Optimizing the Use of Discussion Board Forums Jim Flowers & Sam Cotton Department of Technology

Optimizing the Use of Optimizing the Use of Discussion Board ForumsDiscussion Board Forums

Jim Flowers & Sam CottonJim Flowers & Sam CottonDepartment of TechnologyDepartment of Technology

http://jcflowers1.iweb.bsu.edu/pres/BbForums.ppthttp://jcflowers1.iweb.bsu.edu/pres/BbForums.ppt

Agenda: Discussion Board ForumsAgenda: Discussion Board Forums

Organizing options for Organizing options for forumsforums

Setup OptionsSetup Options

Strategies & TipsStrategies & Tips

Research ResultsResearch Results

AssessmentAssessment

Blackboard 7?Blackboard 7?

Discussion Board ForumsDiscussion Board Forums

Private for those in Bb Private for those in Bb coursecourse

Mostly text-basedMostly text-based

AsynchronousAsynchronous

ThreadedThreaded

MonitoredMonitored

Can include Can include attachmentsattachments

Who here uses a Bb forum?Who here uses a Bb forum?

Purposes of ForumsPurposes of Forums

Social (ice-breakers, community-building)Social (ice-breakers, community-building)

Managerial or organizationalManagerial or organizational

Providing instructionProviding instruction

Submitting results of activitiesSubmitting results of activities

Class discussion activitiesClass discussion activities

TeamworkTeamwork

OtherOther

Type of ClassType of Class

OnlineOnline

Face-to-Face (F2F), Technology-aided)Face-to-Face (F2F), Technology-aided)

Hybrid or Blended (of online and F2F)Hybrid or Blended (of online and F2F)

Non-class situationsNon-class situations

Required or Optional Participation?Required or Optional Participation?

RequiredRequired– Assessment vehicleAssessment vehicle– Promotes participationPromotes participation– OtherOther

OptionalOptional– To reduce stress and promote authentic To reduce stress and promote authentic

interaction or creative thoughtinteraction or creative thought– For optional material (remedial or enriching)For optional material (remedial or enriching)– For social reasonsFor social reasons

Bb 6 Forum SetupBb 6 Forum Setup

Quantity of forums and participants?Quantity of forums and participants?

Location or OrderLocation or Order

Class or GroupClass or Group

Title, Number, and DescriptionTitle, Number, and Description

InstructionsInstructions

Starter Thread(s)Starter Thread(s)

Forum SettingsForum Settings

Advanced Tools for StudentsAdvanced Tools for Students

Entering HTML code into a messageEntering HTML code into a message

Personalizing postsPersonalizing posts

Quoting in a replyQuoting in a reply

Always changing the subject lineAlways changing the subject line

Viewing options, expanding threads, and Viewing options, expanding threads, and collecting multiple messagescollecting multiple messages

Options for InstructorsOptions for Instructors

Tools & Strategies for Tools & Strategies for InstructorsInstructors

Planning discussion topics (checklist)Planning discussion topics (checklist)

Avoiding overwhelming the discussionAvoiding overwhelming the discussion

Responding to a thread vs. postResponding to a thread vs. post

Viewing multiple messagesViewing multiple messages

Grading by collecting selected messages Grading by collecting selected messages

Macro to convert contentMacro to convert content– Http://jcflowers1.iweb.bsu.edu/bbconvert.docHttp://jcflowers1.iweb.bsu.edu/bbconvert.doc

Try this:Try this:

Initiating Messages from Cited Initiating Messages from Cited SourcesSources

Ask them to post a problem or issue based Ask them to post a problem or issue based on literature they have reviewed.on literature they have reviewed.

DebatesDebates

““Will You Play a Question Game?”Will You Play a Question Game?”

