how to start discussions on course readings

Start the discussion by asking one of the study questions you assigned or by asking group members which of the questions they found most challenging. Make a list of key points. Identify and list the important points from the reading and use these as a starting point for discussion.

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What are course discussions and how do I use them?

Course discussions give you the opportunity to start conversations with other learners, ask questions that other learners or members of the course team can answer, and interact with other learners in the course. Where do I find course discussions? In your course, click the Discussions tab.

How do you start a discussion in a reading group?

Start the discussion by asking one of the study questions you assigned or by asking group members which of the questions they found most challenging. Make a list of key points. Identify and list the important points from the reading and use these as a starting point for discussion.

How do you conduct an effective discussions?

Discussions will be more satisfying for you and your students if they are prepared. Establish ground rules for participation in a discussion. In order for a discussion to be effective, students need to understand the value of actively listening to their peers, tolerating opposing viewpoints, and being open-minded.

How do you write a discussion board for a class?

When first beginning a discussion board, students should offer a brief introduction including some appropriate background information. They should also answer any questions the instructor has asked. When it comes to formatting, students should keep it as simple as possible by avoiding fonts that are difficult to read.

How do you lead a class discussion in a reading?

Starting a discussionRefer to questions you distributed. ... Make a list of key points. ... Use a partner activity. ... Use a brainstorming activity. ... Pose an opening question and give students a few minutes to record an answer. ... Divide students into small groups to discuss a specific question or issue.More items...

How do you facilitate a reading discussion?

Ask for examples and support for opinions – Probing deeper gets students to think. Ask for parts of the book that support their ideas. Get others to respond – After a student shares his/her ideas, ask others to respond with their point of view. Encourage all students to participate – Solicit responses from nontalkers.

How do you start a discussion question?

Strong discussion questions are anchored to a specific event, scene and/or quote from a text. You should start your discussion questions by pointing your group members of a specific piece of evidence. Possible sentence starters: ▪ “On page ____, I was interested in the scene where _______________________.”

How do you start a discussion post?

An initial post is your first response to a question posed by the instructor.Answer the question. Do this first if possible. ... Give evidence. Provide an explanation for your point of view, and use evidence from your text, notes, or outside research (where appropriate) to support your point.Explain the connection.

How do you start a discussion group?

Use Quotes and Questions to Begin The most thought-provoking way to start a group discussion is to ask a question or add a famous and relevant quote to the topic. You can simply grab the attention of everyone as an initiator and thus lead a powerful group discussion by using a question on the topic.

How do you lead a reading group?

7 Tips for Leading a Lively Book Discussion GroupFind thought-provoking and engrossing books to discuss. ... Let your group members have a say in what they read. ... Be prepared. ... Be comfortable leading and listening. ... Be grateful for your group members. ... Be understanding and practical. ... Reward yourself for a job well done.

What is an example of discussion?

An example of a discussion is when two or more people disagree and decide to sit down and talk out their different opinions. Conversation or debate concerning a particular topic. There was then a long discussion of whether to capitalize words like "east".

How do you write a good discussion?

DoRespect the contribution of other speakers. ... Listen well to the ideas of other speakers; you will learn something.Acknowledge what you find interesting.Remember that a discussion is not a fight. ... Respect differing views. ... Think about your contribution before you speak. ... Try to stick to the discussion topic.More items...

How do you write a discussion?

Table of contentsSummarize your key findings.Give your interpretations.Discuss the implications.Acknowledge the limitations.State your recommendations.What to leave out of the discussion.Checklist.Frequently asked questions about the discussion.

How can I make my discussion board more interesting?

Here are five tips I've gleaned for improving online discussion boards.Divide and Conquer. ... Direct Traffic. ... Assign Actions. ... Incorporate Student Interactivity. ... Deter Students from Parachuting into Discussion.

Step 1: Understand The Purpose of Discussion Posts

In the classroom, students and professors hold discussions about the subject matter. Discussion posts duplicate this interaction when you are onlin...

Step 2: Prepare Yourself

Before writing a single word, make sure you have prepared yourself by doing any course work required — reading, assignments, research, etc. No one...

Step 3: Read The Discussion Posting Directions Carefully

What is it you are being asked to comment on? Make sure you know what you are supposed to write about. Sometimes it is a personal response, sometim...

