Do threaded discussions in online classes have any academic value?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by SurfDoctor, Sep 12, 2010.

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How much academic value does the typical threaded discussion offer in an online class

Poll closed Nov 11, 2010.
  1. Highly valuable. Threaded discussions are an intergal part of a good online class.

    5 vote(s)
    8.9%
  2. Fairly valuable. Most of the time, they add value to a class.

    6 vote(s)
    10.7%
  3. Sometimes valuable, sometimes not. It depends on the students, instructor and questions.

    20 vote(s)
    35.7%
  4. Rarely valuable. Most of the time, threaded discussions are of little benefit.

    14 vote(s)
    25.0%
  5. An absolute waste of time.

    11 vote(s)
    19.6%
  1. djacks24

    djacks24 New Member

    I did many more on campus classes than I did DL, but still overall in my college career I did probably (8-10) total DL. I really think it depends on the content and overall difficulty of the class. I've had a couple DL classes I breezed through and had some that I really had to work at. The same holds true for my on campus classes. I think DL classes they tend to give you more busy work due to the fact you aren't sacrificing 3 hours per week (not including travel time) going to class and sitting through a lecture. So DL classes tend to make up that 3 hours by adding the aggravation of discussion board participation.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 13, 2010
  2. Agreed. I think class discussions can be valuable but group discussions and particularly competing group projects can really ramp up good conversations and debates.
     
  3. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    Agreed. Assuming that the discussion questions relate to the reading assignments and the other assessed assignments, the discussion can actually improve student grades. I've noticed that certain integrative and reflective papers at the end of courses are affected if the discussion of some topics is not very robust. For example, a discussion about how to incorporate social media as part of an IT strategy for a small business has to be extensive enough to wrestle with how to use Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, etc. to really nail a planning / strategy paper.
     
  4. TonyM

    TonyM Member

    It sounds like discussion questions will work if everything lines up just right. First, there must be great questions, and then the right instructor and students. The first two can be controlled, but the students are a wild card. The method seems too unreliable to be the major portion of so many courses. If it was something looser and worth less points, maybe something like a course facebook page, it could bring the students together. In my experiences, in a lot of different schools (maybe 12 or so), the discussions have been a drag.
     
  5. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    I have done 22 online classes and my experience is the same. Thoughtless, regurgitated fact posts by the students and one lined, canned responses from the instructors. I have not been in a threaded discussion at Liberty yet and I am hoping that it will be a more stimulating experience there.
     
  6. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    You have accurately described DegreeInfo's competition.
     
  7. HikaruBr

    HikaruBr Member

    I think that's the main problem. Considering that one of the main draws of distance learning is to be able to do your own thing, at your time, and your pacing, is not a surprise that most students are not willing to really engage in long conversations.

    Add that the fact that most distance learning programs are open admission (thus drawing good students but also drawing people that are not up to the task) and you have very likely situation of having totally useless discussions.

    I think those kind of discussions COULD be valuable in a non open admission program with a small cohort of students. Maybe.
     
  8. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    The open admission issue is a good point. You would be attempting to have meaningful discussions with many students who are most likely to be out of the program very soon. Having a discussion with someone who cant handle the rigor is likely to be a less than rewarding experience. In a classroom, those students keep silent, in an online format, they are required to contribute.
     
  9. PatsGirl1

    PatsGirl1 New Member

    I really do think that the online format and forced discussion questions highlight the weak links (for lack of a better term) in a class. It can be very hard to engage in any kind of meaningful dialogue with students who just can’t hang. You just feel sometimes like you are banging your head against a brick wall. I had that in my UG B&M classes, too, but the difference is that there, I could SEE that they weren’t good students since they were in a class with me and I could choose not to talk to them. The BSers are easier to spot in a physical class as well.

    Honestly, B&M schools were just as frustrating for me, albeit in different ways. Academic rigor just isn’t present really anywhere anymore.
     
  10. jfosj

    jfosj Member

    I'm currently taking two online courses at two different universities. the difference is amazing: in one class the quality of discussion is superb and I'm actually learning a lot from the different perspectives being posted. Also, the instructor is actively involved in the discussion.

    However, the second class so far is a big disappointment. What amazes me is how the professor almost always post the same response to every post: "Good job! Excellent contribution." The other part of the "homework" was to answer some discussion questions from the textbook. Once again, little feedback from the professor who limited his role to basically post the "official answers" published in the teacher's edition of the textbook.

