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https://teachingcommons.stanford.edu/resources/teaching/student-teacher-communication/designing-effective-discussion-questions

https://courses.dcs.wisc.edu/design-teaching/FacilitationManagement_Spring2016/facilitation-module/4_Online_Discussions/resources/How%20to%20Ask%20Online%20Questions.pdf

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I thought this was a great comprehensive article on facilitating online discussions - Victor

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Online discussions are much like face-to-face discussions: they require preparation and active management in order to facilitate student learning. This tip sheet outlines the benefits of online discussions, then provides tips for both planning and facilitating such discussions.

Why use online discussions?

While online discussions can be an important component of online courses, they are also a helpful tool for facilitating peer-to-peer learning in face-to-face courses.

In particular, asynchronous discussion - or online discussion where students can participate at different times - has a number of benefits. Asynchronous discussion allows students to participate at a time that works for them. Flexibility in timing also means that instructors can use online discussions to facilitate the exchange of ideas among students across sections of a course.

Some students find in-class discussions challenging. Students with social anxiety might find it difficult to voice their opinions in front of a large group, especially if there are strong personalities who dominate the discussion. Students who are not confident in their language skills might need time to form their thoughts. Also, in large classes, it can be difficult to hear when multiple groups are talking at once. Asynchronous discussions give students time to consider their thoughts before expressing them to others, which is of particular benefit to students who may need time to understand or reflect before responding to a question. Many instructors find that the online exchange of ideas often results in a high quality of discussion.

Setting up online discussions for success

Assign grades

Assigning grades to online discussions is the biggest predictor of their success. If no grade is assigned, students are not likely to participate in. It is recommended that discussion count for 10%-20% of the course grade; no additional benefits are observed when the grade is increased above 20% (deNoyelles, Zydney, & Chen, 2014).

Grading can consider frequency as well as quality. It is important to provide clear assessment criteria. Consider using self-assessment strategies such as a participation portfolio, where students submit their three best posts for grading.

Pose a good question

A good discussion starts with a good discussion question. Avoid questions that read like exam questions. Provide students with a debate prompt. Ask students to express an opinion and back up their position by applying course concepts. For further ideas, see Stanford University's Designing Effective Discussion Questions.

Provide structure and describe your expectations

Providing structure for students to follow leads to better learning (Garrison & Cleveland-Innes, 2005). Students need clear parameters for discussion posts (i.e., specify length, frequency, timeliness, due dates, and specific guidelines to follow). Consider using discussion strategies such as " Starter Wrapper" or " Save the last word for me ". Explicitly specify your expectations for content and quality. Provide an example for students to follow.

Provide opportunity for everyone to be heard

In large classes, divide students into small groups of 6-8.

Encourage student ownership of the discussion

Just as in a traditional classroom discussion, students need to be reminded to talk to each other directly, not through you as the instructor. Aim for your participation and feedback to be prompt but modest. Your presence online should not dominate the discussion; rather, it should encourage discussion between students. If students direct their responses to you, redirect those questions and comments to the group. Rather than providing answers, stimulate further debate by offering ideas and suggesting resources. The goal is for students to feel a sense of ownership over the discussion.

Monitor the discussion

In groups where participation is very low, re-assign group members to other groups. Instructor involvement and feedback are associated with higher level of student participation but it's best to encourage students to respond to one another, otherwise they will look to you for the definitive response.

Grading online discussions

Assess the quality of students' posts, not just frequency. If you've asked students to draw on course concepts, then look for evidence of that when grading their posts. Assessing quality means that you need to read every student's post, which may not be feasible in very large classes. In large classes, consider engaging students in self-assessment by asking them to submit a "Participation Portfolio" in which they provide excerpts of their "best" contributions for grading.

References

deNoyelles, A., Zydney, J.M., & Chen, B. (2014). Strategies for creating a community of inquiry through online asynchronous discussions. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 10(1), 153-165.

Garrison D.R. & Cleveland-Innes, M. (2005). Facilitating cognitive presence in online learning: Interaction is not enough. American Journal of Distance Education, 19(3), 133-148.

Zhou, H. 2015. A systematic review of empirical studies on participants' interactions in internet-mediated discussion boards as a course component in formal high education settings. Online Learning Journal, 19(3).

Resources

CTE teaching tips

Other resources

This Creative Commons license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon our work non-commercially, as long as they credit us and indicate if changes were made. Use this citation format: Online Discussions: Tips for Instructors. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Waterloo.

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Online Discussions: Tips for Instructors | Centre for Teaching Excellence

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Online discussions are much like face-to-face discussions: they require preparation and active management in order to facilitate student learning. This tip sheet outlines the benefits of online discussions, then provides tips for both planning and facilitating such discussions. While online discussions can be an important component of online courses, they are also a helpful tool for facilitating peer-to-peer learning in face-to-face courses.

