Strategies for Engaging Discussions
Strategies for Engaging Discussions
Engagement and Re-engagement
Edelstein and Edwards (2002) suggested that “One of the chief tenets for a successful and engaging online course is the development of an effective system that provides ongoing student interaction” (para. 1). Furthermore, these authors reminded online instructors that if students are expected to participate in the discussion while completing simultaneous assignments or collaborative projects there are risks of taxing the ability of students to manage their time effectively (para. 8). A student enrolled in multiple online courses with such expectations may find engaging and excelling a practical impossibility!
Murhead (2002) emphasized that beyond strong organization for learning events that simultaneously allows learner-centered choice in activities, online instructors need to “cultivate their online communication skills to effectively create a learning climate that is compatible with a diversity of students” (Suggestions for enhancing online interaction section, para. 1). And, beyond effective communication for engagement, Smith (2002) emphasized that learner-centered “discussions ultimately create an environment in which a learning community can develop and grow” (para. 8). More recent research has only confirmed these recommendations.
Example Strategies
- Acknowledge a group of responses by naming more than one.
For example, “Joe, James, and Sally together provided us with a great summary of most key points! Would anyone else like to add to their list?”
- Re-engage using follow-up questions to move the discussion forward.
Tip: Keep a list of focus and follow-up questions from term to term.
- Invite students to summarize the discussion or parts of it to provide a motivation for participation and attention to the discussion.
- Design questions to stimulate thinking and move students toward higher-level thinking.
- Avoid posting responses that signal an end to a line of thought of an entire discussion.
- Use small groups for discussions where posts of each group are available to the entire class. (Fischer, Reiss, & Young, 2005).
- Reply to discussions with more questions than statements or include a guiding statement of where the conversation can go next.
- Discussion summaries are wonderful tools for helping students organize material, but an effective practice for engagement is to end with a further question or directions to the next discussion or incorporate questions within the summary.
- Incorporate visual images and multimedia to move away from purely text-based discussions and avoid monotony in content type (Fischer, Reiss, & Young, 2005).
- Avoid using any language or tone that would appear to put students down or set a negative tone.
- Compliment learners, but not so excessively as to seem gratuitous and acknowledge their posts specifically to motivate more participation.
For example, too many “Good job” style comments become meaningless unless qualifying explanation of what was good and how to continue the discussion are included as well.
- Developing a structure to discussions, or heuristic for promoting engagement:
Quoted directly from Fischer, Reiss, and Young (2005):
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.
Additional post: Summarize all the messages from your group and analyze for primary points, similarities and differences, and other observations about the group’s thinking.
Additional post: For a subsequent post, respond to one or more classmates from a different group than the one you have been participating in.
References
- Edelstein, S., & Edwards, J. (2002, Spring). If you build it, they will come: Building learning communities through threaded discussion. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, V(I).
- Fischer, K., Reiss, D., & Young, A. (2005, August 15). Ten tips for generating engaged online discussions.
- Murhead, B. (2002, July). Promoting online interaction in today’s colleges and universities. USDLA, 16(7).
- Smith, T. (2002, November/December). Asynchronous discussion. Pointers & Clickers.