    I know is too early to start judging (it's only been two weeks) this course, but I expected much more interaction with the professor. At least the textbook is excellent... I find myself learning from what I read and not from the professor or my fellow classmates.
     
  11. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    Yea, when you see "good job" and "excellent post" as the only response from the teachers, you can suspect the discussion will just be jumping through hoops, because that's all the teacher is doing. Not that engaging, but not all that bad really. My philosophy is to just jump through the hoops, get your points and move on.
     
  12. jfosj

    jfosj Member

    I basically applied for the program because it fit a specific need for my resume. I just want the degree as it would allow me to pursue projects (I work as a consultant) that I'm not eligible to apply for right now. But so far, everything I'm learning comes from reading the textbook. :mad::mad::mad::mad:
     
  13. jfosj

    jfosj Member

    It's been two full weeks and the ONLY feedback provided by the professor is:

    Excellent discussion. Thanks for sharing your perspective on this important topic.

    There is a shorter version: "Excellent discussion"

    I would say that I have read the same response at least 40 times in the last two weeks. It's extremely frustrating to read an excellent post by someone in class and then read something extremely basic (not even responding the question) and both comments get the same response from the "so called professor"...
     
  14. workingmom

    workingmom New Member

    If it's any consolation, that's better than what I've been getting in a class I'm about to complete. No involvement by the teacher in discussions. In fact, it was obvious the teacher used canned responses to our written assignments, because many times the comments didn't even relate to me or my assignment.
     
  15. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    I concur. Most of the discussions I have experienced in the traditional classroom are even more unsatisfying. They are usually dominated by the most aggressive and confident students in the class and we all know that those people are not always the most astute.
     
  16. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    Yes, it becomes obvious that the discussion is doomed when that's all you see. On the bright side of that, the canned discussion boards seem to be easier to score highly in. The instructor doesn't really care if any quality discourse is happening, so all you have to do is bring up some good points, cite a reference or two and make a few lame responses to others and you are done.

    I prefer a quality discussion, one in which I learn from other students, but when that doesn't happen, at least you can expect the grading to be easy. That's my experience in the 22 online classes I have taken so far.
     
  17. b4cz28

    b4cz28 Active Member

    That's it; you hit the nail on the head. I know if my instructor will grade hard by the first discussion thread. I know if I write the 250 word max response and make multiple points and get back… Great Post-Thanks for joining in!: It’s going to be an easy class. But when I get questions back and ideas and page numbers that cover my posts to read up on, then I know I will be putting in some hours. I just get so mad, I pay good money for an education and I often only get lazy instructors.
     
  18. twentyseven

    twentyseven Member

    I think they are sometimes valuable. It all really depends. I can say, however, that regardless of one specific class versus another, I do not believe that they are so invaluable as to be done away with.

    Some classes I've taken made little use of threaded discussions, and others were almost constant. It all depended on the subject matter, the instructor, the students, the class requirements, and the morale of the class. It always seems like more people actually have good discussions on the subject matter if they're enjoying the class itself (or the subject matter itself).

    I know in some classes I've taken the instructor, in my opinion, would place way too much weight on discussion board postings. I think class discussion is important, but I don't think everyone is on the same page about online learning. I don't think that every class should be discussion heavy because some of them are just straightforward and don't need to be discussed. In these cases, I think it would be more helpful for students to be able to utilize the discussion threads to discuss points of specific information, informally, rather than making A's on all their classwork/tests, but still making a C in the class because they missed discussion postings.
     
  19. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    Yes I agree, it seems like better discussions would sometimes happen if there were no point requirements. Those tend to encourage students to go for the points rather than engaging in a good discussion. We have great discussions here because we can say anything that we feel is relevant to the discussion. When you are going for points, you don't have that freedom.

    However, lack of points would probably equate to lack of participation.
     
  20. jfosj

    jfosj Member

    That's exactly my point! I'm paying good money, from my own pocket and there's basically no feedback. On the other hand, I'm pursuing this degree for the "paper" as it would immediately have a positive impact in my career. But, even if I'm doing the course "because I have to" and there's no difference to me between a C or an A pass grade I still feel that I'm getting ripped off.

    Professors like this are responsible for DL having such a bad reputation. :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
     

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