Engage in meaningful online discussions to improve your
critical thinking skills.
Be polite and use open-ended questions and prompts to
encourage thoughtful and fruitful discussions.
Strive for higher levels of response posts on online discussion boards by analyzing,
synthesizing and stimulating new perspectives.
Global Evangelism assignment instructions video
"The discussions have been helpful." -- José O., Nazarene Bible College
student
A discussion board in an online class is a vehicle for sharing ideas and insights. Sometimes
called forums, these discussion boards are places where students express their views on course
topics as well as respond to what other students have posted.
The ability to share our thoughts and ideas even though we were online made it feel like a "class setting." I love that the instructor helps facilitate this. -- NBC student on end-of-course evaluation
Are you struggling with meeting the expectations for the required online response or
"participation" notes? Here are five levels or categories of online response posts. This list may help
you improve. Use this material as a rubric when writing a response post.
Level 0 - Little is said more than "I agree." Evaluation:Minimal
Level 1 - A post that is mainly information quoted from the textbook or another student's
written work.Evaluation:Acceptable
Level 2 - Ideas from other students' posts and from other sources are connected in ways
going beyond rote responses. Evaluation:Good
Level 3 - At this level, students explain their thinking about what others have written and
even arrive at some generalizing through inductive reasoning. There is a visible line of reasoning
and some use of supporting evidence with sources being cited. Evaluation:Excellent
Level 4 - At this top level, students analyze and synthesize ideas or themes
that have surfaced in other students' submissions. They offer hypotheses and supporting
evidence which, in turn, stimulates others to consider new perspectives. Evaluation:Exceptional
Develop your critical-thinking skills. Make your online response posts be at least
Level 2 quality. Level 3 is even better!
If used correctly, online class forums and discussion boards will help you:
Quality contributions to online discussion threads
With thanks to my Old Testament scholar friend Marty Michelson
Most online classes have a participation or response post requirement. That is not just
another "hoop to jump through." That requirement can be a fruitful part of your learning
journey.
Turn your online studies into true virtual classrooms by having extended conversations about
course content. Try to encourage critical thinking among your classmates. Use the following
suggestions to shape what you write on a discussion board.
General principles for fruitful online discussions
Make questions open-ended rather than simply calling for binary yes/no answers.
Good response posts should grow out of additional thought and research on your part.
Good response posts invite continuing thought and/or additional research by the other students unless they are
summary statements meant to conclude long discussions.
To politely point out apparent flaws in others' thinking indirectly, ask the person to explain further or gently point out "possible" contradictions (perhaps even as a "misunderstanding" on your part).
Good response posts are gracious rather than curt and brittle, even when you strongly
disagree.
Be inquisitive rather than confrontational.
Discussion board prompts
Try calling for a display of thinking or feeling by asking:
To what extent would you agree that ...?
What are some ways ...?
What evidence do you have for ...?
What are your reasons for ...?
How would you answer the objection that ...?
What examples would you cite to support your statement that ...?
What sources would you cite to support your statement that ...?
How do you see your idea about ... working out in ... situation?
How do you feel about ...? [Name something in the readings, current events, or the class
postings.]
What reasons do you have for saying ...?
Why do you agree (or disagree) on that point?
What definition are you using for the term "..." that you just used?
What do you mean by that expression "..."?
How is what you are saying here consistent with what you said before?
Please clarify what you mean by "...".
What are you implying when you say "..."?
It appears that you and ... are contradicting each other. Please expand your remarks to show
how you agree. Or, explain the basis of your disagreement.
It seems to me like you are contradicting yourself on the issue of .... Please explain how you
are able to resolve the tension between ... and
Extending or summarizing statements:
I think I would summarize our discussion here by saying . . ..
Another issue we should discuss here is .... [Now make an opening statement
on that issue.]
Another resource I found helpful on this topic is .... [Now explain why and how it is
helpful.]
What we are discussing here seems to apply to [name some current event in your
church/area/country/world]. [Now state how you see it applying.]
Is the converse of this also true/valid? It seems to me that . ...
Another position with some validity could be . . ..
Calls for clarification
Will someone please help me understand the distinction between ... and ...?
I don't understand what you mean by _______________________. Will you please
explain?
-- Howard Culbertson,
Note: The course web pages on the official NBC site will contain expanded written
instructions for the required response posts.
"I found this class very helpful in helping me gain new knowledge regarding
missions in the Church. Before this class, I had little first-hand experience with much of the information
we discussed. I appreciated the feedback from the various levels of experience of the instructor
and each of my classmates." -- student on the course evaluation"
Afterword
Good online discussion board posts facilitate meaningful conversations and foster the
engagement of other students. Some characteristics of good discussion board response posts
include:
Relevance: Reply posts should directly address a topic or
issue mentioned in the post to which you are responding. Irrelevant contributions can derail
conversations.
Clarity: Clear and concise writing enhances comprehension and ensures that you communicate effectively to other students as well as the instructor.
Substance: Posts should be substantive with insights, opinions, evidence, or questions that add to the discussion and stimulate further dialogue.
Respectfulness: Respectful tone and language are
essential for making the discussion board a safe place for people to express themselves. Students
should express their views respectfully, even when disagreeing with what another person has written.
Engagement: Good response posts encourage further
interaction. They can do this by posing questions, responding to others' comments, or
incorporating links to images, videos, or additional relevant resources.
Critical Thinking: Encouraging critical thinking by
presenting well-reasoned arguments, supporting claims with evidence, and considering
alternative perspectives enriches the discussion and promotes intellectual growth.
Timeliness: Posting in a timely manner ensures that
contributions remain relevant to the ongoing conversation. Responding promptly to others'
comments also signals that you are actively engaged in the course.
Organization: Well-organized posts with clear
structure (e.g., using paragraphs, bullet points, or headings) facilitate readability and
comprehension.
Originality: Providing unique insights or
perspectives encourages diversity of thought and prevents discussions from becoming repetitive
or stale.
Constructive Feedback: Constructive criticism or
feedback should be delivered in a respectful manner. It is never okau to attack anolther student
in an online discussion board.
Acknowledgment of Others: Acknowledging and
building upon others' contributions demonstrates active listening and fosters a sense of
community among class members.
By writing response posts with these characteristics, class membes can contribute to vibrant
and meaningful online discussions that promote learning, collaboration, and the free exchange of
ideas.
What kind of online student are you? Do
others think of you as Busy or Wordy or Disconnected Dan? Do you sometimes come off to
others as Oblivious or Trite-ly or even End-times Edith? [ more
]
