Question forum on discussion board
I always create a forum on the discussion board for students to submit questions. This way other students can benefit from the questions and answers also. I learned this when taking a class, and now use it in my classes also.
Dr. Sidney,
I like this idea. I also provide a "help forum" for students to ask one another for help throughout the course. When students help one another, they build a deeper sense of community among them. Students can always send me a private e-mail with a unique problem, but the forum builds more community. It also helps identify problems, such as if a server is offline or there are bigger issues. When multiple students start reporting the same or similar issues it is time to see what is happening. I also participate in the help forum.
Herbert Brown III
Making students to feel comfortable in asking questions can impact their overall comfort level with the course, and thus their cumulative performance. In my experience I have found that not all questions are helpful to the entire class……..therefore, I provide a questions forum for general questions about course content, course mechanics, etc…..and encourage students with questions unique to their own situation, to send a private email. I have found that not only does this method reduce the potential for confusion to other students, some feel more comfortable expressing their question privately than in view of the entire class……..this way, you’ve provided more than one path for students to get their questions answered…optimizing the instructor support quotient as it were……
Stephanie,
This is a very helpful practice for many students. Nice job.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
