Last February while attending the ITC (Instructional Technology Council) in St. Petersburg, Florida, I sat in on a break-out session with a presenter who claimed that the Discussion Forum is the heart-and-soul of an online class. As soon as he said that, I knew I was on-board with this educator!
The Forum provides the actual interface that enhances communication not only between instructor and student, but also among all the students. Without the connection afforded by the forum, the class would be reminiscent of a sterile correspondence course.
In a face-to-face (f2f) classroom, what are some of the ways that faculty would meet the needs of the students? Many classroom instructors use the Socratic method of teaching instead of a monologue of lecture that many of us were subjected to. In the Socratic method, the focus is on guiding the student through learning by posing questions that stimulate a student’s natural desire to learn.
How do you mimic the Socratic Method in an online forum? I feel it’s actually easier. A facilitator can think about the best way to word a forum thread in just the right way to elicit substantive posts from her students. The important thing to remember is that you want your students to say something more than a one-word answer. Picture the following two questions and determine which might evoke a one-word answer and which might evoke a lively discussion:
- “Do you believe in global warming?”
- “How might global warming change the life of your children and grandchildren?”
Which do you think will elicit a rousing discussion?
Remember that the Discussion Forum is a way to build COMMUNITY in the classroom. In a community, we belong. A community is active and alive and thriving. Our online classrooms can be also!
[...] lately regarding the techniques she uses to engage students in her online classes. In her post on Engaging Students in Online Classes, she points out the importance of asking good questions that make students “want” to [...]
In most cases any question that elicits a one word answer is not an effective question. Use a question that will promote an engaging response.
[...] lately regarding the techniques she uses to engage students in her online classes. In her post on Engaging Students in Online Classes, she points out the importance of asking good questions that make students “want” to [...]
I find that some still feel lost in discussion. I try and make sure to at least comment on one or two posts with the comment (paraphrased) “THIS is exactly what I am looking for in this discussion.” After this post, the rest of the class seems to really jump in and the actual “discussion” begins.
Eric, thanks for posting. I’m finding, more and more, the value of “leaders” in the class. It’s good to be alert in the first couple of days in the online class, who will be the leader and is willing to participate. It seems the shyer students are much more willing to follow another student than to follow the Instructor. I sometimes even send a “private” message or note of thanks to the student who seems willing to lead. This helps in keeping them posting and thus makes it easier for other students to follow suit.