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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