization skills Develop listening, summarization skills • Provides relief Provides relief

Moderator Role Moderator Role

• Allow students to pick their schedule for Allow students to pick their schedule for moderator rolemoderator role

• As faculty, identify the initial discussion As faculty, identify the initial discussion question/topic for the weekquestion/topic for the week

• Reinforce effective moderator activities Reinforce effective moderator activities through comments both public and through comments both public and privateprivate

• Self assessment of participationSelf assessment of participation

How How

Read and think questionsRead and think questions

• Imagine…Imagine…• How did you feel about…How did you feel about…• Consider what you have read …. &Consider what you have read …. &• Evaluate…Evaluate…• CompareCompare• Describe a situation…Describe a situation…• These contrasting views…. which These contrasting views…. which means to you….means to you….• Comment on classmates posts…. linksComment on classmates posts…. links

Types of QuestionsTypes of Questions

Asking the right Asking the right questions is almost questions is almost

always more important always more important than giving the right than giving the right

answers.answers.

RubricRubric

RubricRubricSource: Adapted from the Davenport online Faculty Training Course

Quantity and Timely contributions (responses to other students and me) __ (2.5) Well distributed: 5 contributions well distributed

throughout wk__ (2) Somewhat distributed: 3-5 contributions somewhat distributed throughout wk__ (1) Not distributed: 1-5 contributions not distributed

throughout wk__ (0) None: no contributions or only minimal answers

RubricRubric

Quality of contribution and demonstration of knowledge

__ (.5) Excellent - Clearly understands concepts and incorporates them in

discussionAlways advances discussionAlways includes examples and real life applications

__ (.3) Average - Understands concepts and incorporates them in discussionOften/sometimes advances discussionOften/sometimes includes examples and real life

applications

RubricRubric

Quality of contribution and demonstration of knowledge

__ (.1) Below Average: Not evident concepts are understood and are not

incorporated in discussion Responses are copied, have little to do with concepts and

doesn’t advance discussion Examples and real life applications are not included

RolesRoles

• Cannot expect ongoing high level Cannot expect ongoing high level participation throughout an entire participation throughout an entire coursecourse

• Cannot participate in several course Cannot participate in several course discussions simultaneouslydiscussions simultaneously

• Assign grades for quality not Assign grades for quality not quantity of participationquantity of participation

• Scaffolding -familiarize learners with Scaffolding -familiarize learners with the toolsthe tools

CautionsCautions

• Don’t take on more than you can Don’t take on more than you can handlehandle

• Always going to classAlways going to class• Requires time to provide: cRequires time to provide: clear lear

expectations, good models & expectations, good models & examples, examples, recognition/reinforcement and recognition/reinforcement and develop questionsdevelop questions

Cautions Cautions (con’t) (con’t)

• Number of conference spacesNumber of conference spaces -- difficult to follow discussion threads if only difficult to follow discussion threads if only

one one conferenceconference

• Areas each with a specific focusAreas each with a specific focus• Large groupsLarge groups• Smaller groupsSmaller groups• Social areaSocial area• Group working areas Group working areas

Structure ?Structure ?

Think of your course conference Think of your course conference areaarea

as the trunk of a tree.as the trunk of a tree.The discussion areas are the The discussion areas are the

branches.branches.

WelcomeWelcome SubmissionSubmission

Q. and A.Q. and A.

DiscussionDiscussion

Case StudyCase Study

SolidSolidPedagogyPedagogy

OpportunityOpportunity&&

Introduces a new freedom to Introduces a new freedom to learning!learning!

ConclusionConclusion

Learning Technology Provides:Learning Technology Provides:

Questions?Questions?________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lets go…Lets go…

Sites/ReferencesSites/References

http://www.atl.ualberta.ca/dleweb/

http://www.emoderators.com/moderators.shtml

http://www.emoderators.com/moderators/muilenburg.html

http://www.ion.illinois.edu/IONresources/discquest/dq3.html

http://home.nas.net/~galambos/

http://node.on.ca/

http://www.schoolcandy.net/manual_d.pdf

Sites/ReferencesSites/References•Bedard-Voorhees, A., Increasing Engagement for Online and Face-To-Face learners through Online Discussion Practices League for Innovation in the Community College, 2005

• Boettcher, J.V, Conrad, R., Faculty Guide for Moving Teaching and Learning To the Web League for Innovation in the Community College, 2005

•Schweizer,H., Designing and Teaching an On-line, Pearson Education Company, 1999

Presentation Content Presentation Content & Construction & Construction

Pat AnderchekPat Anderchek________________________________________________________________________________________________

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