Defining Asynchronous Discussion Design And Facilitation Practices In Brightspace

Brightspace Minnesota Connection

Defining asynchronous discussion design and facilitation practices in Brightspace

Kevin ForgardSenior Instructional DesignerUW Colleges Online

@kforgard [email protected]

April 15, 2016

Session Objectives

Unpack the framework

Brightspacediscussion designs

”Real Life” Example (Calc. I)

Establish discussion design principles Establish ideas based on principles Worked example

Forgard (2016) -‐ not final draft

Driving Questions• What sort of learning is occurring in discussions?• What is the level of engagement?• How are learners motivated within discussions?• How well do discussions align with learning objectives?


“Discussions” = “asynchronous discussions”/ “online discussions”Image credit: Christian Mehlführer, User:Chmehl

A question for the group

What is the typical overarching goal with online discussions:A: Build a communityB: Learning assessmentC: Lerner feedback opportunityD: Group work facilitationE: Check learner comprehension F: Place for learners to do analysis work

Image credit: Flickr cesar bojorquez


How would you like to improve online discussions?

A: Enhance student engagement B: Design better discussion promptsC: Utilize more group discussionsD: Motivate students participation

A question for the group



Are online discussions really discussion?


”A group of people addressing a question in common, speaking and listening to one another.” (Dillon, 1994 in Becker, 2016)

Image credit: Man Scared Face Reference by Ahtibat CC 3.0

Online discussions ARE NOT FACE-TO-FACE DISCUSSIONS


Computer based interactions…mostly text

Dear computer (who I assume is a student in this course)…

1001100101001

Dear classmate (who I assume is not a computer), In response to your post…

Becker (2016) labels this as “sped-‐up correspondence”

Defining asynchronous discussions: Select literature review

• Productive Online Discussion Model (Gao, Wang & Sun, 2009)

• Interaction Analysis Model (Gunawarden, Lowe, and Anderson, 1997)• Community of Inquiry (Garrison & Arbough, 2007)


Teaching and Learning Design Intention

What is the main purpose of online discussions?A: Check to see if students did readings or completed homeworkB: Build communityC: Engage students with course materialsD: Assessment of student knowledgeE: Something for students to do to be active in the courseF: Learning support


Yes, it’s a repeat of the earlier question.Forgard (2016) -‐ not final draft

Purpose and Intent Use

Is there a tension between intent and use?

Are discussion designs actually focused on learning?

Online Discussions

Image credit: Daraia Cybulska (WMUK) Image credit: Thegreenj


Answer the following question:What are the three issues surrounding the use of emerging technologies in distance education course delivery?

Must post at least 300 wordsMust respond to two other students

What is the intent here?

Example Discussion Prompt


Learning Outcome

Grade on Frequency

Do the design and intent align?

Assessment Design Considerations• Grading rubric• Course participation grade• Cognitive task assessment (e.g. quantitative literacy)

How deep is the discussion?

Online Discussions


A few principles of online discussion design and delivery

Gao & Puttman (2009); Gao, et. al. (2013)Forgard (2016) -‐ not final draft


Discussion as social engagement

Discussions should foster the building of an online learning community



• What social dynamics are taking place in an online discussion?

• How do we or our students listen in an online learning environment?

• How do we provide feedback and support as a community member?


Icebreaker Discussion• Who are you?• Why do you study this?• What is your goal?• What will you do with this information?• How do you study?• Share a picture of your study space:




Discussion as knowledge construction

Discussions should engage learners through social

interaction in negotiating meaning and building shared

understanding.


Discussion as knowledge constructionInteraction Analysis Model (Phases)

Phase I Share and compare informationPhase II Discover and explore dissonance or inconsistencies among ideasPhase III Negotiate meaningPhase IVTest and modify proposed synthesis or co-constructionPhase VAgreement statements/application of newly constructed meaning

Gunawarden et. al., (1997) in Lucas et. al. (2014)Forgard (2016) -‐ not final draft

The fact that few discussions go beyond Phase I may be related to the learning design and/or facilitation strategies employed by moderators. Lucas et. al. , p. 579 (2014)


Discussion as knowledge constructionWhat can we do to enhance student interactions and move beyond the “sharing information” phase?

A: Enhance gradeB: Provide more feedbackC: Model behaviorD: Highlight “good” discussions (rating system?)E: Redesign discussion questionsF: Scaffold the designG: Define guidelines


Discussion as knowledge construction: Some practices

• Model discussion behavior during orientation or in first few discussions• Provide clear guidelines on helping students prepare responses• Assign role-play discussions• Use case study discussions• Student-led discussions with role assignments • Group discussion assignments• State specific engagement expectations and guidelines: facilitation,

rubric, protocols (length of post, citations, etc.)