RolesRoles

Be a historical Be a historical figurefigure

Organizational Organizational rolesroles

Cognitive rolesCognitive roles

Cooperative Cooperative teamsteams

Local Research ResultsLocal Research Results

Cooperative vs. collaborativeCooperative vs. collaborative– Rose, M.A. (2004). Comparing productive online dialogue in two group styles: Rose, M.A. (2004). Comparing productive online dialogue in two group styles:

Cooperative and collaborative. Cooperative and collaborative. The American Journal of Distance Education, 18The American Journal of Distance Education, 18(2), 73-88.(2), 73-88. Available online from Available online from Lawrence Erlbaum Associates OnlineLawrence Erlbaum Associates Online at at http://http://www.leaonline.comwww.leaonline.com//

Cognitive Role AssignmentCognitive Role Assignment– Rose, M.A. & Flowers, J. (2003). Assigning learning roles to promote critical Rose, M.A. & Flowers, J. (2003). Assigning learning roles to promote critical

discussions during problem-based learning. Paper presented at the 19th Annual discussions during problem-based learning. Paper presented at the 19th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning, Madison, WI. Retrieved July 7, Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning, Madison, WI. Retrieved July 7, 2004, from 2004, from http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/Resource_library/proceedings/03_73.pdfhttp://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/Resource_library/proceedings/03_73.pdf

Methods of AssessmentMethods of Assessment

Who performs the assessment?Who performs the assessment?

QuantitativeQuantitative– QuantityQuantity– FrequencyFrequency

QualitativeQualitative

Rubric / Criteria for discussions, e.g.:Rubric / Criteria for discussions, e.g.:– http://scotton.iweb.bsu.edu/Tutorials/DiscRubric.htmhttp://scotton.iweb.bsu.edu/Tutorials/DiscRubric.htm

Category 1: QuestionsCategory 1: Questions

Posing a question relative to the current Posing a question relative to the current topic that will further the person's topic that will further the person's understanding or ability to apply skills to understanding or ability to apply skills to the assignment, if answered. the assignment, if answered. – Must be related to current topic.Must be related to current topic.– 1 Point per question. 1 Point per question. – ((Note:Note:  Multiple questions in a single post  Multiple questions in a single post

count as one item.) count as one item.)

Category 2: InformationCategory 2: Information

Offering an unsolicited observation, piece Offering an unsolicited observation, piece of advice, pertinent past experience, or of advice, pertinent past experience, or other helpful information that could benefit other helpful information that could benefit other participants. (Requires some depth other participants. (Requires some depth of thought, normally requiring three or of thought, normally requiring three or more sentences.) more sentences.) – Must be related to current topic.Must be related to current topic.– 1 Point per item. 1 Point per item. – Note: Note:  Items of less than 3 sentences will  Items of less than 3 sentences will

normally achieve normally achieve 0.50.5 (1/2) point. (1/2) point.

Category 3: Simple ResponseCategory 3: Simple Response

Responding or reacting to another Responding or reacting to another participants question or statement and participants question or statement and offering useful information directly related offering useful information directly related to the question posed.  Useful but brief to the question posed.  Useful but brief response of three (3) to seven (7) response of three (3) to seven (7) sentences. sentences. – Must be related to current topic.Must be related to current topic.– 1 Point per item. 1 Point per item. – Note: Note:  Items of less than 3 sentences will  Items of less than 3 sentences will

normally achieve normally achieve 0.50.5 (1/2) point. (1/2) point.

Category 4: In-Depth ResponseCategory 4: In-Depth Response

Responding or reacting to another participants Responding or reacting to another participants question or statement and offering useful question or statement and offering useful information directly related to the question information directly related to the question posed.  Useful in depth response normally of posed.  Useful in depth response normally of eight (8)or more non-repetitive complex eight (8)or more non-repetitive complex sentences.  (Sentences of only a few words do sentences.  (Sentences of only a few words do not apply in most counts.) not apply in most counts.) – Must be related to current topic.Must be related to current topic.– 2 Points per item. 2 Points per item.

More Local Research Results:More Local Research Results:

What about student self-assessment?What about student self-assessment?– Flowers, J., & Cotton, S. (In Press.) Impacts of Student categorization of Flowers, J., & Cotton, S. (In Press.) Impacts of Student categorization of

their online discussion contributions. their online discussion contributions. American J. of Distance Education, American J. of Distance Education, 2222(2). (2).

