A Few Best Practices
No Duh Recommendations RE: Constructing Questions
- Ask good questions
- Analysis “Why…” “How would you explain…” “What is the importance of…” “What is the meaning of…”
- Compare and contrast…
- Cause and effect
- Clarification
- Avoid bad questions
- Simple yes/no
- Elliptical “What do you think about…” “What about this thing?”
- Leading (gives expected or desired answer)
- Slanted (closes down students who may not agree with the implied assumption) “Why are these people so terrible?”
Requirements to enhance critical engagement and collaborative learning
- Discussion participation is required (main and peer responses)
- Define/explain/discuss expectations
- Word count (250 word minimum per question?)
- Expected conduct
- Acceptable work
- Participation requirements
- Articulated an anticipated format
- Set the stage for both main posts and peer responses, for example:
- First post: Respond to the reading or assigned topic with specific reference to the reading. Include a brief summary, select a specific focus or point, develop that point with explanations and examples, and invite commentary from classmates about a particular concern, not the whole post, ending with an invitation or question.
- Second post: Read all the posts in your group and then respond to the first post of a classmate who has not yet received a reply. Include specific reference to the main idea of the classmate’s post and to the assigned reading or topic, expand on the classmate’s ideas with additional information or ideas or offer an alternative viewpoint on the topic and support your position with references to the reading or posts by other group members. Perhaps raise questions and speculate further on the topic.
- Third post: Respond to the person who answered your first post with appreciation for their response and an explanation of ways their message increased your own understanding or stimulated your thinking. Remember your audience is a specific individual plus your whole class.
- Fourth post: Summarize all the messages from your group and analyze for primary points, similarities and differences, and other observations about the group’s thinking.
- Fifth post: Respond to one or more classmates from a different group than the one you have been participating in.
OR
- First post: Respond to the reading or assigned topic with specific reference to the reading. Include a brief summary, select a specific focus or point, develop that point with explanations and examples, and invite commentary from classmates about a specific part of your post. End with an invitation or question.
- Second post: Read all the posts in your group then respond to the first post of a classmate who has not yet received a reply. Include specific reference to the main idea of the classmate’s post and to the assigned reading or topic, expand on the classmate’s ideas with additional information or ideas or offer an alternative viewpoint on the topic and support your position with references to the reading or posts by other group members.
- Third post: Respond to the person who answered your first post with appreciation for their response and an explanation of ways their message increased your own understanding or stimulated your thinking. Remember your audience is that individual as well as the rest of the class.
http://wordsworth2.net/activelearning/ecacdiscustips.htm Links to an external site.
Make Evaluation Clear and Engaging
- Make your expectations for evaluation very clear
- Explain your evaluation expectations and criteria (video/text)
- Employ a standard rubric for evaluation
- Include all criteria used for evaluation
- Discuss the rubric with your students – make sure they understand the rubric and related criteria
- Periodically revisit the rubric for clarity.
- Have students respond to their graded discussion
- Offer students a chance to respond to one or more graded discussion post/set of responses
- Require them to reflect on their original post, the instructions given, the rubric, and any other feedback you’ve given.