This link has been bookmarked by 21 people . It was first bookmarked on 02 Jun 2008, by C. McKell.
-
14 Nov 11
-
08 Oct 10
-
used to be called bulletin boards or message boards
-
forums" or "discussion boards."
-
one of the oldest online communication environments
-
Multiple posts referring to one particular subject title is called a "thread" of discussion.
-
I don't like to see a student post a message and then receive no response, especially if it's a quiet student or anyone who feels they might be sticking their neck out a bit by posing a question or suggesting an idea. Getting no reply at all feels like a "black hole experience" - one that makes you wonder why your post receives the silent treatment. It can stir up all sorts of anxieties and insecurities, thereby discouraging the person from posting again.
-
Setting up a separate area for pure socializing may encourage students to hang out in the online environment for the course, especially if students get the opportunity to hang out with the instructor too in this more casual atmosphere. The instructor may see opportunities to stir up a good discussion, which can then be carried over to the academic discussion board. In general, "social energy" generated in the casual atmosphere can spread throughout the online environment for the course.
-
I sometimes set up a separate forum for the purpose of playing a game of some sort, ideally one that's educational in nature and somehow enhances the course. In my group dynamics class, we play "word association" in which anyone is free to post in the title of a message a single word that is an association to the word appearing in the title of the message preceding it. Students enjoy the game, which also serves as a kind of projective test, a barometer of sorts, revealing interesting aspects of the group's dynamics and the personalities of the students.
-
Different students have different reactions to text discussion. Some may be frustrated by the tedium of having to type everything they want to say, feeling a face-to-face discussion is easier and more thorough. Those with superior writing skills have a communicative advantage. They may not be the same students who have the verbal advantage in the classroom. Those who are ignored or interrupted during class discussion may have a stronger voice in the discussion board. Those who dominate an in-person meeting may lose some of their influence online. The group dynamics in cyberspace may be very different than in-person.
-
People say and do things in cyberspace that they wouldn't ordinarily say or do in the face-to-face world. Without having to look at others eyeball to eyeball, they loosen up, express themselves more openly. Researchers call this the "disinhibition effect." It's a double-edged sword. Sometimes people share personal things about themselves, or express an interesting opinion that otherwise they would keep to themselves. However, the disinhibition effect is not always so benign. People act rude, critical, angry, even threatening. The disinhibition may indicate an attempt to understand and explore oneself, to work through ideas and personal issues - or it simply turns into a blind catharsis, an acting out of unsavory needs and wishes without any personal growth at all. -
Although topics discussed in the classroom may easily carry over into the discussion board, the reverse isn't always true.
-
n particular, the disinhibiting effect of texttalk could lead students to say things online that they actively refrain from bringing to the classroom.
-
f you mention people you know, remember to protect their anonymity. Never mention any specific information about people that might reveal who they are.
-
The instructor may need to make special efforts to integrate the online discussions into the classroom. In class I mention important issues that came up in the discussion board, sometimes referring to the people who were involved in the forum discussion, sometimes encouraging students to continue the dialogue.
-
That last item is especially important for courses in which the material applies to the students' lives, as in the psychology courses I teach. Often students will want to discuss friends, roommates, or family. Protecting their confidentiality is important. I also strongly discourage any "gossiping" that might develop.
-
In extreme cases, the discussion board evolves into a kind of subconscious voicing of problems that are actively avoided in-person - for example, differences of opinions or conflicts among students. It is possible to work through these issues in the forum, allowing the beneficial effects to seep into the classroom without openly discussing them in the class. However, the best approach is to head off the dissociation before it becomes too deeply embedded. In both domains, make an attempt to discuss potential problems before they become more intense.
-
n a Socratic way, encourage students to reflect on their ideas and questions. Provide just enough information to get them thinking about deeper or broader answers. Encourage other students to respond to a question or idea from their classmate, especially if it's a question that, much to your dismay, is something you already discussed in class, perhaps at great length, so you can safely assume other students know the answer.
-
ou're not on the spot to immediately and cleverly facilitate the discussion. You can take your time to ponder an effective way to intervene with Socratic wisdom.
-
-
23 Sep 10
-
31 Jul 10
Jeannie AndersonNice article with some tips about discussion boards and discussion activities
-
29 Jul 10
-
26 May 10
-
05 Apr 10
-
17 Nov 09
-
In my larger classes, students often are reluctant to talk in front of the whole group. That same type of shyness can lead to a very quiet discussion board. Students might also neglect the online forum because, in their mind, it is something superfluous, not really the class per se, but rather some kind of separate, peripheral thing that can be ignored if they so chose. If the instructor tends to feel the same way, consciously or subconsciously, students will detect this attitude quickly.
-
-
24 Jul 09
-
22 Jun 09
-
01 May 09
-
Students might also neglect the online forum because, in their mind, it is something superfluous,
-
Knowing our students have grown up squarely within the age of computers and the Internet, we might assume that they all take to it like a fish to water. That's not necessarily the case.
-
Setting up a separate area for pure socializing
-
In my group dynamics class, we play "word association"
-
I also want to avoid spending many hours typing in answers to numerous questions that often arise from a need to passively absorb information, which is an all too common attitude on the Internet.
-
"asynchronous" nature of the communication. You're not on the spot to immediately a
-
When replying to someone's post that contains several important ideas, I like to cut and paste two or three key sentences from their message into my message, with my comments interjected between the quotes.
-
If necessary, I sometimes privately email a handful of students who typically do participate in discussions, or whom I know have good ideas, in order to let them know that I'm "counting" on them to share their thoughts and questions, and to get some discussion going.
-
The instructor may need to make special efforts to integrate the online discussions into the classroom.
-
ideally culminating in an overlapping and synthesis of ideas that may not be possible in classroom teaching that typically follows a more linear temporal path.
-
Under ideal conditions, classroom and online discussions will complement and enrich each other.
-
-
29 Jul 08
-
28 Jul 08
-
02 Jun 08
-
19 Apr 08
-
03 Oct 07
Page Comments
Would you like to comment?
Join Diigo for a free account, or sign in if you are already a member.