Exploring Discussion Forums

What Are Discussion Forums?

Discussion forums provide an avenue for asynchronous (in other words, not at the same time) communication among all class members or for groups. Discussions are typically threaded, meaning they are grouped according to the topic (e.g., an original post) in more or less chronological order.

Why Use Discussion Forums?

Many instructors use discussion forums as the mainstay of class interaction and reflection. Smith (2002) notes that participation is usually greater in an online discussion than in a face-to-face course because introverted students get the time they need to think before responding. Extroverts, on the other hand, can learn to take time to respond with higher-level thoughts. Generally, a discussion forum can be an effective way to build critical thinking skills.

According to Smith (2002), discussions can also:

• Serve to reduce a feeling of isolation among students that can lead to dropping out.

• Provide a place to meet the needs of adult learners, who prefer the application of information to their real-world experiences.

• Afford the opportunity to build a sense of community among the learners. (We will address this in more detail in another module.)

• Help differentiate an online course from a correspondence course. Online discussions enhance student-to-student and faculty-to-student communication.

Best Ways to Use Discussion Forums

The most effective discussion forums will spark students’ critical thinking skills about a topic. Discussions need not be restricted to the posting of a prompt that all students answer and then reply to each other. Additional ways to use discussions include case studies, debates, and the sharing of presentations for peer review (as we are doing in this seminar), to name a few.

PLEASE READ: Read the following article by Carol B. MacKnight of the University of Massachusetts and note the Socratic questioning prompts:

• Teaching Critical Thinking through Online Discussions

Planning for Discussion Forums

As with all other types of learning activities, the driving consideration when planning for a discussion forum is its purpose in helping students to achieve one or more learning objectives. What is it you want students to know or be able to do? In what ways will a discussion give students the opportunity to learn it or demonstrate that they have learned it? You may find it helpful to use Bloom’s taxonomy to plan questions at an appropriate level. Rather than asking for a recitation of facts, aim for students to show what they have learned on a conceptual, procedural, or metacognitive basis.

The amount of time required for students to write a solid original post, read the posts of peers, and write appropriate replies must also be a consideration. The amount of time needed for a single forum will play a role in helping you determine how many forums to include in your course overall. We also suggest that you call for an original post on a certain day of the week and reply on a different day. Such deadlines can help keep student procrastination from inhibiting discussion.

Designing for Discussion Forums

An effective way to begin designing discussion forums, in general, is to start by preparing a rubric. Then, to begin designing individual questions, consider using Socratic questioning techniques. Richard Paul (cited in Online Classroom, 2007) suggests writing question prompts that:

• Ask students to clarify concepts.

• Invite students to probe their assumptions, rationale, reasons, or evidence.

• Consider other viewpoints and perspectives.

• Explore implications and consequences.

• Turn a question in on itself.

The Internet is full of good resources to help you design effective discussion prompts. Feel free to explore one or more of these:

• Designing Discussion Questions Using Bloom’s Taxonomy Examples

  - A list of possible question prompts for each of the levels of cognitive skills, by the University Center for Teaching and Learning from the University of Pittsburgh

• Facilitating Online Discussions Effectively

  - An overview of the literature about designing and facilitating online discussions, by Alfred P. Rovai of Regent University (you may need to provide your Boise State login) 

References

• MacKnight, C. (2000). Teaching critical thinking through online discussions. [PDF] Retrieved from http://virtualchalkdust.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/eqm0048.pdf

• Rovai, A. (2006). Facilitating online discussions effectively. Internet and Higher Education, 10, 77-88. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1096751606000704 [Note: You may need to be logged in to your BSU account.]

• University of Georgia. (n.d.) Bloom’s taxonomy guide to writing questions. [PDF] Retrieved from http://wwild.coe.uga.edu/pptgames/resources/bloom_questions.pdf

Examples of Discussion Prompts

Example 1

Discussion Prompt for HLTHST 101 Medical Terminology Course at Boise State University

200 Years of Surgery Discussion Forum

This article is a nice intro for our course - not a lot of medical jargon, but some VERY important medical history. I would like you to respond to one of the statements/questions below, and to select one medical term from the article to translate. Do your best to translate a different term than the students who have posted before you (of course this means that you will have to scan some prior posts from other students before you post).

Medicine used to be practiced based on the prevailing thoughts at the time, and now there is a huge emphasis on evidence-based medicine.

What are some examples of changes in practice according to the article?

Compare the early surgical techniques of limb amputation without anesthetic to today's laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, and robotic surgery.

Weekly Points Given Based on Your Participation Performance in the Discussion Board: You will be able to receive 0-3 points per week based on your performance in the Discussion Board.

Participation Rubric for Group Discussion Board

Example 2

Discussion Prompt for HLTHST 300 Pathophysiology course at Boise State University

Estimated time: 60 minutes

Starting with Lesson 03, we will have a Case Study in each unit for you to discuss with a new set of group members. The due dates on this assignment span two weeks. You will read the case study and create an initial post on Sunday of week 1. In week 2, you will respond to the posts of other members of your group (due Wednesday). The purpose of this discussion board assignment is to give you an opportunity to further solidify concepts from the material while interacting with your fellow students. If you have questions about how to do the Case Study, please ask your group members first, then ask a TA if you need further clarification.

The purpose of Case Study 1 is to help you further solidify concepts through clinical application from the material while interacting with your fellow students.

The Case Study contains three scenarios; you will only need to complete one of the three.

• Before you get started, your group will need to decide how the 3 Case scenarios will be distributed among the group members.

  • First, you will answer the questions asked in the scenario which you have selected (or been assigned).

  • In your follow-up response, please comment at least once on another student who answered the SAME scenario as you, as well as one comment on a DIFFERENT scenario.

Your initial post on your scenario is due Sunday, February 10, at 11:00 PM Mountain

In your follow-up comment, please comment at least once on another student who answered the SAME scenario as you, as well as one comment on a DIFFERENT scenario. The follow-up postings are due no later than Wednesday, February 13, at 11 PM Mountain. An answer key will be posted by Feb. 14th to ensure that you understood the content.

Your TA will grade your Case Study postings. You will receive a grade of up to 15 points based on your answers to this assignment. You will be graded on the timeliness of your posts, as well as the answer provided and your response posts. Please provide substantive responses to all questions, including your peers' responses - saying "That was a great answer" will earn 0 points for the response.

Example 3

Example of Discussion Prompt for UF 100 Intellectual Foundations Course at Boise State University

Week 1: The Purpose of College

For this forum, please post your answers to the following question.  Your initial post should be at least 250 words (but can be longer), should use proper spelling and capitalization, and should completely answer all parts of this question:

• Which of the three theories about college in Menand's article most closely matches your own reasons for seeking a university education?  Explain your reasons for coming to college, using quotes from Menand to explain your perspective.

Please post your own reply to your discussion section's thread by 11:59 p.m. MT on Thursday, then respond to at least three classmates' posts by 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time on Sunday.

Your responses should be substantive; that is, they should add to the conversation, not just say "I agree" or "Good post." Add your own stories and experiences, ask questions about specific parts of a post, or bring a different perspective on the issue.