When well facilitated, the conversation can lead students to a deeper connection with the content, and the development of a better understanding of the topic. Well facilitated discussions can cross barriers that may be in place due to learners' background experiences or other factors.

Online discussion forums are where a lot of rich information is shared. Encourage your learners to take notes by opening a word processing program such as MSWord in another window and copying & pasting information of particular interest. Also encourage them to share their own best practices, websites, teaching or study activities, assessment strategies, etc. related to the topic being discussed. This type of sharing is the 'hidden content' in an online course and what makes discussion forums such a valuable experience!>>

 

Rovai (2001) defines four aspects of community: 1) spirit (feeling of group identity); 2) trust (feeling of safety and support); 3) interaction (task-related and socio-emotional); and 4) learning (the construction of shared knowledge). Building a sense of community at the start of a new course lays the foundation for both student and instructor success.