Discussion Boards:Defining Your Goal

And Finding The Balance That Works For Students

Truth Time

Everyone is doing it – it must be the right thing to do.

But I hated it!

Numbers were everywhere!

I was losing my mind

Something had to give.

Back to the drawing board

I asked the question:

Are they even worth it?

I went to the source

85% thought they were at least somewhat

beneficial

And

62% said they

benefited from replyingto other students

So they ARE worth it

But what am I doing wrong?

Then it hit me

Peer Review

Class discussion

Not all discussion boards are created equal

Nor should they be!

What kinds of things do we assess using discussion boards?

But I was treating themall the same!

GRADING THEM ALL THE SAME

•Simulate classroom discussion and by doing that foster:•Communication•Class Participation•Feeling of Community•Make Class Relevant•Critical Thinking•Group Skills

What is my goal with discussion boards?

Why do we have class discussions?

Do highly structured discussion boards

really simulate classroom

discussions?

In a face to face class, would you make

everyone report on a topic and then make everyone respond to three other people’s

reports?

What would happen

if you did?

And even worse

You would get a ton of garbage

But it is how I promote community!

Isn’t it?

Again, I asked the students:

Only 19% felt any sense

Of community from graded discussion boards

BUT 53% felt it from

open discussion boards.

“They haven't helped me to understand the lessons being discussed. If anything they are a distraction. In one class I replied to every DB posted. That was very draining on me time wise and did not help me to know anyone in the class or give me the sense of community. “

What is wrong withrequiring students

to respond to a certainnumber of classmates?

Spontaneity

Enthusiasm

What happens when we have discussions in a face to face class?

You looseSpontaneity and

Enthusiasmand you cause

discomfort

What happens when you force conversations?

And even worse

You get a ton of garbage

The Big Decision

Relevant

Community

Enthusiasm

Spontaneity

How I Did It

1.Start with a specific topic

2.Add a few points for the initial post.

3.Stress the importance of wowing your audience.

4.Leave everything else up to them.

This student has never attended class

This is a guest account

They arereally

talking!

I do not make them reply

One student said “Reading the other submissions allows me to get an insight into others ideas, although I don’t necessarily want to add a point to their statements. “

Through the 4th week of the quarter12 out of 19 students participatingWorth 1 extra credit point

If you use the discussionforum to run peer reviews

or other collaborative assignments great

BUT

Keep discussions true discussions