What is online discussion and how does this occur? The discussions area, also known as threaded discussions, is one of the most commonly used tools in online teaching. Discussions that take place online can easily be compared to those that you would have in a traditional on-the-ground classroom. A few exceptions would be that you type your responses and they are not done at the same time or live. The purpose of the discussion board is for the students and faculty members to have a discussion about a topic. This allows the students to share their opinions on the topic and confirm their understanding of the topic being discussed. The discussions are a public area where students can share their learning with each other and the faculty member. The discussion area is an area that can vary from school to school, but the premise remains the same.
One of your contractual obligations as a faculty member normally includes posting in the discussion areas a set number of times or a set number of days. This is one area where many schools differ. Some schools require that you post a minimum number of postings on a specific number of days, while others look at the percentage of postings that you make compared to the number of students in the class and their participation. This is an area where I see many new faculty members run into difficulty. It is vital that you are clear on what the schools expectations are for discussion boards as this will ensure your success in the classroom and that you will be asked to teach again.
Discussions Pros and Cons
Pros
Allows interaction with all classmates
Allows time for reflection and thought about a topic
Discussions continually grow over the course
Promotes community and discussion on topics
Cons
Does not allow real-time response (some students expect instant feedback)
Students may feel nervous about posting in a public area where all can read their work
Faculty need to monitor all posts to ensure that there are not any unanswered questions or inappropriate postings
Can be time consuming for faculty to participate and respond to all students
A good rule of thumb for life is to not do things that you do not agree with yourself. Do you remember your parents saying, “Do as I say not as I do!”? This type of attitude is not conducive in an online discussion. You need to set a good example for the students when participating in the discussion area. When responding to the students, you need to model your posting to the same expectations that you have for them. Show them how to do it the right way.
What are your thoughts on discussions? How can they help the online clasroom?
