Module 4 Discussion Tips & Tricks: The Role of Discussion in Online Learning

Discussion Tips

Starting a Discussion

ALL posts to a forum start as a reply to the prompt in the instructions.

Take the Questions? Problems? forum for example, where there may be multiple entries on different topics; however, each top level entry started as a reply to the general prompt, If you have questions as you work through the course, ask them in the Questions? Problems? forum.

Editing Discussion Settings

You choose if students can attach a file to a discussion post by clicking Edit Discussion Settings (gear icon) on the Discussions page or by going to Settings > Edit Course Details > More Options. See how on this page.

Embedding Images into a Discussion

For students to embed an image into a post they must first upload that file to their personal files by clicking on the Settings link in the top right corner of the screen.

When they go to the course forum and click the image icon in the Rich Content Editor they will have the option to embed images from their personal files.
They can also embed images saved to image hosting services, like Flickr or Picasa.
Students can always attach rather than embed if you have enabled this feature.

Additional Discussion Settings

Prevent students from deleting or editing a post at a later date by going to Settings > Edit Course Details > More Options, or by clicking Edit Discussion Settings (gear icon) on the Discussions page.

Grading Discussions

For graded discussions with two due dates, like one for an initial post and another for replies, set the due date for the initial post to be the date it should be posted, then in the discussion description leave a note as to when comments (i.e., follow-up replies) to that discussion will be closed. When the date of the close comment arrives, manually do so via the settings for that specific forum. It may also be helpful to students to create a calendar event indicating when comments will be closed for that discussion.

Discussion Best Practices

Social presence is an important component of learning. The online discussion provides a platform for student interaction and reflection. Posting a question to which students can reflect and respond may facilitate conversation. Adding structure to an online discussion promotes deeper thought and increased participation. Consider the following tips when designing discussion prompts.

Designing Discussion Prompts

Discussion prompts should be open-ended and designed to provoke a number of different responses. Typically, the prompt should not have one correct answer or a simple yes/no.
Give students the opportunity to search for information and share resources with each other. Require cited information for best results.
Discussion prompts can be directed to the whole class or set up for small group discussions.
Consider using a video, audio, or image prompt rather than text.
Video response is a good way for students to introduce themselves, especially in a fully online course. It gets cumbersome when conversations have multiple responses. Videos promote engagement and can be limited to instructor video feedback - online course personal touch. Use required video responses wisely and sparingly.

Guiding Students

Encourage students to treat each other with respect and carefully read responses before hitting the submit button. Arguments should be based on the topic and never with hostility toward the individual.
Provide due dates for students to post an initial response and a later date for them to respond to classmate posts.
Students will often respond with “great idea” or “I agree completely” then simply restate what was posted in the initial response. Make it clear this is not an acceptable response.
Direct students to pose a question at the end of their initial response to give others something to which they can reflect and respond. This helps keep the conversation going and keeps students thinking. The question can be wondering, about the content or a prompt to encourage debate.
You may choose to assign points to a discussion to promote thoughtful feedback. Since discussions often provide the chance for students to share opinions, it may not make sense to grade the content of the response. Rather, consider using a discussion rubric or checklist that assigns points based on the level of student participation. (See below)

Sample Rubric for Discussion Posts

CATEGORY	2 points	1 point	0 points
Relevance to Topic	Response to relevant to the topic and reflects a solid understanding of the concept.	Response is partially relevant and/or reflects a vague understanding of the concept.	Response is not relevant or not detailed enough to determine the student's understanding of the concept.
Respect and Respond	Responds to the required number of classmates' posts (or more) in a respectful manner.	Responds to the required number of classmates' posts, but lacks respect.	Does not respond to the required number of classmates or makes disrespectful comments. or only posts virtual high fives (e.g. I agree, Way to go, Awesome, etc)
Quality of Responses	Responses to classmates are thorough, thoughtful, and facilitate further discussion.	Responses to classmates are thoughtful but do not facilitate further discussion.	Responses to classmates are terse, abrupt, or virtual high fives (e.g. I agree, Way to go, Awesome, etc.)
Conventions	Response is grammatically correct. Punctuation and capitalization are correct. There are no noticeable mechanical errors. Body of response indicates student proofread response prior to submitting it.	Mechanical errors are minor and inconsistent. Response indicates student proofread response in a hurry.	Mechanical errors are consistent. Body of response indicates student did not proofread response prior to submitting it.
Timely Response	Responses were posted early in order to allow time for others to respond.	At least one response was posted by the due date.	No responses were posted by the due date.