Three Strategies For Better Online Discussions

I wanted to compile a fresh list of inspiration for online discussions, so I reached out to some of my middle and high school teacher friends around the web. This post is FULL of classroom-tested discussion strategies for collaborative conversations. You’ll find a variety of tech tools that bridge the gap between home and school as well as formatting ideas for how to run whole-class and small-group discussions. Teachers have vital roles in engaging students in online learning platforms. Facilitating meaningful online discussions requires a combination of structured engagement strategies, robust technology, and continuous analytics. Whether managing a professional network, educational forum, or brand community, the goal is to foster valuable conversations that drive learning, collaboration, and growth.

Recommended Resources

Making the discussion schedule a permanent part of the syllabus allows students to plan their time effectively. If it is not graded,  students are not likely to give  it enough attention. Discussion  can be an important and integral part of student learning and writing practice. Make both the initial posts and  their participation replies an adequate percent of the total grade. Experts in the field recommend that discussion participation should equal anywhere from 10-30% of the entire grade if students are to take them seriously. (2002) Using peer teams to lead online discussions.

And when students feel safe and connected, they’re much more likely to take the risks required for deeper academic conversations. In the next article in this series (featured April 5th), we will explore ways to use discussions to foster learner exploration of concepts. Below are five ideas where learners search for, recognize, and share concrete examples of a concept, or where they create examples to illustrate a concept. I am sure there are more ways to do it, and I welcome your additions in the comments below.

One of the most effective ways to establish this foundation is by co-creating communication norms with students. Facilitating meaningful discussion in a physical classroom is challenging enough. For educators working partially or entirely online, engaging students in academic discourse can match truly.com feel exponentially more difficult. During online and remote learning, students may be tempted to turn off cameras, feel disconnected from peers, or experience feelings of isolation as they learn from home. Finally, create a glossary of terms in the course, which will be essential so that students can refer often to it when unsure of the language used in the forums.

Whenever possible, provide sample posts to illustrate what strong contributions and peer responses look like. You can even turn this into a discussion activity by inviting students to identify the strengths of the provided examples. Clear guidelines and transparent assessment not only help students meet the discussion’s objectives but also reduce anxiety about participation. It can be frustrating to read through a busy discussion forum with lots of posts and replies.

To create a Human Bar Graph, open a Google Slide with a custom page setting of 8.5×11 inches. Post a question at the top and A, B, C, D answer choices at the bottom. Insert a rectangle just small enough for a student to write their name. Then, right click and copy and paste enough rectangles on the page for the number of students you have in class.

I searched for ways to structure online discussions, and my findings are described in this series of five articles. This first article explores ways to structure a discussion to encourage learners to apply the concepts they have learned. Articles two and three describe discussion structures that help learners explore concepts in greater depth. Article four looks at ways to use discussions for reflection, evaluation, and critique of concepts. The final article investigates ways to foster a greater sense of community by using multimedia and proposes resources for developing new discussion structures.

In this case, a question like, “Anyone care to comment on this? ” might be changed to “Please post your response to the topic by Wednesday.” Humor is culturally specific and may not be perceived the same by everyone. Give students a reason to stay engaged by asking interesting and challenging questions. Examining social presence in online courses in relation to students’ perceived learning and satisfaction.

• Based on a short video or text, they practice asking different kinds of questions and her students are able to see first hand how the questions lead to very different discussions.
• Whenever possible, provide sample posts to illustrate what strong contributions and peer responses look like.
• Review the Advanced Discussion methods in this chapter.
• If the course numbers allow it, then create smaller discussion groups of people.
• She holds fishbowl discussions every semester to provide students with an opportunity to discuss what they’ve learned during the semester.

Kick the discussion off right by sharing ideas, asking questions, and raising what you see as the most important issues to talk about. Discover our library of modules to expand your knowledge and skills in areas such as child development, family engagement, and early childhood education. Test your knowledge by completing the quizzes at the end of each module and earn certificates to showcase your achievements. After completing the Pre-Assessment, get a summary of your knowledge in your Career Compass.

While students are having a discussion either in person or online, non-verbal participants can be talking via the backchannel chat. I recommend – if possible – having two screens so that you can view students’ faces on one (if you have students at home) and the backchannel chat on another. In the next article in this series, we will explore ways to structure an online discussion that favor reflection and metacognition.

These tools can take many forms, from chat sessions, to discussion forums, to video chat. The value of the online discussion is that even those students who are shy and timid can find the time to express their views, and more in-depth dialogue between students-students can occur. Learners told the researchers that online discussions didn’t capture the spontaneity of face-to-face conversations. In a classroom, instructors don’t ask the same question to every learner. Once a couple of people have addressed the original question, the conversation moves on.

Include guided discussion questions, promote critical thinking through Socratic questioning, ask students to compare and contrast, connect to prior knowledge, etc. It is very useful to give students examples of what a high quality reply should look like. Giving students a grading rubric that outlines what is expected and how they will be graded allows them to meet the instructor’s expectations. Students then volunteer to go into the center of the fishbowl to answer the discussion questions. It is good to have four students enter the fishbowl at a time so that they can discuss each question and engage in a back-and-forth conversation as they answer the question.

Q Model

Teachers will continue their role as a facilitator of learning; however, we now have a different platform, which requires a modified skill set. Leading effective discussions can be intentional and meaningful but, as a teacher, you need to do the frontloading prior to jumping online. In this five-part article series, we look at ideas for structuring an online discussion. Discussion forums have the potential to be the most valuable learning opportunity in online environments. Instructors can ignite discussions by requiring substantive posts, asking probing questions, inviting students to participate/share more, or sharing their expertise in the field.

University Resources

Below are links to Canvas guides that will walk you through how to create, reply to, and grade online discussions. Students should be made aware of the topics they will discuss, the order in which they will be discussed, and how long the teacher plans to spend on each topic. This will keep the meeting moving forward, engaging students, and it provides security for the online learner because they know what to expect from their teacher. For all students, establishing these rules and sharing them at the beginning of each discussion will set the tone for your online learning. This could be a new concept for students, as well as educators, and they need to know what is expected.

Then read the other postings and see how they support or contradict your idea and write about this. Another strategy is to look for postings that lack evidence and probe for some. You can also turn your thoughts into questions or share alternate viewpoints. Be sure to support what you say with references to course materials or outside sources, such as readings. Provide students with a list on the type of response, both initial postings and replies, you expect. Take time to delineate each step of each individual discussion assignment.