Web Based Learning Systems
Online Discussions: An Overview
When teaching a class through programs such as Desire2Learn, it is essential to use the online discussion features. Online discussions help personalize the online class experience by introducing the class members, increasing familiarity, and by building a learning community. Once these connections are made, students begin to form and extend the online community and students will engage with each other and the content. Online discussions also can improve web based learning by giving students and faculty the chance to reflect as well as give and receive feedback about the web based learning environment.
Discussion Tips
Below are some tips to help you make the most of your online discussions.
- Provide structure
- Provide a separate area for chats and off-line conversations (see recommended discussion areas)
- Start a new forum/discussion area for each major discussion/unit
- Post the first message in the forum/discussion area to introduce the discussion
- Provide structure and evaluation criteria
- Establish roles for team members; this can help facilitate the discussion and provides good experience for the students
- Determine what role you, as instructor, want to have in the discussion and let the students know (e.g., are you lurking, leading, dropping, playing devil's advocate, guiding)
| The majority of netiquette is common sense but sometimes we don't think about it until we hear it. The following two links provide two perspectives of netiquette. |
Discussion Areas vs Online Chats
Discussion Areas
The discussion area is for asynchronous conversations where one student can post a message in the morning and someone else can respond in the afternoon. All of the postings are in one place and can be read at any time. The discussion area is appropriate when:
- Schedules vary and communicating at the same time is not feasible for everyone or important in meeting the objectives for the discussion
- A deeper, more thoughtful exchange of ideas is desired
- The number of participants varies -- up to 10 participants will work for an asynchronous discussion
- A quick response is not necessary. Students can compose off-line which provides more opportunity for reflection, spell checks, and reduces online time. After the student has completed their response, they can copy and paste their response into the discussion screen.
Online Chats
Online chats are synchronous conversations where all participants are online at the same time. Depending on the tool used, the chats may be able to be archived for future reference. Online chats are most appropriate:
- For coordination of activities for a group project
- For virtual office hours for the instructor or teaching assistant
- When quick responses to a question are desired (depth not as much of an issue)
- When the group size is fairly small (3-5)
Recommended Discussion Areas
To maintain order within your discussions, creating separate discussion areas (Desire2Learn Forums) is recommended. The number and names of discussions are influenced by your curricular objectives and structure within the class. In addition to the content-area discussions, we recommend that you also create the following discussion areas:
- Introductions
This is an area where the students can introduce themselves to their fellow classmates. This discussion area is especially helpful in online courses to help establish a sense of community. - Student Lounge or Cyber Cafe
This is an area where the students can discuss non-course related issues. The actual name should be influenced by your discipline and course. - Technical Questions
Establishing a technical questions area provides a place for the student to ask questions and look for answers. In many classes, the students will help each other. - Reference Desk
This is an area where students can ask questions on where to find or how to use resources in the library relevant to their class assignments. Upon faculty request, this area can be monitored by library staff. - Virtual Office
The virtual office provides a place for students to seek clarification about an assignment or request additional information. By posting these materials in the virtual office, all students can review the answers so the same question does not need to be responded to several times.
