If they are well structured, online discussions can be an effective way to bolster student learning outside of class. 


How did using an online discussion benefit your students?
During the first semester that I conducted an online discussion, I was particularly interested in determining whether students felt that it was helpful. After the final exam I asked for brief feedback from students using an online survey tool. I was glad to see students reporting that it helped them to read through a variety of viewpoints on the different questions. For example, one student remarked: “It was helpful to read many interpretations of definitions. The collective intelligence from the forum made many terms much more understandable.” Additionally, several students commented that it was helpful to explain concepts to others. One student remarked, “It was also awesome because you really do learn the material through teaching it to someone else.”