Class discussions are well-intended.
But traditional class discussions have so many limitations!
Online discussions eliminate limitations while adding other dimensions.
6 Reasons Online Discussions are More Effective:
1. No one will miss anything!
There are many reasons students miss part or all of in-class discussions.
A few include:
going to the nurse
use of lavatory
called down to the office
tuned out
difficulty processing
poor acoustics
absent - ill, suspended, travelling
In online discussions, students can jump in anytime and focus on what interests them most.
They can join the discussion anytime, anywhere and from any device.
2. Serves Different Learning Levels & Styles
Visual learners can see what their classmates are saying.
Easily distracted students can re-read and re-focus as often as needed without missing anything.
Struggling students can have guidance when writing comments and help with editing before posting comments.
Anxious and shy students can focus on the topic of discussion and confidently have their say.
3. Everyone participates!
Quiet students, shy students, students who need more time to process and formulate responses are not sidelined in any way.
Online discussions eliminate: poor acoustics, speech impediments, eye rolling, mumbling, shrugging, cutting someone off, etc.
Begin with very specific instructions posted on the site being used for the discussion (Edmodo, etc).
Include:
The discussion topic
The minimum amount of original posts or comments required
The minimum amount of responses to classmates' comments required
Other possibilities - images, links to related websites, videos, or articles
4. Teacher quietly in control
Teachers can edit the discussion as needed.
Teachers can delete any comment that does not expectations.
Comments to delete: Non-academic, immature, off-topic, disrespectful, overly social, improper grammar, spelling, use of lowercase letters...
When watched closely, teachers can delete something before it is even seen by most.
There's no delete or rewind in traditional discussions!
5. Incorporates reading and writing
Students participate in online discussions by READING what their classmates have to say and then WRITING original comments and responses to classmates' comments.
Students are required to comment and respond in an online discussion in complete sentences with proper spelling, punctuation and grammar.
No one is referring to his/herself with a lowercase i!
We discuss how this isn't Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or texting.
It's an academic setting where there are high expectations for learning and maturity.
After needing to revise a few comments that don't meet the class expectations, students soon realize that online discussions are forums for them to be at their best and present themselves in the most mature and academic way possible.
6. The discussion becomes its own entity and ongoing class resource
An online discussion can be:
Referred back to for writing ideas
Used as an example in other classes
A class starter to generate interest in the day's lesson
Used to track evolving opinions as students become more informed on a particular topic
Compared to the opinions of a different population on the same topic
Used as enrichment for students who finish an assignment or activity early
Reflected on in the future
Tabulated and graded
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Let's just say there will probably be many teachable moments when you first get started with online discussions, but that's what it's all about.
The payoff is great once it's up and running!