Discussion to enhance cognitive processes

Discussions should focus on guiding learners to utilize knowledge by assisting in developing organizational

strategies and applying knowledge to solving problems


Discussion to enhance cognitive processesSome practices

• Use pre-defined discussion post labels• Incorporate an advanced organizer or mind-map into discussion activity• Guide students to move beyond the exploration phase• Activate student’s prior knowledge• Integrate meta-cognitive skill development in discussion• Explore your interactions in helping students build cognitive tools

uWhat’s your role in discussions?uHow purposeful are your interactions?


Online discussion design and deliveryProductive Online Discussion Model

Gao, et. al. (2009); Gao, et. al. (2013)

• Elaborate and clarify• Make connections to prior knowledge, experience, and other ideas

Discuss to comprehend

• Examine each other’s view to build new ideas• Challenge differing views of classmates and materialsDiscuss to critique

• Negotiate meaning to refine and revise thinking• Raise questions, compare and contrast views

Discuss to construct knowledge

• Encourage support of thinking• Synthesize discussions and ask further questionsDiscuss to share

Image credit: Flickr Debbie RamoneForgard (2016) -‐ not final draft

Constrained: “Pre-structured form…that guides learners to participate in a discussion in certain ways” (Gao, p. 3, 2014)

Using note starters

May also constrain through conditional release:- Must post first- Moderated discussion posts- Complete another task prior to discussion


Visualized environment: Visual element prompts the discussion

Using a 3rd party tool to create visualMay also be documents in several discussion forums.Code topics by colorHave students code or tag discussions


Anchored Environment: Artifact-centered

Linked from Films on Demand

Add media to center discussionLeaners may share imagesMay be a file to review



Constrained: Example from a Calculus Course





Consider Brightspace Discussion SettingsPost first and moderated

Rating system

Conditional Release

Further Contextual Factors

• Space and time are not an issue in asynchronous environment• Conversations sometimes continue beyond assignment time• Text-based communications needs a body-language element• Threaded discussions are sometimes overly constraining• Be creative in utilizing other technologies to enhance discussions• Offer choices for discussion work• Scaffold design and assessment (build to high-level discussion

output)

Image credit: Flickr Amit Chattopadhyay

Community + social collaboration + cognitive supportForgard (2016) -‐ not final draft

THANK YOU!

Defining asynchronous discussion design and facilitation practices in Brightspace

Kevin ForgardSenior Instructional DesignerUW Colleges Online

@kforgard [email protected]

Reference ListBender, T. (2012). Discussion-‐Based Online Teaching to Enhance Student Learning (2nd Edition). Sterling, Va : Stylus Publishing.

Clarke, L. W., & Barholomew, A. (2014). Digging beneath the surface: Analyzing the complexity of instructors’ participation in asynchronous discussion. Online Learning, 18(3), 1-‐21.

Garrison, R. D., & Arbaugh, J. B. (2007). Researching the community of inquiry framework: Review, issues, and future directions. Internet and Higher Education, 10, 157-‐172. DOI: http://10.1016/j.iheduc.2007.04.001

Gao, F., Wang, C. X., Sun, Y. (2009). A new model of productive online discussion and its implication for research and instruction. Jrnl or Education Technology Development and Exchange, 2(1), 65-‐78.

Gao, F. (2011). Designing a discussion environment to promote connected and sustained online discussion. Jrnl of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 20(1), 43-‐59.

Gao, F., Zhang, T., & Franklin, T. (2013). Designing asynchronous online discussion environments: Recent progress and possible future directions. British Jrnl of Education Technology, 44(3), 469-‐483. DOI: http://10.1111/j.1467-‐8535.2012.01330.x

Gao, F. (2014). Exploring the use of discussion strategies and labels in asynchronous online discussion. Online Learning, 18(3), 1-‐18.

Gao, F. & Puttman, R. T. (2009). Using research on learning from text to inform online discussion. Jrnl of Educational Computing Research, 41(1), 1-‐37. DOI: http://10.2190/EC.41.1.a

Jeong, A. C. (2003). The sequential analysis of group interaction and critical thinking in online threaded discussions. American Jrnl of Distance Education, 17(1), 25-‐43.

Lucas, M., Gunawardena, C., & Moreira, A. (2014). Assessing social construction of knowledge online: A critique of the interaction analysis model. Computers in Human Behavior, 30, 574-‐582. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.07.050.

Xie, K., Yu, Chien, & Bradshaw, A. C. (2014). Impacts of role and assignment and participation in asynchronous discussions in college-‐level online classes. Internet and Higher Education, 20, 10-‐19. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2013.09.003Forgard (2016) -‐ not final draft