what is best way for faculty to partipate in threaded discussions in online course in blackboard

by Ms. Kaitlin Frami DDS 6 min read

Are students getting tired of discussion boards?

Include online discussion participation in the course grade. If grades are not given for participation, students typically do not use the discussion forum – even in a purely online class. Decide how much of the course grade to give to discussions and whether you will assess the quantity or quality of postings, or a combination of the two.

How do I control what students can do in discussions?

Aug 07, 2016 · Here are the 8 top ways to spark meaningful online discussions and keep the flame burning bright in your eLearning course. 1. Have A Conflict Resolution Plan In Place. Anytime you have a group of people gathered in one place, even if it's online, disagreements are bound to happen. It's a fact of life.

Is discussion board participation worth the effort?

Discussions in Canvas. Canvas Discussions are a native tool in all Canvas courses. Instructors may create both focused and threaded Discussions. Discussions are often used to promote student interaction and exchange of ideas, in online and hybrid courses. Canvas Discussions can be ungraded, graded, assigned to groups, and even peer reviewed.

Do instructors default to using discussion boards incorrectly?

Jul 20, 2020 · Threaded discussions may be long-standing spaces for thoughts that persist throughout an entire course. Use a threaded discussion for multiple posts and related comments. One or more discussion leaders post a message and multiple learners comment on it with the freedom to create any number of related discussion topics and comments.

How do you participate in an online discussion?

Online Discussions: Tips for StudentsDevelop a thesis, argument, or question. ... Use keywords in your title. ... Encourage discussion. ... Make postings short, clear, and purposeful. ... Your stance need not be forever. ... Other practical considerations for discussion board postings. ... Make the context clear. ... Add value to the conversation.More items...

What are the other ways in creating discussion thread?

Create a discussion threadOn the navbar, click Discussions.Click the topic where you want to create a thread.Click Start a New Thread.Enter a subject.Enter your post.Set any of the following posting options: To keep the thread at the top of the list, select Pin Thread. ... Click Post.

How online teachers can improve discussion boards?

Seven ways to make discussion boards useful and engaging for online studentsHold online icebreakers and introductions. ... Grade discussion board participation. ... Relate discussions to coursework. ... Provide feedback and workshop opportunities on discussion boards. ... Moderate each discussion.More items...•Nov 13, 2017

How do I start a discussion thread on blackboard?

Start a Thread in a Discussion BoardOpen Blackboard and navigate to a course with a discussion board.Click the Discussion Board link from the navigation menu.Click the link for the forum you want to start a new thread in.Click Create Thread. ... Enter a Subject and Message for your thread.

How do you start a discussion forum?

How to Create a Forum WebsitePick a location to host your forum.Choose a software to create your forum website.Organize your forum's structure.Design your forum's theme.Create user rules for your forum website.Start conversations with interesting discussion topics.Publish your forum on your website.More items...•Aug 4, 2021

What do you put in a discussion?

0:034:20Student: Adding to a Discussion - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTo view the posts in a discussion topic just click on the title of the topic. Here you'll see anyMoreTo view the posts in a discussion topic just click on the title of the topic. Here you'll see any instructions by your teacher at the top of the page and all the threads created so far underneath.

How can the online discussions be improved?

Apart from just answering the question you put forth, students need to also interact with each other on online discussion boards. A good way to ensure this is by assigning roles and responsibilities to students for increased participation. ... These roles can be rotated every week for everyone to get a chance.May 21, 2019

How can I improve my discussion forum?

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.

What are the things you can suggest to improve the online discussion?

Four Ways to Improve Online Discussion ForumsModel good communication. ... Although proper grammar is important, do not overemphasize it to the point that you intimidate students and make them reluctant to post. ... Help students understand your role in the discussion forums. ... Use color for emphasis.

How do I publish a discussion board on Blackboard?

Creating Discussion Board ThreadsOn the Create Thread page, enter a Subject name.Enter an optional Message. ... Blackboard provides two methods of attaching files. ... Select Grade Thread, if desired and enter Points Possible.Click Save Draft to store a draft of the post or click Submit.

How do I reply to a discussion board on Blackboard?