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I found a blog that mentions a few of the advantages of online discussions that I was already aware of, but also at least one I had not thought of that I really want to try! Here's the quote:

"Both forms of discussion [i.e. synchronous and asynchronous] can be easily archived and students can return to the dialogues to re-examine issues or to remind themselves of the discussion that took place. At the end of a course, a student may look at the posts that he/she had made at the beginning of the semester and see if their thoughts are still the same or whether the course has encouraged him/her to look at the subject from a different point of view"

Very interesting! I typically use discussions as a preview of material, so I can also ask them to go back and reflect on their first take after we go through the material. Here's the website

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Lyn - Effective discussions in an online environmental geology class. This is specific to my discipline (sorry!)

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Lyn - Effective discussions in an online environmental geology class. This is specific to my discipline (sorry!)

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SUNY Empire State College

Author Profile

This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Collection
Resources in this top level collection a) must have scored Exemplary or Very Good in all five review categories, and must also rate as "Exemplary" in at least three of the five categories. The five categories included in the peer review process are

Scientific Accuracy

Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments

Pedagogic Effectiveness

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Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page

For more information about the peer review process itself, please see https://serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/activity_review.html.

This page first made public: Jun 9, 2010

Summary

In this introductory-level course, the online discussions are the heart and soul of the course. Throughout the 7 online discussions, much of the course content is presented and digested, students employ critical thinking, perform online research, get to know one another and share relevant experiences. In the background, I stay very busy guiding and responding to the discussions.

Used this activity? Share your experiences and modifications
Context

Audience

This is an introductory course for non-majors. Many of the students are adult learners and they tend to be highly motivated. Most people take this course out of an interest in the natural world or environmental issues. A significant portion of the students are pre-service or in-service teachers.

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

There are no specific prerequisite skills other than a working knowledge of how to use the discussion tools and an ability to conduct basic internet research.

How the activity is situated in the course

There is a discussion for each module of the course. There are 7 modules, which range in duration from 1 week to 3 weeks.

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

By participating in the course discussions I expect students to strengthen their understanding of the course materials and be able to relate that content to societal issues or to connect the topics to issues in their own hometown. For example, the module on plate tectonics contains a discussion that asks students to consider why it took so long for the theory of plate tectonics to be generally accepted. This discussion allows for comparisons to the acceptance of current science such as medical discoveries, dietary guidelines or emerging environmental science.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Students will be able to:

Connect course content to similar issues in their hometown

Synthesize information from a variety of sources (course text, course content, news, websites)

Distinguish credible information from spin

Use data to understand a topic and to make their point

Evaluate issues in the news in light of what they are learning in the course

Respond to posts from other students - this may require clarifying their original point, learning more in order to defend their position, or reconciling their position (all of which are excellent skills to develop).

Other skills goals for this activity

Students will be able to:

Compose thoughtful posts using correct grammar

Perform internet research from credible sources to learn more about a topic or to strengthen their position

Learn how to post images, data and links

Description of the activity/assignment

The online discussions are the single most important part of this course. They are worth more than any other component of the course and the students and I all put considerable time and energy into the discussions.

Disseminating course content is one of the more challenging aspects of online teaching, and discussions help to fill this gap. In order to have meaningful contributions to the discussions, students have to not only understand the topic, but also need to share their comments on it and relate the topics to a larger question. For example, a discussion about developing geologically active land prompts responses that demonstrate understanding of dynamic landscapes, geologic processes, the role of zoning, hazard mitigation and disaster insurance. In addition, a few students are likely to have had personal experiences with natural disasters and thus add firsthand insights that enrich the discussion.

Discussions are also a place where misconceptions arise and they can be easily addressed within this format. In a perfect world, students would be quick to point out flaws in each others' understanding, but when that does not happen, I seize the opportunity to point out the misconception (gently) and clarify it.

Because students have time to research their answers and reflect on their writing, online discussions can bring out wonderful insights and rewarding debates. Introverted students who might otherwise not be inclined to raise their hand in a face to face classroom seem to have an easier time jumping in. If students are not participating enough, I let them know ask them if anything is preventing them from participating, encourage them to get more involved, and suggest some ways for them to jump in.

The discussion topics all begin with open-ended questions that leave a lot of room for interpretation and the discussion is best when it wanders across a few topics. The discussions last for 1-3 weeks. For the longer discussions I have a series of follow-up questions at the ready. I post these to keep the topic moving, to get the class back on track, or simply to toss out a pop-quiz type question that alert students can grab onto.

Teaching Tips

Adaptations that allow this activity to be successful in an online environment

We all know the dreadful feeling when you pose a question to a lecture hall full of students and all you hear are crickets. An online discussion can be far more thought-provoking than a face-to-face discussion because students have time to reflect on the topic, read up on it, and compose their response. So the adaptations are to start off with a very broad question that allows the topic to wander a bit. A sufficient time frame is needed (minimum of one week) to allow the discussion to develop. Lastly, the discussions have to be worth some significant part of the grade so that students do not treat them as optional.

Elements of this activity that are most effective

The most effective element of online discussion is the way students get pulled into the course and are engaged with the content. This is easy to observe by simply noting how active the discussion is. The discussion about climate change never fails to be the most active one and it really brings everybody to the table (including me!).

