Discussion Board

Proposed Solution #3

Example #1 - FreeForums: http://ed6620community.freeforums.net/

Example #2 - Google Groups: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/f2l-edtech

Discussion boards encourage interaction and they allow for in-depth exploration and examination of a particular tool or resource. The creation of resource or category-specific threads is also a bonus. Unfortunately, threads can quickly become unwieldy and it can sometimes be hard to navigate to pertinent information without a robust search function. Discussion boards also require administrator oversight to deter abusive behaviours.

Advantages

Free
Search tool is very thorough
Allows for discussion
Allows for some attachments to messages
Users do not require an account to post to freeforums boards
Administrator can organize information according to multiple categories
Admin have a lot of control, can make other, trusted users managers/admin to help with maintenance and monitoring
Everything is on one page. No need to travel around the Internet and have ten different tabs open.
Users can easily browse other products within the categories created by the administrator.

Disadvantages

Boards require frequent maintenance and supervision.This is very time-consuming
A lack of vetting on freeforums means that users might post inappropriate material with no accountability
Limit on size/number of attachments
Discussion threads can grow very large very quickly. This can make them hard to navigate in time
Freeforums interface is plain and unappealing
Questions of information privacy and security
Users will need to create and remember another username and password.
Adding more options costs money. Who pays for it? How?
Best accessed through a tablet or a computer. Not so easily done on a smartphone.

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