1. Identify three different technologies that support discussions in online classes. Describe each technology in terms of its ability to support worthwhile and rewarding discussions.
There are several online discussion forums available for educators. Characteristics I would require from the one I would use are:
-user-friendly (for both instructor and pupils)
-options to link to widely-used social media (such as Facebook, etc.)
-option to monitor users' responses (block or report if inappropriate)
EDMODO: has a Facebook facade, its social features are very similar to those of Facebook.
"Current uses of Edmodo include posting assignments, creating polls for student responses, embedding video clips, create learning groups, posting quizzes for students to take, and creating a calendar of events and assignments. Students can also turn in assignments or upload assignments for their teachers to view and grade. Teachers can annotate the assignments directly in Edmodo to provide instant feedback."
-wikipedia article
Edmodo is an easy to use application, it permits instructors to post a prompt and students are allowed to respond. If inappropriate responses are posted then students can face the consequences of a lower grade as well as being set as a read-only participants. Edmodo also allows instructors to link any "assignments" to a gradebook and other recognitions known as badges.
BLOGS:
Blogs are useful and can be user-friendly, depending on the blog service. Blogs can serve as websites and give the feeling of being up to date and active. Blogs have the convenience of being linked to most social sites, but don't necessarily give instructors the ease of keeping automatic track of grades or linking student participation to a grading system. Using blogs as discussion forums, may mean more work for the instructor specially if each student keeps it own blog. Most of the time student interaction is superficial, meaning their comments are complimentary.
FACEBOOK Another platform that may be used as a discussion forum may be a social network such as Facebook. According to some of my previous research on Facebook and eLearning, some instructors prefer "to go to where their students are at." This means, they create interest groups using Facebook, students join these groups with personal profiles of new profiles, and participate on class discussions. This method seems to work for some instructors, but like regular blogs, it does not link student interaction or students responses to any sort of gradebook feature, making more difficult for instructors to keep record of student responses.
*http://www.slideshare.net/CPappasOnline/facebook-for-elearning-20-educational-applications
2. Describe an eLearning context (type of class, students, and specific content) where you would advocate the use of an online discussion. Identify the technology you would use to facilitate the discussion.
Having experienced WordPress as an online platform, and now using EDMODO, I would like to link them both for my future online course. EDMODO, has so many features that make my job as an instructor easier. Discussions will be much more easier for students for it functions pretty much like Facebook. I would encourage a class discussion in pretty much all my ministry classes. I have found that encouraging students to share their personal understandings of Biblical Truths, challenges them to become more aware of their audience and therefore responsible for making their message clear. I would like to continue using a blog, I am not sure if I want to continue using WordPress, but for sure a blog where my student's meditations may be available to the public.
3. Describe how you would plan for the discussion described in question 2. For example, how would you prepare students for the discussion, structure associated presentations, plan other activities that students be doing along with the discussion, and how you would ensure that the student workload was balanced and appropriate.
I would encourage two types of discussions, one on Edmodo where students respond to teacher-led prompt, and the second type of discussion on the blog, where students comment and interact with each other.
On the Edmodo discussion, students will respond to course content posts, they will be required to respond once after every lecture, or class session.
The blog interaction will also be required, and will be two comments every two weeks.
4. Develop a set of guidelines or policies that you would give to students to help them engage successfully in the discussion.
In previous searching, I had found the following
guidelines to online discussion:
Participation
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This is a shared learning environment. No lurking in the cyberspace background. It is not enough to login and read the discussion thread of others. For the maximum benefit to all, everyone must contribute.
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Report Glitches
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Discussion forums are electronic. They break. If for any reason you experience difficulty participating, please call, email, or otherwise inform me of the issue. Chances are others are having the same problem.
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Help Others
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You may have more experience with online discussion forums than the person next to you. Give them a hand. Show them it’s not so hard. They’re really going to appreciate it.
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Be Patient
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Read everything in the discussion thread before replying. This will help you avoid repeating something someone else has already
contributed. Acknowledge the points made with which you agree
and suggest alternatives for those with which you don’t.
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Be Brief:
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You want to be clear—and to articulate your point—without being preachy or pompous. Be direct. Stay on point. Don’t lose yourself, or your readers, in overly wordy sentences or paragraphs.
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Use Proper Writing Style
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This is a must. Write as if you were writing a term paper. Correct spelling, grammatical construction and sentence structure are expected in every other writing activity associated with scholarship and academic engagement. Online discussions are no different.
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Cite Your Sources
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Another big must! If your contribution to the conversation includes the intellectual property (authored material) of others, e.g., books, newspaper, magazine, or journal articles—online or
in print—they must be given proper attribution.
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Texting
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Social networking and text messaging has spawned a body of linguistic shortcuts that are not part of the academic dialogue. Please refrain from :-) faces and c u l8r’s.
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Respect Diversity
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It’s an ethnically rich and diverse, multi-cultural world in which we live. Use no language that is—or that could be construed to be— offensive toward others. Racists, sexist, and heterosexist comments and jokes are unacceptable, as are derogatory and/or sarcastic comments and jokes directed at religious beliefs, disabilities, and age.
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No YELLING!
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Step carefully. Beware the electronic footprint you leave behind. Using bold upper-case letters is bad form, like stomping around and yelling at somebody (NOT TO MENTION BEING HARD ON THE EYE).
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No Flaming!
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Criticism must be constructive, well-meaning, and well-articulated. Please, no tantrums. Rants directed at any other contributor are simplyunacceptable and will not be tolerated. The same goes for profanity.The academic environment expects higher-order language.
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You Can't Un-Ring the Bell
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Language is your only tool in an online environment. Be mindful. How others perceive you will be largely—as always—up to you. Once you’ve hit the send button, you've rung the bell.
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*from
Netiquette: Ground Rules for Online Discussions by Peter Connor
5. Describe and/or develop a system for assessing student participation and learning in the discussion.
Students must :
-have clear reward system for discussion participation, according to data, unless students understand the specific grade incentive that goes with their responses, students will not take the time and effort to participate.
-have guidelines for appropriate post responses to avoid or minimize comments such as compliments or plain positive comments.
-understand that responses must address the prompt.
-know that questions do not provide answers,
6. How would you prepare the instructor for participating in the discussion?
Instructors must have content ready, and for the purpose of the course I am describing, I would also have my discussion topics ready ahead of time. I would tell the instructor that he/she may deviate from original plan if students student responses are off topic or if student's express misconceptions. I would also encourage time frames for responses to be posted, that will allow instructor to comment and record students participation all at once.