0:000:31Blackboard: How to Reply to a Post in a Discussion Board ThreadYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipClick on the thread you'd like to post in then click reply to respond directly to a post in thatMoreClick on the thread you'd like to post in then click reply to respond directly to a post in that thread. Write your message attach files if needed then click Submit.

How do I create a discussion forum in Sharepoint?

0:5611:53How To Add A Discussion Board To A SharePoint Online Site - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAbout then you can put in details into the body. And you can select whether or not you are actuallyMoreAbout then you can put in details into the body. And you can select whether or not you are actually seeking responses to this if it's a question from other members who have access to this sharepoint.

How to create an online discussion?

Develop successful online discussions 1 Define participation requirements .#N#Share your expectations. Create a discussion where students can read about etiquette and access grading information.#N#Model proper online interaction and reinforce appropriate behavior with public recognition. 2 Craft an effective question .#N#Incorporate multimedia resources into your questions to reduce the monotony of purely text-based interactions. With the popularity of services like YouTube™, you can ask students to view a clip and ask for responses. 3 Encourage new ideas .#N#If discussion posts contain too much agreement and not enough questioning of ideas, assign students with the last names A-M to support one side and N-Z to support the other. 4 Moderate .#N#Establish your presence. Ask for clarification, resources, or input from silent participants.

What happens after you start a discussion?

After you start a discussion, you can post comments of your own to guide students. The most common form of interaction in an online course is through discussions started by an instructor. Participation and interaction in discussions don't occur naturally. You need to intentionally design it into your courses.

Can you have multiple threads in a forum?

Within each forum, users can create multiple threads. A thread includes the initial post and all replies to it. You can create forums and threads to organize discussions into units or topics relevant to your course. Discussions appear sequentially so all course members can follow the conversation.

How to minimize disagreements?

Anytime you have a group of people gathered in one place, even if it's online, disagreements are bound to happen. It's a fact of life. Fortunately, you can minimize the impact of these disagreements by developing a conflict resolution strategy.

How to get online learners involved?

Sometimes the best way to get online learners involved is by giving them a choice. Certain individuals may not want to discuss their opinions or share ideas with the group. And that's okay. Forcing them to interact with their peers will only make them feel uncomfortable and alienated. As such, it's wise to make participation completely voluntary. Invite online learners to join the meaningful online discussion and highlight the benefits. Share the guidelines so that they know what to expect. If online learners are perpetually absent, send them a private message to check in and figure out what's holding them back. They may just need a gentle push to jump into the online discussion.

Why should every blog post focus on a specific topic?

Firstly, it prevents cognitive overwhelm. Secondly, it makes it easy for online learners to respond or leave their eLearning feedback. Going off on tangents or trying to cover too much subject matter will only lead to confusion. Aside from this, you should also moderate ongoing online discussions to ensure that they are on-topic. Get them back on track by asking relevant questions or pointing out the key takeaways. For example, drawing their attention to a surprising stat or fact they may have overlooked.

Why is online discussion important?

Online discussions keep the feedback flowing. Online learners have the opportunity to interact with their peers and share eLearning experiences, even if they live on different continents. Meaningful online collaborations can also improve knowledge retention and social learning skills.

How to create a posting schedule?

Include all materials, links, and prompts or questions that accompany each talking point. You should also emphasize how each online discussion topic relates to the learning objectives and goals. Share the schedule with your online learners in advance so that they can research the topic on their own. Alternatively, you can keep the schedule to yourself to encourage more spontaneous responses.

What are the advantages of online discussions?

In fact, one of the advantages of online discussions, social media groups, and other collaboration tools is their versatility. The possibilities are endless when it comes to their eLearning applications.

Do eLearning courses have social interaction?

Different eLearning courses have different levels of social interactivity. While some make participation mandatory, others opt for a voluntary approach. Therefore, you must be clear about what online learners can expect from the eLearning experience and what you expect from them.

Why are Canvas discussions important?

Canvas Discussions only allow one topic or thread per Discussion item, but in return they offer some powerful features to promote student interaction.

What is canvas discussion?

