Top Ten List of Things To Remember About Electronic Discussions

Olivia Cousins
Sharona Levy
Jane Paznik-Bondarin

June 4, 2002

10. Respond to Every post in the opening (or “welcome”) board, and “call” each student by name.

9. Set Guidelines for what is acceptable tone and language. Posts should be focused on the issues, respectful of readers’ feelings and intellects, and academically responsible. Posts should bear their author’s name unless there’s a pedagogical reason for anonymity.

8. be clear that posting “counts,” what it counts for, and how much it counts, and which posts count and don’t count.

7. Present Model posts and responses, and allow students to analyze their suitability.

6.Students should have printed copies of guidelines/directions at least till they get used to class procedures.

5. teach students to “collect” and print discussions. They form part of the “text” of the class.

4. Know when to take a more or less active role in a discussion.

3. Learn what to ask and how to ask it. draft questions or prompts in different ways before you post them.

2. Have strategies for jump-starting and/or refocusing discussions.

1. Pay attention. “read” your students.