Online Discussion Boards & Rubrics – Center for Online Learning, Research and Service - University of Illinois Springfield - UIS Discussions Discussion is at the heart of asynchronous online learning. Critical thinking skills for students can be developed. The expanded time frame offered by asynchronous learning gives ample time for reflection. Writing skills can be honed. So how do we create effective discussions in online courses? Do we simply ask open-ended questions? In the articles below, you can explore various aspects that successful online instructors and researchers have found to be effective in courses. How Often Should Faculty Post? See Dr. One of the most frequently asked questions from veteran and novice online faculty alike is, “How many weekly discussion posts should I contribute?” Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Effective Practices by Bill Peltz More Resources for Online Discussions Rubrics Rubrics are assessment tools that help educators clearly communicate expectations for student work. Rubrics play a vital role in helping students identify their own strengths and weaknesses. Ideas for Rubric Use
Using Self-Determination Theory to Improve Online Learner Motivation Written by: Rob KellyPublished On: April 12, 2014 According to self-determination theory, a theory developed by Deci and Ryan, three basic psychological needs affect motivation: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Susan Epps, associate professor of Allied Health Sciences, and Alison Barton, associate professor of Teaching and Learning, both at East Tennessee State University, have used this theory to develop ways to improve online learner motivation. Autonomy In this context, autonomy does not refer to independence but to the desire to have control over one’s own life and to make choices based on personal preferences. Creating a sense of autonomy helps students make choices that emphasize what they value, which can increase the subjective value of the learning—the sense that the learning is relevant to one’s life, Barton says. Here are some ways to offer students choices: Competence Feeling competent and having a sense of self-efficacy can be highly motivating. Relatedness Reference
Discussion Rubrics - Pedagogical Repository Description While faculty might hope that students can "just discuss" a topic online with little or no support, Beckett, Amaro‐Jiménez, and Beckett (2010) found that "even doctoral students may need explicit grading instructions, and therefore provide rubrics and sample responses while not stifling creativity" (p. 331). Rubrics provide clear expectations for students regarding how an assignment, that can otherwise be subjective, will be graded. In addition to providing learner support, they can be especially helpful to instructors since they clearly state the goals for the assignment and facilitate a systematic way to assign grades. Baker (2011) notes that it is helpful for the instructor to be very clear in their rubric, using both quantitative and qualitative elements. Pelz (2004, in Cranney et al., 2011) recommend that students ask these questions to themselves as they post: (1) Is the information accurate? Link to example artifact(s) Simple rubric examples Baker, D.L. (2011). Citation
Assessment and Rubrics Learn more about our Online Courses, Online Certificate Programs, and Graduate Degree A collection of rubrics for assessing portfolios, group work/cooperative learning, concept map, research process/ report, PowerPoint, oral presentation, web page, blog, wiki, and other social media projects. Quick Links to Rubrics Social Media Project Rubrics Wiki RubricCriteria for assessing individual and group Wiki contributions. Blog RubricAssess individual blog entries, including comments on peers' blogs. Twitter RubricAssess learning during social networking instructional assignments. Discussion, Teamwork, and Group Work Rubrics Online Discussion Board RubricAssessing ability to share perspectives, refine thoughts through the writing process, and participate in meaningful discussionPrimary Grade Self-Evaluation Teamwork Rubric (PDF)Features of a sandwich to graphically show the criteria PowerPoint and Podcast Rubrics A+ PowerPoint Rubric Joan Vandervelde's rubric provides 10 performance categories
Online Discussions What are online discussions? Why do online discussions? How can you create effective online discussions? What are online discussions? Online discussions are a great tool to extend classroom conversations and learning by getting students to engage with class material online. A discussion board is the tool that hosts the space for online discussions. Course management systems, such as Blackboard, and other web-based tools, such as Piazza, host online discussions. Online discussions can take other forms such as discussions based on a piece of work, or feedback dialogue on a student’s writing. Why do online discussions? Flexible, not limited by time or space. How can you create effective online discussions? In order for online discussions to result in productive learning experiences: Consider the learning outcomes for using online discussions in your course. How can you manage online discussions? At the beginning: Set the tone. Throughout the discussion: Allow students to do the talking.
Tips for Overcoming Online Discussion Board Challenges Discussion boards are often viewed as the heart of online courses, and for good reason: the students can interact with one another 24/7, sharing, debating, and offering ideas, insights, suggestions, and information that stimulate the learning process. Yet challenges do happen in discussion, and these can be formidable. Left alone, they can quickly limit the effectiveness of any discussion and create problems throughout the online course. If you are having problems in your discussion, there’s a good chance one or more of the following suggestions will help: Conflict in the discussion: It would be wonderful if the discussion went as planned with each student jumping in with substantive and polite comments, but that is not the real world of the online course. Personal attacks and bullying: These can be an escalation of conflict, the result of students’ beliefs (religious, philosophical, etc.), or a personality trait. Solution: Post examples of substantive posts.
Should You Let Students Lead Discussion Boards? - Faculty Focus Several years ago, a colleague suggested that having students lead discussions in the online classroom would be a good idea. I agreed and searched the literature for research on this topic but found nothing. No one at that point had been looking at having students moderate, or they hadn’t written about it. I still thought it was a good idea and decided to pursue this line of research by having my students moderate and follow up with an end-of-course student questionnaire. Based on my research and experience of having students moderate, I developed the following approach. I started by developing the following criteria describing how a moderator—whether instructor or student—should behave in an online course based on the literature and what I do in my online courses: Focus the discussion on course content and encourage new ideas. To help prepare students to moderate discussions, I explain why they are being asked to do this. Students work in pairs when they moderate discussions.
Techniques for Responding | Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning There are many good ways to respond to students' remarks; none should be used exclusively. The point of this tip-sheet is to help teachers to expand their responsive repertoire. At the heart of responding strategies is this: all students want to know that they have been heard. You don't have to agree always with what a student has said, but it's a good idea to acknowledge in some way that you have heard and understood them. The three building blocks of good discussion are: questioning, listening, and responding. Given this, here are some strategies: Compliment the student: "Nice thought." Say what you are thinking. Ask the student a follow-up question or series of questions, asking him/her to further refine their thinking" "What do you mean when you say...?" Say nothing.
10 Tips for Effective Online Discussions These tips can help educators ensure that online discussions are engaging and beneficial for postsecondary students. For many of today's students and more than a few educators, effective participation in online discussions in postsecondary education may not be second nature. In particular, graduate-level discussions present challenges quite different from their undergraduate counterparts, as master's degree candidates tend to be highly motivated. This may mean that they frequently exceed the minimum number of required posts and write longer entries. The recommendations below are based on my own experience teaching fully online graduate courses with fifteen to twenty students, although many of these points would benefit those teaching at the undergraduate level as well. 1. It would be easy to hold online discussions to higher standards than discussions happening face-to-face. Be careful what you wish for, however! 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Consider offering live discussions. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Rubric for Online Discussion Board Participation Rubric for Asynchronous Discussion Participation Name___________________________________________________________ Asynchronous discussion enhances learning as you share your ideas, perspectives, and experiences with the class. You develop and refine your thoughts through the writing process, plus broaden your classmates’ understanding of the course content. Use the following feedback to improve the quality of your discussion contributions. Examples of postings that demonstrate higher levels of thinking: “Some common themes I see between your experiences and our textbook are….” For more information, contact Barbara Frey at baf30@pitt.edu