Assessing & Moderating Discussion Forums
Learning Objective 2
Students will demonstrate their ability to assess posts in the discussion forum by moderating and responding student posts with 90% accuracy according to the rubric. (Bloom level: evaluation)
Resources
Activities & Assessment
Discussion of Assessments & Learning Objective
Moodle Discussion Forum Tool - Uses, Benefits & Challenges in Role of Instructor
Without the opportunity for face-to-face discussions and without facial gestures and body language, an online class could become stagnant and boring. Frequent communication is critical to learning and sustaining an online course and one of the most important tools for interaction between students and between instructor and students is the discussion forum. Students will participate weekly in a discussion forum in their role as students, and create a discussion forum for their courses in their roles as instructors. By responding to others and posing questions, they learn to evaluate what they know and learn and fine-tune their understanding. It is critical for students to participate frequently and thoughtfully in order to grow themselves.
In their roles as instructors, students will need to create stimulating questions and make participation requirements clear for their students to engage meaningfully. Discussions can be limited by the lack of physical presence in a classroom. Creating a stimulating environment helps to overcome that, but it is a challenge.
Students will create a discussion rubric to guide assessment and lay out the criteria of behavior they are seeking as instructors. The rubric must reflect their understanding of the value and importance of using discussions in an online class. The rubric will help them to clarify their expectations and build on previous learning. The rubric cannot guide their students if it is unclear, does not build on previous learning or knowledge, or does not account for a variety of skills and abilities according to Bloom's taxonomy table.
Learning Objective 2
Students will demonstrate their ability to assess posts in the discussion forum by moderating and responding student posts with 90% accuracy according to the rubric. (Bloom level: evaluation)
Resources
- Review sample rubrics online
- Review readings and discuss ways to prompt for learning
Activities & Assessment
- Use the Moodle discussion forum tool to pose a question in the role of "Instructor" for your classmates and moderate the discussion and share your experience on your course blog.
- Create a discussion rubric based on pedagogical standards and upload it to your course
Discussion of Assessments & Learning Objective
Moodle Discussion Forum Tool - Uses, Benefits & Challenges in Role of Instructor
Without the opportunity for face-to-face discussions and without facial gestures and body language, an online class could become stagnant and boring. Frequent communication is critical to learning and sustaining an online course and one of the most important tools for interaction between students and between instructor and students is the discussion forum. Students will participate weekly in a discussion forum in their role as students, and create a discussion forum for their courses in their roles as instructors. By responding to others and posing questions, they learn to evaluate what they know and learn and fine-tune their understanding. It is critical for students to participate frequently and thoughtfully in order to grow themselves.
In their roles as instructors, students will need to create stimulating questions and make participation requirements clear for their students to engage meaningfully. Discussions can be limited by the lack of physical presence in a classroom. Creating a stimulating environment helps to overcome that, but it is a challenge.
Students will create a discussion rubric to guide assessment and lay out the criteria of behavior they are seeking as instructors. The rubric must reflect their understanding of the value and importance of using discussions in an online class. The rubric will help them to clarify their expectations and build on previous learning. The rubric cannot guide their students if it is unclear, does not build on previous learning or knowledge, or does not account for a variety of skills and abilities according to Bloom's taxonomy table.