Tips for Developing and Enhancing Discussions Activities

The Discussion tool is an excellent way to employ Chickering and Gamson's Seven Principles for Good Practice in your online classroom. With their Seven Principles as inspiration, well-designed online discussions can:

1. Encourage Student-Faculty Contact

2. Encourage Cooperation (and communication) Among Students

3. Encourage Active Learning

4. Encourage Prompt Feedback

5. Emphasize Time on Task

6. Communicate High Expectations

7. Respect Diverse Talents and Ways of Learning

We recommend that you consider integrating discussion activities with other classroom learning experiences wherever possible. If students see classroom discussion as an optional "add on" to their normal activities, participation is likely to be low. Note: This means allocating sufficient teaching time to the discussion activities.

Here are some tips for developing and enhancing discussion activities:

Discussion as a Part of Classroom Life from the Beginning

Plan to teach and support students in using the Discussion tool. Build in opportunities in the first week or two of the course for students to master the tool. Have simple introductory activities that provide opportunities for the students to develop and practice the skills involved in reading and posting messages to the appropriate topic(s). One suggestion might be to have students introduce themselves to the rest of the class.

Make the expectations of discussion participation clear and explicit to students. Consider:

• students' expected time commitment;

• rules and guidelines for participation in discussion (rubric, netiquette, etc.);

• and your proposed role and time commitment.

Structure your Discussion Activities

Use the Topics structure to set up your teaching. Topics can be based on specific content themes/areas, modules, weekly timetable, as well as more general themes/topics — such as Introduction/Guidelines, Questions and Answers, Course Feedback, Assessment/assignment Discussion, or How to Use the Discussion Board.

Make your Discussion Interesting

Plan for discussion questions that will require thoughtful postings - i.e., questions that

• have some complexity, ambiguity, or numerous possible perspectives;

• are engaging and meaningful to students;

• and are well-matched to the unit's learning outcomes and assessment.

Examples include posting thoughts on a reading (e.g., journal article), poem, case study, or situational problem.

You want to avoid asking students to respond to a "known answer" essay-like question. This kind of question typically doesn't generate the desired varied student responses and tends to discourage student interaction.

Require and Grade Participation

Give involvement in discussion real value — either include participation as part of the overall assessment plan for the course, directly assess the products of discussion, or have clear demonstrable links to assessment tasks. One way to accomplish this is by including a Discussion Rubric in your course syllabus, like the example below, that details expectations regarding the quality and quantity of student discussion postings.

Online Discussion Rubric: How Your Discussion Posts Are Evaluated

Comment Quantity and Timeliness

22-25 Points

More than two comments posted on at least two different days. All comments on time.

15-21 points:

Two comments posted on at least two different days. All comments on time.

8-14 Points

Two comments made on only one day. Comments on time.

1-7 Points

One comment posted.

0 Points

No comments submitted.

Comment Reflects Unit Reading Content

22-25 points:

Excellent discussion of reading. Multiple examples and ideas submitted.

15-21 points:

Good discussion of reading. Some examples and ideas submitted.

8-14 points:

Discussion addresses reading, but doesn't go into any great detail.

1-7 points:

Comment fails to address the reading.

0 points:

No comments submitted.

Comment Quality

22-25 points:

Comment addresses all aspects of the discussion and demonstrates careful preparation.

15-21 points:

Comment addresses all aspects of the discussion.

8-14 points:

Comment addresses part of the discussion or assigned readings.

1-7 points:

Comment fails to address discussion.

Assigned reading not mentioned.

0 points:

No comment submitted.

Model Participation

While you shouldn't dominate the discussion, neither should you be absent from it. Frequently monitor the discussion for appropriateness of the discussion and adherence to the topic. You will want to keep the discussion going if it lags, guide it when strays off-topic, and refrain from providing the "official answer" to the topic that can negate further discussion.

Close or Lock the Discussion Topic

While you want to make sure your schedule of work includes enough time to allow for full and thoughtful participation (one to two weeks should be adequate), you will also want to include a formal conclusion to the discussion topic. This tactic, for example, will prevent students from posting their Week 1 topic questions and discussion in Week 16. Before officially closing or locking the topic, consider providing the students with your summary review of the topic discussion. Your summary (What you should have learned..." review will assist the students in framing the topic as it relates to the course objectives and will model your expectations for the future topics.

Online Resource

If You Build It, They Will Come: Building Learning Communities Through Threaded Discussions by Susan Edelstein and Jason Edwards. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, Volume V, Number I, Spring 2002.