Strengths:
Using a threaded discussion allows discussions to continue
for extended periods of time in an organized manner. Students
can look up material and have it handy in formulating postings,
allowing the postings to be well thought out and of significant
value.
When the instructor sets the expectation of other students
responding to questions or difficulties, the students assume
responsibility for actively learning the material. They are
not observers but participants in a quest for understanding
course materials. The Instructor enters into the discussion
when asked a direct question, when necessary to correct the
direction of the forum, when students become involved in arguments
that have left the intellectual arena, and at other times when
the Instructor deems appropriate.
Students decide what they need to discuss and highlight in
the lesson materials. This relieves the Instructor of the necessity
of trying to establish a list of topics that needs to be covered.
I have had classes that did not mention some of the lesson
materials within the forums but did very well on the exam questions
related to those course materials. Students generally have a
good idea of what needs to be discussed and learned. This empowers
the student and gets them thinking about what they need to learn.
It becomes active learning instead of passive learning.
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