Canvas Discussions are a native tool in all Canvas courses. Instructors may create both focused and threaded Discussions. Discussions are often used to promote student interaction and exchange of ideas, in online and hybrid courses. Canvas Discussions can be ungraded, graded, assigned to groups, and even peer reviewed. If you simply need to solicit your students’ opinion on a topic, without initiating a full-scale conversation, the Canvas Discussion tool can also be used to generate a survey for your students.

How to view discussion threads on keyboard?

To view a window with a list of keyboard navigation shortcuts, press Alt+F8 (on a PC keyboard) or Option+Fn+F8 (on a Mac keyboard) simultaneously on your keyboard.

How many levels of nesting are there in a threaded discussion?

Focused discussions only allow for two levels of nesting, the original post and subsequent replies. Threaded discussions allow for infinite levels of nesting. Focused discussions are relatively short-lived interactions, while threaded discussions allow replies within replies and may last for a longer period of time.

What is canvas discussion?

Canvas provides an integrated system for class discussions, allowing both instructors and students to start and contribute to as many discussion topics as desired. Discussions allows for interactive communication between two or more people; users can participate in a conversation with an entire class or group. ...

What is the ultimate goal of a discussion board assignment?

The ultimate goal of a discussion board assignment is to get students talking to each other. But instructors rethinking their discussion boards emphasize that they play an active role throughout the process.

What is VoiceThread?

The popular video-creation tool Voicethread has been a boon to innovators of online discussions. At Bryant University, discussion boards consist of a mix of written “essay-like” responses, usually informed by research, with “experiential” video posts that express an opinion or tell a story, according to Bonnie Budd, Bryant’s director of online learning.

What does Speer grade based on?

Instead of assigning a grade based on whether or not a student posted, or the number of words in a response, Speer gives high marks to posts that “advance the discussion.”. Each student who posts is building on what other students said, as in a face-to-face conversation.

Who is Carolyn Speer?

Discussion boards have been a staple of online courses for decades. But Carolyn Speer, manager of instructional design and access at Wichita State University, thinks many instructors default to using them incorrectly.

Who created the 3CQ?

Budd has also helped introduce to the university a discussion post format known as 3CQ, developed by Jennifer Stewart-Mitchell, a K-12 teacher who frequently publishes curriculum ideas. Each student’s response must include a compliment, a comment, a connection (3C) and a question (Q).

Who is Charles Hodges?

That evolution mirrors the trajectory of many experienced online instructors. Charles Hodges, a professor of instructional technology at Georgia Southern University, spent the early years of his online teaching career requiring students to answer a discussion post inspired by that week’s reading.

Who is Alexander Laskin?

Alexander Laskin, professor of strategic communication at Quinnipiac University , told students to introduce themselves to each other using only emoji. Students had to guess what each other's emoji chains meant.

Develop Successful Online Discussions

  • Help your students feel comfortable and provide them with guidelines as they begin to participate in discussions. Here are four general steps to developing successful online discussions to help build community and fulfill assignments. 1. Define participation requirements. 1.1. Share your expectations. Create a discussion where students can read about etiquette and access gradin…
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Watch A Video About Discussions

  • The following narrated video provides a visual and auditory representation of some of the information included on this page. For a detailed description of what is portrayed in the video, open the video on YouTube, navigate to More actions, and select Open transcript. Video: Use discussionsexplains how to use discussions.
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Access Discussions

  • You can allow users to access discussions in several ways. You can add a customized link to the course menu and to a course area. When you provide a link to discussions in a course area, students can access the tool alongside other course content. As an instructor, on the Control Panel, expand the Course Tools section and select Discussion Board. From this link, access the …
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Discussion Board Structure

  • Just as it's critical to plan and structure your course content, you need to provide structure for online discussions. The main discussion board page displays a list of forums. A forum is where participants discuss a topic or a group of related topics. Within each forum, users can create multiple threads. A threadincludes the initial post and all replies to it. You can create forums an…
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Discussion Board Page

  • The discussion board is commonly accessed from the course menu, although you can provide a link to it in another course area, such as in a content area. The Discussion Boardpage contains a list of all the forums you've created. You must first create one or more forums before users can start message threads. You can also search for discussion content. By default, the search field …
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