Since I had agreed to contribute only after at least one student had responded, I found myself having to write very little, as most of the previous responders had worked out the correct answers. Additionally, it took me a minimal amount of time to weigh in on students’ questions in the online discussion. Since I had urged students to post questions to the forum before emailing me, I received very few emails and requests for meetings in the days before the exam. Offering students a structured opportunity to communicate with each other ended up saving me substantial time during the days preceding the final exam. One student remarked, “It was also awesome because you really do learn the material through teaching it to someone else.” How did using an online discussion benefit you as a GSI? The collective intelligence from the forum made many terms much more understandable.” Additionally, several students commented that it was helpful to explain concepts to others. For example, one student remarked: “It was helpful to read many interpretations of definitions. I was glad to see students reporting that it helped them to read through a variety of viewpoints on the different questions. After the final exam I asked for brief feedback from students using an online survey tool. How did using an online discussion benefit your students?ĭuring the first semester that I conducted an online discussion, I was particularly interested in determining whether students felt that it was helpful.
After I emailed the instructions we briefly talked about the forum in class. I emailed students a set of instructions to let them know how they could access the discussion and what kind of interactions I expected them to have there. How did you prepare students to participate in an online discussion? This activity would also have another desired benefit - it would help students to practice writing and explaining concepts prior to doing so on the exam. By using an online discussion, I hoped to encourage collaboration and to give students a structured opportunity to work together to find the answers to questions that they were having difficulty with. I was also fairly certain that my students could be effective in teaching each other and answering one another’s questions I wanted them to depend more on each other and less on me in the time leading up to the exam. First, I knew that I would not have enough time to answer all of my students’ questions around exam time as I was preparing for my own qualifying exams during the same semester. I had a few reasons for my decision to use the forum in this way. I also agreed to weigh in on student comments after each question had received at least one response from another student. For the purpose of reviewing for the exam students posted questions they had about course material, and other students answered them in the online forum. I used a discussion forum to offer students a structured opportunity to interact with each other online around exam time. Tips for Creating an Active Discussion Forum that Benefits Student Learning GSI Example: Online Discussion Forum Assignment Why and how did you use an online discussion forum? Why Do Some Online Discussions Fall Flat? GSI Example: Online Discussion Forum Assignment The following suggestions and example of a well-structured discussion forum activity may help you design a better learning experience for your students. What went wrong? What steps can you take to make an online discussion forum a more effective learning tool for your students? If they are well-structured, online discussions can be an effective way to bolster student learning outside of class however, GSIs often find that students’ entries do not reflect strong engagement. Online forums can be used for many purposes, such as helping students to review material prior to an assignment or exam, engaging students in discussion of course material before coming to class, and reflecting on material that they have read or worked with outside of class.
FORUM DE DISCUSSIONS PROFESSIONAL
Faculty Advisers for GSI Affairs & Professional Developers of GSIs.Support for Pedagogy Courses for First-Time GSIs.Language & Teaching Resources for International GSIs.Campus Resources for Teaching & Learning.Fostering Your Professional Development.Academic Misconduct: Cheating, Plagiarism, & Other Forms.Teaching Conference for First-Time GSIs.
0 kommentar(er)