Step 4: Think About Your Point

What is it you want to say to your fellow classmates and your professor? Try to limit yourself to the topic and make sure your point is relevant. A...

Step 5: Gather Supporting Facts and Points of View

Any strong point must also have backup documentation. That backup can come in many forms including the course material, the news, research studies...

Step 6: Write Out Your Response

1. When writing the actual post, but be sure to use& the tools in your course management system to write your response. Use bullets and paragraphs...

Step 7: Post on Time

Nothing is worse for a professor than reading through a lively set of discussion posts and finding the late ones at the bottom. It's like coming up...

What are discussion topics?

Discussion topics are created by the course team and organize all posts in the course discussion. Discussion topics can be course-wide or content-specific.

How do I join my course's discussions?

You can ask a question or start a conversation within a topic, or respond to someone else's post or response. For more information, see Adding posts in a discussion .

How to create analytical discussion questions?

To create analytical discussion questions, root your query in the required readings and lectures. Be careful not to slide into questions with a single right or wrong answer; instead, give students room to interpret and evaluate facts as they craft an argument.

Why is it important to have a productive discussion?

A productive discussion can encourage students to question their assumptions and learn about alternate perspectives. To help students relate to the discussion questions: Ask for examples from students’ lives:

What should everyone in the class be prepared to answer?

Everyone in the class should be equally prepared to answer the question, no matter what their background. Avoid questions that include details that are specific to only one culture, economic class, or gender.

Why should questions align with course objectives?

Align with the course objectives. Just because something is interesting or would spark a lively debate doesn’t necessarily mean it’s relevant to the course . Your ultimate goal is to encourage students to use and apply the course materials, so your questions should align with that aim. ‍.

How to get students invested in course materials?

Get students invested in course materials by tying them to their everyday lives. Likewise, you can encourage discussion participation by writing questions that tie to current events or issues that are important to students.

How to push students into higher level thinking?

To push students into exercising higher-level thinking, write discussion questions that pull from the top of the pyramid: Analyze: Ask students to examine, classify, or question course materials to draw their own conclusions. Evaluate: Ask students to form an opinion and defend it; critique or appraise course materials.

What is discussion board?

It is a place where you can get to know your fellow classmates as well as your professor. It is also your opportunity to share information with others and most importantly, to get help. So, you need to create stellar postings if you really want ...

How to make a discussion post in a virtual classroom?

Discussion posts duplicate this interaction when you are online. In the virtual classroom, you use the keyboard instead of your voice. So when posting, remember to keep your tone and language conversational.

What to do before writing a single word?

Before writing a single word, make sure you have prepared yourself by doing any course work required — reading, assignments, research, etc. No one wants to read a post that rambles on and doesn't have a point.

What is a strong point in writing?

That backup can come in many forms including the course material, the news, research studies or even your own personal experiences. Including these points in your posts will also demonstrate your knowledge and understanding in the topic. It is a good idea to have these points jotted off to the side and handy so when you write the posts you are not breaking your train of thought.

Why is discussion leader important?

The discussion leader role helps students practice time management and managing their group members. The activity also builds community as students get to know each other through the discussions. Students are again highly motivated ...

Why do we do reading?

The motivation to do the reading (s) comes from knowing that you will be getting them to use their knowledge from the reading. If you use this activity more than once, extra motivation comes from students’ wanting a good grade and wanting to appear intelligent in front of their peers.

What is a jigsaw reading?

With jigsaw activities, there is an information gap between one group of students and another or between a student and their partner or group members. This means that a student or group of students possesses information that their group or another one needs and vice versa. Because of this gap, students are forced to listen ...

When is Fiona Hunt's seminar?

Join Fiona Hunt’s live, online seminar, Maximizing Student Engagement with Course Readings, on August 18th at 1:00 PM Central. Fiona Hunt, MLIS, is an academic librarian-turned professor who teaches in the library and information technology program at the University of the Fraser Valley.

How to do a jigsaw activity?

The first is to have students read in class, and the second is to assign the readings for homework. Both approaches work well and are similar in their execution, involving only a couple of minor adjustments. The idea is that each student will read only ...

Why do students have discussions in class?

Also, students have the opportunity to practice their communication skills, connect with their peers, get used to using proof to bolster their arguments , and sharpen critical thinking abilities.

