Some of the strategies I use for substantive and meaningful participation are:
1. Respond early and often!
2. Make announcements that I have posted comments to their postings. This serves as a friendly reminder to check the discussion board for new postings.
3. Engage the students with links to related articles and information on the topic.
4. Use personal and professional experiences to help create relevancy and interest.
5. Use descriptive language to help create tone and to also help the student to understand that their point or posting has been thoroughly considered.
Michael,
These are all great ways to engage the learner. In the discussions do you encourage them to provide their own real world experiences and reflect on those in the discussions? Try to get them to "break out" from the contextual course content and get them applying the knowledge to their lives or at least thinking in that way?
Herbert Brown III
I find that students will respond to discussion board questions in this manner reflected below. They will insert the assignment questions, answer them to the expected deliverable lenght and check the done box. To engage them after thier initial posting I look for things that are unique or insightful to their post and ask them additional open ended questions to foster dialogue.
What will be your role in discussions? Facilitator
How will you encourage substantive participation? Additional open ended questions based on students posting.
What strategies will you use to extend learner’s thinking and keep the discussion focused on the intended outcomes?
easy, my questions will be focused on the topic and perhaps question them on a scenrio based case that will have them apply what the learned to a situation.
The problem is that you frame their thinking; practically, you will never get a ‘better’, deeper response from the one you post. Since there are different styles of questioning, you have to be careful with the examples.
Paul ,
These are good leading questions. Do you provide any details or expectations for exactly how the responses should be formed? Do you provide any examples?
Herbert Brown III
Lillian,
So how specifically can you keep them engaged and active in the discussions? Do they need to reach a certain level? Is it ok if they just drop off? Discussions are so important, how can you keep them going and get the student to the depth of the discussion they need.
Herbert Brown III
Nicholas,
What do you do with the ones that "fall off" during the discussion? Does that impact their grade? Is there a certain level at which they have "reached" the level you want?
Herbert Brown III
Kurt,
Does that mean that you normalize the students to a standard bell curve or does that just mean if they do average work, average is a C, work beyond average will be a B and work that is truly outstanding and well above and beyond normal is an A? If all the students really did outstanding work, they would still all get A's correct. We all struggle with this, I believe. I feel I have high standards and I learn toward a "C" is average work, or met the basic expectations. Going beyond the basic expectation then gets in to the B and A range. If you don't get even the minimum....well you know.
Herbert Brown III
One of the ways that I use to engage my students is by asking them open ended questions and relating the questions to real-life situations. When I respond the their post this is what I usually write on the subject line "Question back to PaulXXX and the class.
Here is an example of a question: What are some examples and skills of an effective Project Manager? Which of the skills your shared are you lacking? How do you plan to learn these skills?
Another one can be: Why do so many leader fail? Share examples of some leaders the failed in their position (No political leaders should be used)
This is a very true topic. The best way to overcome this obstacle is to continue to ask the students questions about the topic and their thoughts on the topic. This is a great way to keep the conversation going.
Thank you,
Dwayne Roark
That was correct, most students don't like to participate in the discussion when they meet the minimum requirement, I quiet understand the students because most online students have full-time job and family to care of, so time is precious.
One thing I do to motivate the discussion is I post a questions relating to the week,s assignment with the answers, I will tell the students to comment on my answers. I also post annoucemnt that, the students should check the discussion threads in the mid-week to weekend because I post questions relating to the assignment, but not the same assignments's questions.
One thing I've tossed around is letting them know outright and upfront that the minimum posting is that, a minimum posting requirement. That's the least they can do. You don't get an A for doing the minimum required to satisfy the requirement.
I've used this before with assignments and had good results, but the school (who will remain nameless as requested) shot down my idea as unfair.
Well, I'm not there anymore, left due to things such as that. If everyone that meets the requirements gets full credit, where is the incentive (besides the learning of course) for others to do more?
Kurt "Trip" Bauer
Stephanie,
These are a good start. So what do you do to get those students that are not posting to post and be active in the class? Have you used any particular strategies to get the students to connect and reflect in deeper ways to their learning?
Herbert Brown III
My experience with discussion boards have been similar. It may be due to the fact that the online environment is fast paced and demanding and many students find it difficult to continue to interact throughout the week.
Regards,
Lillian Lynn
I typically ask the student a very easy question to start off the conversation. I continue to ask questions and some of the time they fall off but many continue the conversation as I always tell them there are no wrong answers and I am interesting in there experiences.
I usually will single out something personal in the students' DB post and ask them a question. I may just send them a reminder that I posted something on their dB which may help them come up with a more complete response.
That is very true. Students often make the minimum number of responses then leave the discussion.
I post questions in the forum in addition to the main discussion board assignment question. I always thank students that respond to my optional questions, and often post a follow up question to keep it going.
I like to find links to relevant websites that will help students understand the concepts and ask them for their opinions of those websites.
I also like to add poll questions that relate not only to the topics, but also to what they have experienced in their personal lives that is relevant.
All of these should not require lots of research to answer, so the students will be more likely to respond. Or, if they think my links will help them in the course, they are more likely to check them out. :-) Lyn
Prior to providing input to the discussion board, I will post numerous classroom announcements regarding discussion board participation. This will be reinforced during week one chat sessions (which are always held early in the week). On the discussion board itself, I will reinforce very positive postings with compliments (“Thanks for sharing with the classâ€) to serve as benchmarks for all students and provide suggestive comments to weaker postings (“In addition to your comments about ABC, please also provide input on XYZ.â€; “Please take these text book concepts and apply them to real world business applications.â€). In terms of grading, utilizing rubrics that clearly distinguish between main and follow up posting contributions reinforces positive behavior as does integrating timing of posts throughout the week as another element of the grading rubric.
Ask questions. Model good posts. Ask students to link theory to practical experience.
I try to end my replies / feedback / responses to students posts with a question. The intent is to keep them engaged in the discussion. I also urge students to ask questions of each other to encourage continued engagement.
