Guidelines for Online Discussions

Online students are expected to actively participate in weekly discussions. The goal is to help the students explore concepts, share ideas, raise questions, and collectively arrive at a deeper and more meaningful insights.  The following sections provide guidelines on how you can make the most of your experience of participating in online discussions. 

General Guidelines 

1. Start off by thoroughly reading the discussion prompts. Does the prompt ask you to read or view a reference before responding? What specific questions does it ask you to respond to? Are there requirements in terms of length of the post, number of response posts, due dates, references, etc., 

2. In each post, share your perspective, references, examples, questions and insights.  Remember, the goal is to collectively build on a body of knowledge. So raising questions should be an important component of discussions. 

3. Be prepared for someone to challenge your ideas.  Also be aware that someone may post a viewpoint that is diagrammatically different from yours. The goal of the discussions is to explore multiple points of view and learn - not always to arrive at a shared conclusion. 

4. While everyone may not agree, we all  have to accept the fact that there may be more than one perspective. Discussions can give us a wonderful experience for building and supporting an argument as well as trying to understand someone else's perspective.  

5. Always be professional in your communication. Read and re-read your posts  before submitting them. Never type in all caps, or all bold letters. These can communicate aggression.  Never use profanity or words that could be construed as slurs. Use gender-neutral references. For example, do not assume that all doctors are male.  

6. Make sure you use correct grammar and spelling, and sentence construction.  These can go a long way in contributing to your image as a professional while helping you with clear and unambiguous communication. 

7. It is a good idea to compose the response using a Word-processing tool (such as Microsoft Word). You can then copy and paste the text into the discussion box.  Do not upload a Word or PDF file to post to a discussion. 

Participating in the Discussions

Each week, you will be asked to make a minimum of three posts (one initial; two responses) to each discussion forum. Here is a suggestion about how to schedule your time each week:

1. Read the discussion prompts first at the start of the week (or earlier). Use the information to study, research, and gather resources on the topic of the discussion.

2. Submit the initial post as soon as you are ready (and certainly before the due date). Make sure you address all of the requirements in the discussion prompt (length, research, references, questions, etc.,). Typically, the initial post should be between 200 - 300 words.  

3. Over the next couple of days, read the posts submitted by your classmates. Select the posts to which you would like to respond. The response post should raise further questions, provide relevant resources, respectfully present counter-arguments, answer questions raised in the post, and so on.  Response posts are typically between 75 and 150 words. 

4. Before the end of the week, read responses to your posts (initial and response) and submit a summary response to questions, comments, and resources that have been shared with you. It is always a good idea to thank the person for taking the time to read your post. 

5. You can post to the discussion by following these steps: 

   1. Click on the discussion heading to access it. 

   2. Click on "New Thread".  See if the prompt for the discussion requires you to enter a specific content in the Subject field.  If not, enter an appropriate subject. 

   3. Enter the post in the area marked as Message. 

   4. It is best to enter the content directly into the Message field (instead of just attaching a file).   

   5. Use the formatting options to make the post readable and aesthetically pleasing. 

   6. Finally, click on Submit. 

   7. Read the post you have just submitted and edit it if you notice errors in it. 

6. To respond to a post follow these steps: 

   1. Click on the post and read the contents. 

   2. Click on Reply. 

   3. Enter your response in the field marked as Message. 

   4. Click on Submit. 

How are Discussions Graded? 

The following criteria will be used to grade student participation in the discussions:

1. Initial post (50%) 

Posted on time and to required length.  Addresses the topic of the discussion. Provides personal insights, thoughtful reflection, supporting examples and references. References are listed in the required style.  Tone is professional. 

2. Response post (30%)

Responds to 2 or more classmates' posts. Responses provide additional insights and/or raise questions that require reflection. Shares multiple points of view.  References are listed in the required style. Tone is professional. 

3. Summary post (10%)

Provides meaningful summary and response. Demonstrates reflection and further analysis. Supports statements with citations and references. 

4. Grammar and mechanics (10%)

No spelling or grammatical errors.  Clearly and succinctly expressed thoughts.

Good Examples  of Initial and Response Posts 

Initial Post 

Dr. Mazur’s (2014) conclusion about teaching and learning is supported using multicomponents of the assessment method for online courses (Kaulbach and Nowakowski, 2014). Dr. Mazur transitioned from using the strategy of traditional lecture which promotes rote learning and traditional tests/ exams. Instead, he focused on using active learning components by means of peers instruction, case based drills, and focused more on understanding the information versus memorizing the information. He involved a mixture of learning theories including behaviorism (drill and practice activities of the classroom), cognitivism (review textbook readings and assigned videos before class) and constructivism (interactive learning) based on the information presented by Schwer and Lewis (2013). I agree with Dr. Mazur as I actually learned a lot more in my online classrooms because my professors utilized more interactive assignments in the classroom and promoted readings and video watching independently with very little lectures. When we engaged in face to face time with our professors it was to actually participate in drills and practice of skills. I remember telling myself that if I ever become a professor and/or internship supervisor this is the role I would model with students.

This Fall I am teaching two different courses. One course is online and the other will be a blend of online and face to face. For both courses, I envision my first week as a time to build rapport with each student and to familiarize them with the manner in which the online classroom would function. For the face to face course, we would have some bonding and introductory activities in person as well. For face to face, we would practice one relaxation exercise and one icebreaker. For online, we can discuss a relaxation exercise and an icebreaker that can be used with children and adolescents. For both courses, I would include an introduction online to discuss one’s interests and expectations of the course. For the online course, I would involve a week one project discussing myths and facts about human growth and development. In this manner, I would have an understanding of my students’ expectations and their needs. Actually, this classroom is definitely promoting some exciting plans as I start developing my courses for the Fall.

References

Kaulbach, M., & Nowakowski, J. (2014). Effective Assessments in Online Courses. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1eSbJ9wC2s

Mazur, E. (2014). Peer instruction for Active Learning. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9orbxoRofI

 Schwer, M., and Lewis, J. (2013). Learning Theory and Online Course Design. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VbdZFdrXeA

Response Post 

I agree that Dr. Mazur's approach is not necessarily new, but is increasingly promoted  in more disciplines to create an effective learning environment for students. In academia, the multi-sensory approach you pointed out - working through developing a position and preparing a presentation based on one's position, may prove to be effective for students since it promotes active learning strategies. As this course has recommended, will you also be using journals and blogs to further support how students are processing their experience?