Why do we need online discussion boards?

However, depending on the course, online discussion boards may also be required in traditional and hybrid classes in order to increase student engagement.

What is a discussion board?

What are discussion boards for online courses? Discussion boards for online classes give students the opportunity to talk about course topics with each other, and with the instructor, as they would if they were in a traditional classroom. This helps students absorb the class material and share ideas.

How to keep a student's formatting simple?

When it comes to formatting, students should keep it as simple as possible by avoiding fonts that are difficult to read. This ensures that everyone can easily read the points being made and keep the discussion flowing. Post with Clarity. “Express yourself as clearly as possible.

What are some mistakes that students should know about in order to avoid them?

The following are some mistakes that students should know about in order to avoid them. Not being thorough. “Many students simply do not address the writing prompt thoroughly in their post. Sometimes a prompt will require that a student addresses two to three points, but students don’t do that,” said Adcock.

What is an e-learning survival guide?

E-Learning Survival Guide#N#This guide provides an overview of what the e-learning experience is like. Includes details about the types of institutions that offer e-learning opportunities, the benefits of e-learning, financial aid options, the technology students use to take courses, and e-learning delivery methods. Also provides the perspective of an e-learning expert and a quiz to determine if e-learning is the right choice.

Is an online discussion board appropriate?

Getting too personal. Although some of the topics covered in a class may remind students of personal experiences, an online discussion board is not the appropriate forum to discuss their problems or ask for advice on issues not related to the course.

Is every discussion time bound?

Every discussion is time-bound. You don’t want to be one of the last to respond, have nothing unique to offer, and get hidden under all the other posts – all of this can have a negative impact on your grades.

Do discussion boards have a scoring rubric?

Every discussion board ought to have a scoring rubric. While most instructors share it with the students beforehand, you can always ask for it if you haven’t received one. Once you get your hands on the rubric, the trick is to work backward. Read the scoring rubric thoroughly and understand how you will be evaluated.

How does a discussion thread grow?

The discussion thread continues to grow as students respond to both initial and subsequent discussion posts. As the number of posts continue to increase, students can filter, collect, tag and sort posts. Like posts, responses need to adhere to certain things so they can result in a fruitful discussion.

What does it mean when a student is a participant in an online discussion?

Every student taking the course is a participant in the online discussion. That means that there will be many discussion posts to read and respond to. Lengthy discussion posts are tiring and may discourage other participants from reading the entire discussion post.

What is a discussion post?

The discussion post is the understanding of the student on the subject topic. With multiple discussion posts on the discussion board, students need to know how to respond to a discussion post to make a meaningful conversation. Like discussion posts, students should be mindful of the discussion post responses they put up on the discussion board.

What is peer review?

Peer review is one of the capabilities of a discussion board. Besides starting a thread and including a discussion post, students can review and reply to other student’s work. The student reviewing a discussion post rates the discussion post and include comments in their response.

How to access online courses?

In an online course, you can access an online course from the discussions page or content page. The discussion page displays all the discussions in the course. Choose a particular discussion and be part of. You will also view the new replies and discussions to see the new changes since when you visited the discussion page. You can as well format the text using the format options in the text editor. You can also view the participants who are available at the time you are posting your discussion.

How to disagree with a post?

You should first acknowledge the fact that the student has an opinion which you do not agree with at the moment. You should then proceed to give reasons why you disagree with their post. Avoid the use of language that gives the impression that you are attacking the other student, or that shows the post has affected you emotionally. Your post to show respectful disagreement uses the words “No, because”. No indicates that you disagree with the post. You should then give the reason for disagreeing after the ‘because’.

Is a discussion post a successful discussion?

A great discussion post would not amount to a successful discussion if the discussion responses are not strong. Also, the discussion responses contribute to your overall performance in the online discussion as the discussion posts you put up.

Promote Divergent Thinking

Encourage Analysis

Ask For Opinions

Ask Relational Questions

• Get students invested in course materials by tying them to their everyday lives. Likewise, you can encourage discussion participation by writing questions that tie to current events or issues that are important to students. These questions draw students in because they allow them to apply their own perspectives and personal histories to the course ...

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Introduce Controversy

Ask Fewer Questions, But Better Ones

Writing Great Discussion Questions Is only Half The Battle