eli.tri-c.edu/Faculty/Blackboard/How-To/Pdf/Best Practices/Best Practices - The Discussion Board.pdf Electronic Communication Discussion Patterns D. Reiss Discussion Patterns To personalize the exchange and emphasize audience, consider framing these messages as letters addressed "Dear Classmates" to the group and "Dear Pat" to individual classmates. First message: interpretation or explanation or reflection with support (benefits: thinking about the issue, articulating that thinking, developing support for a position, writing for a specific audience, and sometimes reading or research). For example: Write a 150-250-word letter addressed to your classmates (for example, "Dear Classmates") in which you write about the topic specified for your Group. Variations Add a collaborative message: students in a group meet together in person or online to discuss the topic and write together a summary and culminating message. ECAC Home | Active Learning Online for educational purposes only developed and copyright ©1996 by D.
Group Communication Tools Introduction Students participating in online education need not lack human interaction, class discussion, instructor feedback and guidance. The links below contain some information to help an instructor know what kinds of tools exist to promote interaction, how to choose an appropriate tool, and how to use it effectively. Types of Group Communication Tools How to Choose an Appropriate Tool Suggestions for Incorporating Bulletin Board Software in the Classroom How One Instructor Uses Electronic Communication to Stimulate Activity Illinois Online Network: Educational Resources Encouraging and Utilizing Communication in Online Courses Strategies for Using Chat as a Communication Tool - Learn more about some practical uses of chat including, pedagogic uses, coping strategies, and chat etiquette Encouraging Interaction in Online Classes , Michael Lindeman The ABC's of Facilitation , Tracey Smith General Conferencing Strategies - General conferencing strategies Strategies to Promote Communication Online - Discusses what you can do to promote communication online including general strategies and specific activities Specific Activities That Promote Online Discussion - Discusses various types of online discussions that can take place Communication Strategies Presentation Facilitating Discussions: Importance, Design, Facilitation and Evaluation - Tracey Smith discusses facilitation discussions. Problem-Based Learning Conferencing Strategies Discussion Questions Collaborative Learning Communication Tools for online instruction Glossary of communication terms
Illinois Online Network: Educational Resources Specific Activities That Promote Online Discussion Various types of online discussions: Break the ice: On the first day of Virtual Class, send a short biography sketch describing yourself and interesting things about you that pertain to the course. Require your students to do the same during the first week. Form learning teams: In an open and communicative online environment, students can find peers with similar interests and form study groups. Lectures: The instructor or a visiting professor presents material, asks questions, reviews students' answers/comments, and makes summary comments. Interviews: Students interview a person whose profession is related to the course content and then present a summary of the interview to the Virtual Classroom, with ensuing class discussion. Panels: Several guest panelists each provide a small amount of material, engage in discussion among themselves, and then open up discussion to the students. Debates: Discussions Questions: Problem Solving/Case Study: Reports:
Lost in Translation: Importance of Effective Communication in Online Education Abstract Approximately 3.9 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2007. According to Allen and Seaman (2008), online education growth rates have continued to outpace total higher education growth rates and there are no signs of online growth slowing down. As higher education institutions offer increasing numbers of online and blended programs, it is important that administrators integrate communication theory and methods into training and professional development for online faculty. This paper will provide a comparative overview of communication research as it relates to online education. Faculty members are one of the most critical hires that you have to make in your online program. Faculty play a critical role in student engagement and retention. Figure 1. Replicate the dynamic dialogue of a face-to-face class with real-time, multi-way voice and video. Skype, Adobe Connect, and GoToMeeting also use VoIP to support teleconferencing and videoconferencing.
Online Learning 2012: Six Issues That Refuse to Die By Jim Shimabukuro Editor As we teeter on the brink of the new year, we’re left with more questions than answers. In a way, that’s a good thing, considering the makeshift nature of technology in higher education. As we sidle into 2012, the same old questions will greet us. Issue #1: Can current leaders take higher education into the 21st century? Most indications are no. Make no mistake. The traditional campus-based college won’t disappear, and it will remain the environment of choice for those who can afford the nostalgia, the privilege of dormitories and ivy-covered lecture halls. Issue #2: Are we past Web 2.0 yet? I think we are. Issue #3. For those who answer yes, the fact that all learning today is blended to some degree means that the issue is dead. Issue #4. Much of our effort in course development is based on the assumption that multimedia is superior to text-only approaches and the path to best practice is paved in video, audio, and animation. So, is multimedia better? Issue #5.