Discussion: experience your students by the words they express
Discussion boards can encourage conversation outside the classroom walls. Here are some tips to use this tool across disciplines.
- Post pictures, videos, and/or audio of students to build community in the LMS
- Set rules and standards for good netiquette before the first post, or have the students develop these guidelines
- Ask questions focused on knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation
- Require students to provide substantial posts backed up with class information, readings, and references or resources
- Post an example of a stellar response
- Alternate postings by assigning students to respond every other week; or summarize discussion points in the forum
- Incorporate external website links to maintain current discussions
- Summarize the important points in the discussion boards weekly as announcements
- Assign groups a different course topic to explore; post in the main discussion area for review and comment
- Assign discussion groups to create a product such as: a quiz for the class, write a response to an author, compose a critique of a reading, brainstorm a topic, create a journal article review, compare and contrast an issue, reinforce procedures, or post products in the main discussion area for review and comment
Learn more
If you’re interested in learning more about blended, flipped or online courses, contact Teaching and Learning Technologies at 336.278.5006 or tlt@elon.edu to schedule a consultation.
Image via Flikr User Evgeny Pavlov / CC BY-SA 2.0
Follow
Comments are closed.