Course Discussion
Class discussions are one of the most popular activities in online courses. However without careful planning, they can bore students and be viewed a "busy" work rather than meaningful learning experiences.
Forums can range from free-flow sharing of ideas to highly structured activities. However it's important to identify the specific purpose of the discussion and design assignments and assessment that reflect this need. To accomplish the course goals, it's also necessary for the instructor to carefully monitor and manage the discussions.
The Cs of Discussions
Be sure that your discussions are part of the larger learning experience. Consider the C's of Discussions:
- Community. Set up a positive atmosphere for discussion. Encourage risk-taking, value multiple perspectives, and promote peer feedback and support.
- Content. Provide a shared experience such as a chapter, article, video, photo, scenario, or other materials to serve as background information. Encourage students to cite sources and provide examples rather than simply offering opinions.
- Context. Present students with a problem, situation, or scenario for the discussion. You might cite the shared experience and present a question or dilemma.
- Create and Contribute. Rather than simply posting a comment, ask students to create something that will extend the discussion. They may share an example, provide a critique, or pose a solution.
- Collaborate, Conflict and Compromise. After making an initial contribution, ask students to take action based on the ideas generated in the discussion. They might collaborate, address a conflict or reach a compromise.
- Culminate. Bring all the ideas together in a final statement of conclusion.
Read the following pages to learn about integrating discussions into your online course: