The Discussion Board should encourage frank and insightful dialogue. Diversity has many manifestations including diversity of thought, opinion and values. All learners should be respectful of that diversity and refrain from inappropriate commentary. Comments on the discussion board should be guided by common sense and basic etiquette. The following are good guidelines to follow:
- Never post, transmit, promote, or distribute content that is known to be illegal.
- Avoid overtly harassing or embarrassing fellow learners. If you disagree with someone, respond to the subject, not the person.
- Refrain from transmitting or distributing content that is harmful, abusive, racially or ethnically offensive, or vulgar.
Below is a scoring standard
you might wish to consider in posting points for student responses.
It is provided to be a guideline to help you rather than a rule you
must follow.
| Threaded Discussion Responses | |||||
| Adequately answered the discussion question | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Were consistently coherent, cohesive, and clear | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Demonstrated mastery of the subject matter covered by the question | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Generally exhibited correct and appropriate grammar, punctuation, spelling, syntax, and word usage | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Total Points = 20 | |||||
| Please note: at the end of that particular week’s topic, no new posts should be submitted. However, members may access previous threads throughout the term of the course. | |||||
Scoring Standard
You must achieve a rating of at least “3” on each criterion
to demonstrate competence in posting responses to unit discussion questions.
Rating Scale
5: Responses exceeded criterion
4: Responses met criterion
3: Responses met criterion at a basic level of skill
2: Responses did not meet criterion
1: Responses were missing, incomplete, or incorrect
How often should I jump into the conversation?
As you might guess, there are a number of schools of thought on this one. Some think that it is the role of the professor just to be a bystander to the conversation. Others will try to post a response to each of the posts from the students. Research has shown that neither of these approaches produces very good results. In the first case, the students don't think the professor is reading anything, and don't take the posting seriously. In the second, the professor appears to be taking control of the discussion rather than letting the students explore the topic.
Some place in the middle of these two extremes is probably a good compromise. A comment now and then will let them know you are reading the materials, and helping guide the discussion. This is especially helpful if the conversation takes a direction that is off the subject of the class. The students need to know you are there, you are reading the materials, and you are guiding the discussion. This will take time and practice, so be patient.
