What role or purpose do discussion forums serve in the online classroom and are they effective?
Discussion forums are an integral part of an effective online curriculum. Higher order questions that are answered by all students help give you a snapshot of where your students are and what you may need to reteach or highlight a bit more during a synchronous or asynchronous review session. They also are a very good way to assist students in getting to know one another and feeling like a part of the class on a more personal level when they interact.
How do discussion forums function as a teaching tool?
Discussion forums can definitely assist an educator in making sure key concepts or standards have been adequately explained and covered throughout the curriculum. Areas that seem weaker in student responses can then be retaught or covered more fully during future sessions, particularly via synchronous or asynchronous class sessions.
How could they be used effectively and ineffectively?
Effective use of discussion groups would be utilizing them to involve your students, assess their progress, and help build community through the questions you provide them to answer. Ineffective use of discussion groups would be "going through the motions" of the groups without really utilizing the information that student responses glean. Additionally, if students do not feel you are reading and responding on a personal level, they may choose to complete the bare minimum in order to get the participation points when they could contribute so much more.
Furthermore, what are some best practices for facilitating forums online?
It is important to communicate clear expectations to your students in terms of what is acceptable and unacceptable within the discussion groups. It is also very important to monitor and facilitate consistently. In this way, they know you are definitely aware and are going to comment on their responses and reflections.
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