The Importance of Discussion in Online Classes
It is important to have students interact via online discussion, however this requires two elements to make it work. First, you must have the instructor involved in helping the conversation move forward. Second, the instructor does not want to "take over" the conversation, but just be involved enough to move it forward by asking pointed questions and ensuring the class response.
Though, as an instructor, I ask many questions in hopes of moving the conversation forward I find too many times only the student who began the conversation responds. Has anyone found a way to involve more than the original poster?
Karen,
You are so right in noting that the instructor should not take over the conversation. We want the students to take the lead on the conversation. I many times assign a student leader who has to keep the conversation going and everyone engaged. That works for me. Thanks!
Thanks for that insight Dr. Tena! It is tough to have a student leader in a 5 week first term class though. Any suggestions as to how to use this concept with a first term class where many students are gone within the first few weeks of a short course?
Thanks!
kam
Karen,
If you have them do any type of group work, you would put a group in charge of facilitating a discussion board post, or simply group students for this purpose. BTW - why are many student gone within the first few weeks? Thanks!
I teach first term and there is a huge attrition during the first 3 weeks (don't stay/ don't pay) so it is tough as you make connections and then they are gone. :-(
There is also no group work in first term.
kam
Karen,
There is a learning curve on how to learn online. Anything you can do during the first few weeks to shorten that curve, the better. Keep trying!
That is a great point. When I first started doing this, I had a hard time letting the students drive the conversation. I found that it actually hindered the learning process. It was a really important lesson for me to learn.
I do and will continue to as long as I am doing this! :-)
Francis ,
It takes time to become a great facilitator of learning instead of a "dumper" of content. Keep learning.
Karen,
We keep learning as we go along. Nothing wrong with that.
Thanks!
Hi, Tena,
That is a good idea. I had not thought about using a student leader. Of course, the colleges that I teach for online want the instructor to be available and online, engaged in the discussions five times a week. I enjoy encouraging the students to think more deeply about their answers, or to expand their answers into other areas.
Janet
Janet,
You can still be involved, but put the responsibility on the student leader as well. Keep up the good work.
Thanks, Tena. I will try that out in my next class.
Janet
Janet,
Glad you are up for trying new things. I do it all the time. ;-)
Best of luck.
Our school measures instructor involvement by number of postings also. I teach healthcare topics and one way to get an active discussion going is to put very controversial topics for discussion, then as the students get involved in stating their opinion - you can back in to the more boring (but necessary) information. Too many DB topics are non-starters based on how they are written.
Patricia,
Interesting. We and the institutions should be looking at the quality of the involvement too, not just the quantity. Thanks for your input.
I think it's a great idea to reply back to student with a question. This will engage an ongoing conversation.
Tracey,
We do want to ask probing questions to get students to think more deeply, but we may have to clarify information also. We find that good mix. Thanks!
That's a good point. You can try asking a question to a certain student, then based off of their response ask another student to elaborate of that response, ask them if they agree or disagree and why.
William,
Right. Then, you are asking probing questions to get more information from the students. That's helpful.
Thanks!
