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Online Discussion Forums

Online Discussion Forums. Pat Anderchek Coordinator/Faculty Liaison IAR Connections 05. Welcome. Experiences & Thoughts. Tips & Reasons. Oh my/ Barriers. Our Role. During this session…. Please comment, ask, interject, question at any time!. Introduction. Your experiences,

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Online Discussion Forums

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  1. Online Discussion Forums Pat Anderchek Coordinator/Faculty Liaison IAR Connections 05

  2. Welcome Experiences& Thoughts Tips & Reasons Oh my/Barriers Our Role

  3. During this session… Please comment, ask, interject, question at any time!

  4. Introduction Your experiences, your questions

  5. Learning involves two types of interaction: interaction with the content & interpersonal interaction.

  6. Online discussion is one learning strategy to increase interpersonal interaction.

  7. We suggest that when you use discussion forums you start small and grow…

  8. Terminology Synchronous – real time – chatting, instant messaging Asynchronous - messages are left and read by others whenever they choose to log in

  9. Assumption Through discussion forums we increase communication and therefore our students: • move from passive to active learners • learn with greater meaning • move from surface to deeper learning • have a greater retention of their learning

  10. Which means… Students have an improved learning experience and enjoy greater success when we provide the opportunityfor online discussion in their courses.

  11. Advantages • Promotes virtual learning community • Interact at a distance, overcome isolation • Accommodates different schedules • Time to think before participating • Promotes critical thinking, reflection, analysis • Initial postings often sets the tone for future postings • Use skills necessary for workplace & personal lives

  12. Advantages (con’t) • Levels the playing field – reserved students • Cultural/gender/special needs implications • –more time to formulate, spell check etc. • Improves writing skills • Written account – more accurate assessment of student thinking and learning • Clearer participation grades

  13. Disadvantages • Takes time • Requires reliable access to network • Not spontaneous • Must be moderated, monitored • Requires clear expectations regarding netiquette, #of postings, quality of posting, grading • Cultural/gender/special needs implications • Misunderstanding

  14. “discussion is by its very nature unpredictable” Steven Brookfield

  15. Faculty Role • Invest time • Model effective use, therefore be comfortable and proficient with the technology • Be prompt • Set expectations for participation –netiquette, rubric • Keep discussion on track • Contribute special knowledge • Weave together various threads and/or connect to content.

  16. Faculty role (con’t) • Probe for student responses that focus on critical concepts, principles and skills & reinforce these • Maintain group tone and harmony • Become the expert questioners • Manage agenda, pace, objectives, timelines, rules • Manage flow and direction without stifling participants

  17. Faculty role (con’t) • Reward participation • Guide students towards a deeper analysis of the issues through constructive feedback • Introduce contradictions, play devil’s advocate, link to controversial sites • Provide feedback frequently • Or • assign the role of ‘moderator’

  18. Student roles • Moderator • Lurker • Participant

  19. Moderator Role • Keep discussion on track • Manage flow and direction • Weave together various threads • Develop critical thinking, reflection, and skills in analysis • Improve writing skills • Improve questioning skills • Develop leadership skills • Develop listening, summarization skills • Provides relief

  20. How • Allow students to pick their schedule for moderator role • As faculty, identify the initial discussion question/topic for the week • Reinforce effective moderator activities through comments both public and private • Self assessment of participation

  21. Types of Questions • Read and think questions • Imagine… • How did you feel about… • Consider what you have read …. & • Evaluate… • Compare • Describe a situation… • These contrasting views…. which means to you…. • Comment on classmates posts…. links

  22. Asking the right questions is almost always more important than giving the right answers.

  23. Rubric

  24. Rubric • Source: Adapted from the Davenport online Faculty Training Course • Quantity and Timely contributions (responses to other students and me) • __ (2.5) Well distributed: 5 contributions well distributed throughout wk • __ (2) Somewhat distributed: 3-5 contributions somewhat distributed throughout wk • __ (1) Not distributed: 1-5 contributions not distributed throughout wk • __ (0) None: no contributions or only minimal answers

  25. Rubric Quality of contribution and demonstration of knowledge __ (.5) Excellent - Clearly understands concepts and incorporates them in discussion Always advances discussion Always includes examples and real life applications __ (.3) Average - Understands concepts and incorporates them in discussion Often/sometimes advances discussion Often/sometimes includes examples and real life applications

  26. Rubric Quality of contribution and demonstration of knowledge __ (.1) Below Average: Not evident concepts are understood and are not incorporated in discussion Responses are copied, have little to do with concepts and doesn’t advance discussion Examples and real life applications are not included

  27. Roles

  28. Cautions • Cannot expect ongoing high level participation throughout an entire course • Cannot participate in several course discussions simultaneously • Assign grades for quality not quantity of participation • Scaffolding -familiarize learners with the tools

  29. Cautions (con’t) • Don’t take on more than you can handle • Always going to class • Requires time to provide: clear expectations, good models & examples, recognition/reinforcement and develop questions

  30. Structure ? • Number of conference spaces • - difficult to follow discussion threads if only one conference • Areas each with a specific focus • Large groups • Smaller groups • Social area • Group working areas

  31. Discussion Q. and A. Case Study Welcome Submission Solid Pedagogy Think of your course conference areaas the trunk of a tree. The discussion areas are the branches.

  32. Conclusion Learning Technology Provides: Opportunity & Introduces a new freedom to learning!

  33. Questions? ________________________ ________________________

  34. Lets go…

  35. Sites/References http://www.atl.ualberta.ca/dleweb/ http://www.emoderators.com/moderators.shtml http://www.emoderators.com/moderators/muilenburg.html http://www.ion.illinois.edu/IONresources/discquest/dq3.html http://home.nas.net/~galambos/ http://node.on.ca/ http://www.schoolcandy.net/manual_d.pdf

  36. Sites/References • Bedard-Voorhees, A., Increasing Engagement for Online and Face-To-Face learners through Online Discussion Practices • League for Innovation in the Community College, 2005 • Boettcher, J.V, Conrad, R., Faculty Guide for Moving Teaching and Learning To the Web League for Innovation in the Community College, 2005 • Schweizer,H., Designing and Teaching an On-line, Pearson Education Company, 1999

  37. ________________________ Presentation Content & Construction Pat Anderchek ________________________

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