Recommendations for other faculty adapting this activity to their own course:

Start off with a very broad question that has no correct answer. When you compose the original question, also prepare a series of follow-up questions that you can use to keep the discussion moving.

Limit the number of discussion boards to one at a time. Having multiple discussions going on simultaneously only dilutes the participation.

Being engaged is critical. The first time I taught this course I really stuck by the "guide on the side" tactic. After that fell fairly flat I got more involved. Students enjoy the interactivity and we all get to know each other much better that way. I post pictures, share anecdotes and seize opportunities to respond to posts in a way that builds content, clears up misconceptions, asks questions, and praises outstanding contributions.

Determining whether students have met the goals

I use a rubric for assessment (Excel 25kB Jun9 10). It separates discussion posts into six categories ranging from content-rich to non-substantive. As the discussion proceeds, I put hatchmarks into the appropriate columns. I also jot down comments about the student's overall performance. I do all of this on actual paper so that I don't have to switch back and forth between windows on the computer. I've found this makes the assessment process much easier.

At the end of the discussion I grade each student on a scale of 1-10, and I give them specific feedback on their discussion performance.

More information about assessment tools and techniques.
Download teaching materials and tips

Other Materials

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higher education :undergraduate (lower division)

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on the cutting edge:cutting edge activity review:exemplary

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Online Discussions in an Environmental Geology Course

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SUNY Empire State College Author Profile This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Collection Resources in this top level collection a) must have scored Exemplary or Very Good in all five review categories, and must also rate as "Exemplary" in at least three of the five categories.

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Here is an article I found. - Victor

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Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning

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Many faculty members express concern that discussion in their online courses is shallow or sparse. What is it that makes meaningful dialogue so elusive in online courses? Some practices in online course design and discussion facilitation can actually encourage superficial dialogue. Faculty grading and feedback that require too much formality of language can scare students into virtual silence, sticking to exactly what the text says or saying what they think the professor wants to hear. Focusing on lower-level writing issues, such as grammar, APA style, or academic language, takes students away from content issues toward format issues. Although faculty might expect students to use formal academic language in their essays and research papers, it is not ideal for discussion.

To invite a student's authentic online voice into the discussion, create discussion forum instructions that explicitly invite students to use their everyday language in the discussion forum. Instructors can also encourage an informal tone by modeling the use of everyday language in discussion posts as they enter into the conversation. When we show students that their own authentic way of communicating is interesting to us and to other students, we encourage them to value their own and one another's thinking. Essentially, we are sending them the message that their opinions and knowledge matter in whatever field we are studying.

Discussion can also fall flat when the question prompts do not connect with students' background experiences or interests. Thoughtful dialogue depends largely on whether we create discussion prompts that connect to students' background experiences or pique their interest in some way. For example, asking students to "discuss the implications of punishment for medical error" is very different from asking, "Think about a time when you were afraid to tell the truth. What made you afraid? Do you think that punishment for medical errors could lead nurses and doctors to hide their mistakes? When mistakes are hidden, are they more or less likely to be repeated? What would an ideal hospital policy look like regarding how supervisors respond to reports of medical error?"

The first discussion prompt uses formal language, possibly straight from the text. There is no attempt to make a personal connection between the content and the student's own experience. Although the topic is interesting and important, the discussion prompt does not help students realize that they already have life experiences that relate to this discussion. The second discussion prompt indirectly tells students that their opinions and experiences matter. Discussion prompts that invite students to tell stories they have heard or experienced can invite highly engaging conversation.

In addition, when we focus our grading and feedback only on each individual student's ideas rather than on the creative conversation that emerges from good "online listening," we create the conditions for a discussion full of individual speeches. We can miss out on the creative connections and new learning that come from truly interactive dialogue. One very helpful strategy is to ask students to "really listen to one another in this discussion." Some faculty members offer examples of an online dialogue in which "listening" is clearly not happening. Such a dialogue may include interesting student reflections on a reading, but the students' posts make no reference to what is happening in others' posts or to what they are discovering from the conversation.

In my online courses, I tell participants that the greatest compliment you can give other people is to tell them (honestly) that their thinking has changed or expanded your own, and how. Discussion grading rubrics that focus on "active listening in the forum" can be a great way to reinforce the message. Active online listening begins with thoughtful reading of someone else's post, then asking questions or sharing ideas that the other person's post brought to mind. Deep listening lies at the heart of every creative dialogue, and it is, fortunately, a set of skills that can be learned.
Rebecca Zambrano is the director of Online Faculty Development at Edgewood College.
Reprinted from Tips from the Pros: How to Deepen Online Dialogue, Online Classroom, 16.11 (2016): 1,3. © Magna Publications. All rights reserved.

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Many faculty members express concern that discussion in their online courses is shallow or sparse. What is it that makes meaningful dialogue so elusive in online courses? Some practices in online course design and discussion facilitation can actually encourage superficial dialogue.

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Here's one

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(Mark) Online Course Facilitation - Notes for Deep Discussions.docx