Threaded Discussion Considerations
Factors Influencing the Quality
of Online Discussion
Source: Rena
Palloff & Keith Pratt, Building Learning Communities in Cyberspace:
Effective Strategies for the Online Classroom (1999)
Mutually Negotiated Guidelines
-
Establish discussion forums for content and for personal
concerns
-
Other (tbd)
Shared Goals
-
Use a project as an organizational means to drive higher
level thinking; adapt teams/tasks approach incorporating threaded discussion.
Collaborative Learning
-
Safety and trust of others, willingness to contribute
"I guess initially I would like to feel comfortable
with my classmates before I can
really participate. I like getting to know them
by their postings before I actually respond to them. I tend to hold
back a little in groups making sure my contributions are valuable.
To me, having a chance to pause, re-think, re-word a comment is one of
the best features of on-line coursework."
-
Other?
(tbd)
Active Creation of Knowledge
and Meaning
-
Adapt a step/process for critical thinking: imagine - verify
- frame - probe - recast - resolve
-
Frequency
-
Drop in frequently, leave "footprints"
-
Use questions to prompt discussion
-
Other (tbd)
-
Use questions to prompt discussion
-
Other (tbd)
-
Student
-
Frequency
-
Requirements for number and timing? (tbd)
-
Requirements for number, timing, and type? (tbd)
-
Feedback
-
Requirements for number, timing, and type? (tbd)