Boost Engagement:

Include Academic Content In Your Online

Discussions

byFred Feldon

January 2015

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Why are Discussion Boards so important?

Why bother?

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Discussion should be “the heart” of an

online (or face-to-face) class!

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Keeps students engaged

One Week of a Student’s Electrodermal Activity (EDA)

Poh, Swenson & Picard, 2010 http://affect.media.mit.edu/pdfs/10.Poh-etal-TBME-EDA-tests.pdf

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Students take an activerole in their learning, which

increases success and retention

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Anonymity and forethought encourages participation

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Builds skills in communicating mathematically

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

“There must be far less telling on the part of the

teacher, and far more doing on the part of the student.” Jean Piaget

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Creates a sense of community

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Duplicates the interaction that normally takes place in a classroom

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Builds technical skills

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Prepares students for “real life”

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

So, let’s get to it!

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

• Use a scanner to capture yourhandwriting

• Use your Cell Phone to take a picture• Use the Print Screen button• Use the Symbols pull-down menu• Use the Insert Media button• Use the Equation Editor

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

• Use a scanner to capture yourhandwriting

• Use your Cell Phone to take a picture• Use the Print Screen button• Use the Symbols pull-down menu• Use the Insert Media button• Use the Equation Editor

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

• Use a scanner to capture yourhandwriting

• Use your Cell Phone to take a picture• Use the Print Screen button• Use the Symbols pull-down menu• Use the Insert Media button• Use the Equation Editor

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

• Use a scanner to capture yourhandwriting

• Use your Cell Phone to take a picture• Use the Print Screen button• Use the Symbols pull-down menu• Use the Insert Media button• Use the Equation Editor

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards“Insert Symbol”

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

• Use a scanner to capture yourhandwriting

• Use your Cell Phone to take a picture• Use the Print Screen button• Use the Symbols pull-down menu• Use the Insert Media button• Use the Equation Editor

Screen Capture

Software

Screen Capture

Software

http://www.techsmith.com/jing

Add “Embed HTML” Button to Jing

Add “Embed HTML” Button to Jing

Add “Embed HTML” Button to Jing

Add “Embed HTML” Button to Jing

Add “Embed HTML” Button to Jing

Add “Embed HTML” Button

to Jing

Add “Embed HTML” Button

to Jing

Add “Embed HTML” Button

to Jing

Capturing the

Embed Code

Capturing the

Embed Code

Capturing the

Embed Code

Capturing the

Embed Code

Capturing the

Embed Code

Pasting the Embed Code

Pasting the Embed Code(New Design 2012+)

Pasting the Embed Code

Pasting the Embed Code

Warning: Your screen may look different if Pearson updates the Discussion Board program…

“Insert Media”

Pasting the Embed Code

Pasting the Embed Code

Pasting the Embed Code

Pasting the Embed Code

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

• Use a scanner to capture yourhandwriting

• Use your Cell Phone to take a picture• Use the Print Screen button• Use the Symbols pull-down menu• Use the Insert Media button• Use the Equation Editor

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards“Math Equation Editor”

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards“Math Equation Editor”

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

..

A picture’s worth a

thousandwords!

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

• Use a scanner to capture yourhandwriting

• Use your Cell Phone to take a picture• Use the Print Screen button• Use the Symbols pull-down menu• Use the Insert Media button• Use the Equation Editor

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Closing thoughts (for professors)…

• Create a warm and welcoming atmosphere that integrates studentssocially and academically into the course

• Allow enough wait time to ensure peer interaction and student self-discovery

• Avoid omniscient overbearing or evaluative posts that inhibit futureparticipation

• Start a new conversation when one is stale or there’s a period of silence(Add a relevant link to a current event, for example, post a funny comicor an extra credit puzzle or problem)

• Model the behavior you are trying to elicit from students• If the discussion board is boring for you, it will definitely be boring for

your students!• Sustained interaction becomes a rich environment for critical thinking to

flourish

Academic Content in

Discussion BoardsClosing thoughts (for students)…

• Check the discussion board every time you log on to the course website; itshould be the first thing you do, the first place you go, before you doanything else

• Read every new message before you post one; your question may havealready been asked and answered

• Learn how to get your academic content (your solution to a problem, forexample, or a question from the online homework) on the screen withthe print screen button, screen capture software, a webcam, a camera, yourcell phone camera, a printer/scanner, etc.

• Learn how to add arrows, boxes, text, highlighting, etc. to your image• There is no “silly question.” What’s silly is not asking a question. The professor

and your fellow students will all appreciate it and learn something from it, guaranteed!

• If someone answers your question be sure to thank them then “close theloop” by saying you got it or ask for more help if you need it and continue the discussion

Academic Content in

Discussion Boards

Closing thought (for everyone)…

Discussion forum dialogue has the potential to be the most valuable learning opportunity in the online

environment!

Thank You

ffeldon@coastline.edu

This presentation is available to download at

http://www.slideshare.net/ffeldon