Wyatt Earp and the Online Forum: How do You Sheriff Discussion?
Discussion forums are collaborative activities that foster a sense of community in online learning environments and help refine student abilities in a variety of areas. Online students reflect on learning resources, construct personal meaning, share their ideas, and dialogue with their peers in a safe environment where collaboration can flourish. However, there are times when discussion forums need a sheriff.
When students misuse or disregard the protocol and etiquette of online discussion forums, the learning community suffers. For this week’s discussion offer at least two strategies or practices that an instructor can use when facing students who challenge the protocol and/or etiquette of online discussion forums.
By Wednesday:
Post at least two strategies that you think are “best practice” for dealing with students who fail to follow the protocol and/or etiquette of online discussion forums?
Throughout the Week:
Return to the discussion forum and read through a sampling of your peers’ posts. Make note of ones that make you think and are candidates for leaving a reply that asks a questions, provides feedback, makes a comparison to your post, identifies differences to your post, relate an experience.
By Sunday:
Leave a comment or reply to at least two peers’ posts. Reflect on what you have learned and note any strategies that you can add to your repertoire.
Discussion Forum Rubric
To access the discussion rubric click on the hyperlink: Discussion Rubric
Joseph,
ReplyDeleteIn the video "Assessing Interaction and Collaboration in Online Environments," Dr. Rena Palloff advises that it would be best to first confront a student with inappropriate behavior in private. Since this would be an online class, it would probably be via email. In this manner, the students can be given feedback on the inappropriate behavior and constructive advice on how to interact appropriately. Beginning the class with a list of guidelines for appropriate and inappropriate behavior is also a good idea. Students may not be aware of what is appropriate and inappropriate so by providing guidelines in the beginning, the instructor can prevent problems later on.
Teresa
Teresa,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the feedback. You are absolutely right about making sure students are well aware of the class expectations for discussion forums. All of our instructors in our Walden studies not only draw our attention to the discussion rubric, but they take time to detail how they interpret the rubric so we are well aware of how we are being assessed. A couple of instructors even followed up after a few discussion posts--I guess we were not fulfilling his expectations. In any case, you have provided some great information. Dealing with students privately is better than trying to handle things within a discussion where everyone could see the conversation. As Palloff & Pratt mentioned, dealing with difficult students within a discussion will not turned out well.
Great advice,
Joseph