Effective Use Of Forums

EFFECTIVE USE OF EFFECTIVE USE OF FORUMSFORUMS

Prof. Diana PortoProf. Diana [email protected]@yahoo.com

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22Prof. Diana Porto-www.slideshare.net/diProf. Diana Porto-www.slideshare.net/dianacportoanacporto

ForumsForums

Discussion topics and repliesDiscussion topics and repliesCommon "meeting" place for participants to Common "meeting" place for participants to

contribute information contribute information Built by participation, submitting questions Built by participation, submitting questions Provide answers/solutions, present opinions, Provide answers/solutions, present opinions,

share pointers to other resourcesshare pointers to other resourcesProvide a time-of-convenience and place-of-Provide a time-of-convenience and place-of-

convenience opportunity for student-student convenience opportunity for student-student contact and student-instructor contact. contact and student-instructor contact.


Forum FormsForum Forms

Threaded form: "parent” post, headingand author for each reply listed below.

Flat form: all replies in posted order directly below the “parent” post.


Forum FormsForum Forms

Nested form: each reply indented belowthe post it is responding to.


Technology and Student Technology and Student InteractionInteraction

STUDENT PEERSe.g.: online discussions

INSTRUCTORS e.g.: online assignment submissions

CONTENTe.g.: online quizzes

Simple (one directional) and Enriched Interaction (two directional) K.Swan’s Framework


Activities and InteractionActivities and InteractionSIMPLE INTERACTION ENRICHED INTERACTION

CONTENT

Course background Teacher’s information Announcements Notes and power points Past papers Archives of students’ work

Multimedia explanations Cases and issues Simulations Online quizzes Cases and stories Extended readings Linkages to other web resources

INSTRUCTOR

Online discussions with using forum/email/chatroom/video conference, etc.

Feedback on assignments Online community

PEERS

Online discussion using forum/email/chatroom/video conference, etc.

Web-based group projects Online community


Pedagogical ImplicationsPedagogical Implications

ConstructivismConstructivism: process of adjusting our : process of adjusting our own understanding of the world around us own understanding of the world around us through reflection on our experiences.through reflection on our experiences.

ForumForum: : interpreting and analyzing others' interpreting and analyzing others' writings, reflecting on knowledge and writings, reflecting on knowledge and readings.readings.

Developmental theoryDevelopmental theory: students need to : students need to explore, question, and seek out answers for explore, question, and seek out answers for themselves.themselves.

ForumForum:: discussing topics, bringing discussing topics, bringing additional information sources additional information sources



Communities of practiceCommunities of practice: contributing to a : contributing to a community creates the potential for learning.community creates the potential for learning.

ForumForum: : comradeship, community, satisfaction comradeship, community, satisfaction of contributing information, sense of team of contributing information, sense of team sharing.sharing.

Higher-order learning skillsHigher-order learning skills: effective : effective communication, ability to interact effectively, communication, ability to interact effectively, critical thinking.critical thinking.

ForumForum: formulating points-of-view and : formulating points-of-view and presenting facts and opinion clearly. presenting facts and opinion clearly. Interpreting, evaluating, critiquing peers’ Interpreting, evaluating, critiquing peers’ interaction, sharing informationinteraction, sharing information


Collaborative LearningCollaborative Learning: : discussing, discussing, exploring together over a shared exploring together over a shared assignment.assignment.

Asynchronous tools: ForumsAsynchronous tools: Forums Communication and collaboration: Communication and collaboration:

"different time-different place“"different time-different place“ Personal convenience and schedulePersonal convenience and schedule History of interactions = collective History of interactions = collective

knowledge easily shared and distributed. knowledge easily shared and distributed. Time to elaborate answer.Time to elaborate answer.



Be clear about your purposeBe clear about your purpose Reflecting: give guidance as reflective prompt, Reflecting: give guidance as reflective prompt,

structure or questions to answerstructure or questions to answer Be clear about “quantities”Be clear about “quantities” Be clear about length of postBe clear about length of post Be clear about deadlinesBe clear about deadlines Define an “acceptable” responseDefine an “acceptable” response Assign students to act as facilitatorsAssign students to act as facilitators Be aware of timing and pacing of activitiesBe aware of timing and pacing of activities Form teams: SS get more engagedForm teams: SS get more engaged Ask SS to support their opinionsAsk SS to support their opinions Participate in the activityParticipate in the activity Ask for peer grading of postsAsk for peer grading of posts

Motivating Students to Use ForumsMotivating Students to Use Forums

WHY MAY STUDENTS BE RELUCTANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FORUM?


Effective Ideas to Use ForumsEffective Ideas to Use Forums

Creating learning teams: collaborative Creating learning teams: collaborative learninglearning

Appeal to their experiences and ambitionsAppeal to their experiences and ambitionsLet them create some of the topicsLet them create some of the topicsTopics organized around academic themeTopics organized around academic themeDebates: ask SS to post a position, others Debates: ask SS to post a position, others

respondrespondBrainstormingBrainstormingRequire a hand-in assignmentRequire a hand-in assignment


Effective Ideas to Use ForumsEffective Ideas to Use Forums

Post challenging questions relevant to class Post challenging questions relevant to class activities activities

Peer Peer gradinggrading

Create a friendly, social environmentCreate a friendly, social environment Small group discussion, polling activities Small group discussion, polling activities Case studies Case studies Invite visiting experts to add to the Invite visiting experts to add to the

discussion discussion World-wide sharingWorld-wide sharing


BIBLIOGRAPHYBIBLIOGRAPHY 8 Ways to Get Students More Engaged in Online Conferences.

http://resources.blackboard.com/scholar/general/pages/ictraining/Eight_Ways_Engage_Conferences.pdf

Ainslie Ellis, STUDENT-CENTRED COLLABORATIVE LEARNING VIA FACE-TO-FACE AND ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE COMMUNICATION: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Akers, Roger. Web Discussion Forums in Teaching and Learning Avoiding Online Discussion Pitfalls

http://online.sfsu.edu/faculty/pitfall.htm On Purpose Associates. (1996a). Constructivism [On-line]. Available

URL: http://www.Funderstanding.com/constructivism.htm. On Purpose Associates. (1996b). Communities of practice [On-line].

Available URL: http://www.Funderstanding.com/communities.htm. Shea, Virginia, Netiquette. Supporting communities of practice: a survey of community-oriented

technologies. By Etienne Wenger. Self-published report available at www.ewenger.com/tech, 2001.

Swan, Karen. Relationships Between Interactions and Learning In Online Environments

Zane L. Berge, Ph.D. The Role of the Online Instructor/Facilitator

Effective Use Of Forums

Education

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