Online Course Discussion Boards

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Kizmet, Apr 12, 2019.

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  1. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  2. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    They can be valuable, but are mostly misused, and the way they're implemented in most LMSs is garbage.
     
    Helpful2013 likes this.
  3. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

  4. JBjunior

    JBjunior Active Member

    Misused is the best thing that comes to mind. Unless the instructor actually participates and calls students out for not providing value the post by Chris is what you most often get.
     
    SteveFoerster and chrisjm18 like this.
  5. msganti

    msganti Active Member

    I saw the "discussions" boards in some LMS (PennFoster Associate degree for example), and I hate them so much.
    I feel that most time they are a waste of time and provide no value to the student - especially for adult students. I saw many irrelevant discussions and trolls.
     
  6. sanantone

    sanantone Well-Known Member

    The instructor has to be good at creating topics. The posts I find hardest to complete are the ones with asinine topics. For example, we would read chapters on gunshot wounds. Then, we would be asked to make a post describing the different types of gunshot wounds, and we would be required to respond to one of our classmates.

    Why am I simply summarizing what I just read? What's the point of responding to one of my classmates when we're all saying the same thing based on our readings? The responses would be something stupid like, "Good job, Kelly! I really like how much detail you provided."
     
  7. Helpful2013

    Helpful2013 Active Member

    The only time I’ve seen discussion boards used well was when our university used them in a supplementary role for on-campus classes. The student leading the in-person tutorial that week (seminar to most Americans) would offer a lengthy post on the text-based topic by Friday, the others in the tutorial group (8-10) would have to comment substantially over the weekend, and that online discussion would form the jumping-off point for the in-person discussion in tutorial the next week. That discussion was facilitated by me only to the extent of keeping things on track or answering questions that arose.

    I’m not a fan of discussion boards in principle, but the design was to encourage students who were tentative about responding in person, so that everybody was participating, and shy folks might be jump-started into engaging in the in-person tutorial because they were already in the middle of the discussion. The fact that it was the basis for in-person interactions with the instructor present meant that nobody tried sloughing off the assignment with a throwaway comment like, “I totally agree.”

    Oh yes, and to the comments above … I totally agree. :)
     
  8. JBjunior

    JBjunior Active Member

    Good point! I agree, thanks for sharing.





    You are right. Asking a simple interpretation/critical thinking question is far better than a summary, which most of the posts are. Requiring expansion, not simply summarizing the summary, in replies is also needed.
     
    cookderosa likes this.
  9. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    total waste of time. I think part of the "we're putting our college classes online" starter pack. It exists simply because instructors aren't thinking of anything more creative to do, possibly because they've never been distance learning students.
     
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  10. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    I hate online discussion board by mostly used by the university. I expressed many time with the professors at Nova Southeastern University and University of the Cumberlands; they did not even change a bit. Usually, a discussion topic; posting your original and response to at least two other classmates. The number rules cannot be negative.

    I like the idea that the professor comes up with a topic discussion and students start debating with their own references.
     
  11. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    Here's what's ironic- I (and presumably the other members of this forum) LOVE discussion forums. We come here daily and participate freely in excellent exchanges. Something about the way the schools are doing it is really sucking any value from it.
     
    SteveFoerster and JBjunior like this.
  12. JBjunior

    JBjunior Active Member

    Part of it is likely that some of the other people in our classes don't share that love. Also, when something is forced you don't bring the same creativity. Especially in undergrad, we are potentially tasked to discuss a topic that we have little interest in and are only discussing it for the grade. Definitely a challenge that needs more work to improve.
     
    cookderosa and SteveFoerster like this.
  13. wmcdonald

    wmcdonald Member

    It is all about the creativity of the professor who motivates the class to discuss the topics, and stimulates with probing questions. If you simply put it out there and wait for students to participate, it will not be effective. Done correctly, the Discussion Board is the heart and soul of online learn, just like a classroom discussion is in a traditional setting. There are good professors and bad ones.
     

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