Background #
Since students and instructors in online courses are often geographically separated and never see each other in person, online discussions commonly play a key role in allowing participant interaction, allowing participants to express themselves, and helping to develop the course learning community. Online discussions are a great way for students and instructors to interact with each other. Online discussions provide the medium by which online learners and teachers can collaborate, share ideas, learn from each other’s personal experiences, and build life-long relationships.
When you participate in an online discussion, as a student or as an instructor, you should attempt to immerse yourself in the discussion. Online discussions are analogous to interactions that occur in lectures, labs, and discussions in traditional brick and mortar classrooms. Online discussions depend on all participants actively engaging, providing their best input, sharing their ideas and thoughts, and interacting with each other.
General Discussion Guidelines #
Overview of requirements #
- Participate regularly. You should participate in the discussion several times throughout the activity and you should monitor the discussion. Think of the discussion as an opportunity to learn and to connect your peers, not as an assignment.
- Focus on one main point. Each post should address one point, it should not be a reply to the entire discussion. If you have multiple points, they should appear in multiple posts.
- Move the conversation forward. Don’t just respond to, agree with, or disagree with someone else’s post, but add to the conversation. Can you add a new idea? Can you ask a question? Can you make a meaningful statement? Can you provide a new resource (website, article, book, etc.)?
- Provide evidence. Reference course materials, articles, books, etc. that support your thoughts.
Basic discussion grading guidelines #
- 0%: Incomplete: no post
- 25%: Unsatisfactory: A very short post such as, “I agree”, “I disagree”, or “Good job”.
- 50%: Minimal: A minimal post that contains some brief feedback or a brief explanation.
- 75%: Good: A meaningful post that contains feedback and an explanation/reasoning for the feedback. The post contains few or no grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.
- 100%: Exemplary: A thorough, well-constructed post that contains feedback, explanation/reasoning, and references course content/materials. The post is very well written with no or few grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.
Conduct/Netiquette #
When you participate in an online discussion, or any part of an online course for that matter, you should behave the same way you would in any face-to-face course or setting.
Basic Guidelines #
- Be polite
- Be respectful
- If you are going to disagree with somebody, do it in a professional and adult manner.
- Fully explain your thoughts and ideas
- Express yourself
- Complete your posts several days before the due date so others have time to respond.
Netiquette #
Netiquette is a set of rules for behaving properly online. Your instructor and fellow students wish to foster a safe online learning environment. All opinions and experiences, no matter how different or controversial they may be perceived, must be respected in the tolerant spirit of academic discourse. You are encouraged to comment, question, or critique an idea but you are not to attack an individual. Working as a community of learners, we can build a polite and respectful course community.
The following netiquette tips will enhance the learning experience for everyone in the course:
● Do not dominate any discussion.
● Give other students the opportunity to join in the discussion.
● Do not use offensive language. Present ideas appropriately.
● Be cautious in using Internet language. For example, do not capitalize all letters since this suggests shouting.
● Popular emoticons such as ☺ or / can be helpful to convey your tone but do not overdo or overuse them.
● Avoid using vernacular and/or slang language. This could possibly lead to misinterpretation.
● Never make fun of someone’s ability to read or write.
● Share tips with other students.
● Keep an “open-mind” and be willing to express even your minority opinion. Minority opinions have to be respected.
● Think and edit before you push the “Send” button.
● Do not hesitate to ask for feedback.
● Using humor is acceptable.
Adapted from:
Mintu-Wimsatt, A., Kernek, C., & Lozada, H. R. (2010). Netiquette: Make it part of your syllabus. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 6(1). Retrieved from http://jolt.merlot.org/vol6no1/mintu-wimsatt_0310.htm
Shea, V. (1994). Netiquette. Albion.com. Retrieved from: http://www.albion.com/netiquette/book/.