Some Changes to Forums in Bb 7 Some Changes to Forums in Bb 7

Instructor’s Manual from Blackboard.com:Instructor’s Manual from Blackboard.com:– https://behind.blackboard.com/s/faculty/refcenhttps://behind.blackboard.com/s/faculty/refcen

ter/docs/details.Bb?DocumentIDter/docs/details.Bb?DocumentID=1660&ProductID=10000&DocumentType=ID=1660&ProductID=10000&DocumentType=ID

Copying ForumsCopying Forums

““The process of creating a clone of a forum or the forum settings in the same discussion board or in another discussion board in the same course or organization.” ” (p. 162)(p. 162)

Thread StatusThread Status

Published: A published thread is available to users.Locked: Users may read the thread but not make any additions or modifications. Locking a thread allows Grades to be assigned without users updating or changing posts.Unlocked: Unlocking a thread allows users to modify and add to the thread.Hidden: Hidden threads do not display unless the user chooses. Hidden threads may not be modified. Hidden threads may not be modified. Hiding threads removes outdated threads and makes relevant content easier to find.Unavailable: Unavailable threads are only visible to forum managers. Even then, forum managers must choose to view these threads. Making threads unavailable means that users can no longer view the thread.” (p. 163)

“The Forum Manager can change the status of a thread to one of the following:

Searching & CollectingSearching & Collecting““A search function appears at the top of the page throughout the Discussion Board. The search includes a keyword field, date restrictions, and options for where to search.” (p. 163)” (p. 163)

Rating PostsRating Posts

For “Peer Review”For “Peer Review”

For other purposesFor other purposes

““Users can respond to a post using a 5-star rating system.” (p. ” (p. 170)170)

Averages are Averages are displayed.displayed.

SubscribeSubscribe

““Receive an email alert when a post is updated or a user posts a reply.” (p. 165)” (p. 165)

Moderate Posts (optionally)Moderate Posts (optionally)

““Moderating posts requires that all posts are reviewed by a responsible party before the content is shared with the class.” (p. ” (p. 171)171)

The “Moderator” may be a different The “Moderator” may be a different individual than the “Manager” (instructor), individual than the “Manager” (instructor), or the “Grader.”or the “Grader.”

Grading Forums and ThreadsGrading Forums and Threads

““The Instructor has the option to grade Students at the forum level or at the thread level.” (p. 168)” (p. 168)

New Forum SettingsNew Forum Settings

Publish Now, or Save UnpublishedPublish Now, or Save Unpublished

““A post that has been saved for future editing” ” (p. 162) but not yet published.(p. 162) but not yet published.

View Expanded StatisticsView Expanded Statistics

““Total Posts

Date of Last Post

Average Post Length (number of characters)

Minimum Post Length (number of characters)

Maximum Post Length (number of characters)

Average Post Position

Grade (if the post is not yet graded, the instructor may click a link to the Gradebook to add a grade)” (p. 176)” (p. 176)

Instructor ArchivingInstructor Archiving

“Archive Course creates a permanent record of a course including all the content and user interactions. Archived courses are saved as .zip files. Archiving a course does not remove it from the system.” (p. 217)

Conclusions:Conclusions:Evaluate and ImproveEvaluate and Improve

Try out new featuresTry out new features

Collect forumsCollect forums– Analyze what students say and don’t sayAnalyze what students say and don’t say– Analyze instructor’s habitsAnalyze instructor’s habits– Create learning objects from frequently Create learning objects from frequently

posted instructor commentsposted instructor comments– Conduct research?Conduct research?

Optimizing the Use of Optimizing the Use of Discussion Board ForumsDiscussion Board Forums

Jim Flowers & Sam CottonJim Flowers & Sam CottonDepartment of TechnologyDepartment of Technology

http://jcflowers1.iweb.bsu.edu/pres/BbForums.ppthttp://jcflowers1.iweb.bsu.edu/pres/BbForums.ppt