Discussion Forums: What Are They Really All About?

The most common assignments students find in online courses are the discussion forums.  The same is true at Georgia Military College’s Online Campus.  In most of the courses we offer, there are two discussion forum assignments per week.  The courses that carry 3 quarter hours usually include just one per week.  It is not uncommon to find students asking why there are so many of these types of assignments in our courses, as well as in courses delivered via other online programs. It is not an unfair question.

Discussion forums can be used for a number of reasons. First, it is important to realize that online courses generally only include interaction between students in chat/discussion board formats.  While technology has improved to allow for the interaction of students via web-video and with apps such as Skype, students usually only “virtually see” one another in the chat and discussion boards. So, this assignment is used to simulate the classroom interaction that one would customarily get in an on-ground or face-to-face course.  Second, the forums are designed to foster what their names imply-discussion.  Discussion and debate are centerpieces of a good course. Having students ponder and debate questions or ideas is not only healthy for a good learning environment, it inspires critical thinking and analysis.  There will always be assignments like reading check quizzes, map quizzes, and other assessments that just measure how well you have memorized and studied the information in front of you.  These forums allow for students to interact with each other to explore concepts, facts, theories and ideas. They also allow students to ask relevant questions, propose different solutions, and disagree with commonly held beliefs. One of my favorite classroom discussions in one of the online courses I took at the doctoral level was “Are students inclined to cheat if given the chance?”  The responses from various instructors in the course from around the country were surprising and varied. Interestingly, it turned in to quite a debate that went on even longer than the professor required.  Thirdly, the discussion forums can also serve as a way to teach writing and argumentative skills.  Students are served well if they are able to take a forum prompt, research the answer/find evidence, be taught how to use credible sources to find the answer/evidence, and present a logical, well-written argument in defense of their position using the evidence and answers they have found.  These are all skills that are important in the work-force and essential for college success.

So what advice might I have for students as they seek to get the most out of their discussion forum assignments? The first bit of advice would be to take the assignment seriously. Don’t cut corners or run through it too quickly. Think about the question or idea being discussed and debated. Ask questions of your fellow classmates and the instructor.  Use the librarysources to research the question/idea and provide legitimate evidence and responses. Use these forums to hone your writing and argumentation skills.  Interact as much as possible, and engage your classmates. Encourage them to get more involved in the discussion. This helps foster a better classroom encounter and gives more opportunities for everyone to learn. 

Dean Jeffery Wells