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U N I V E R S I T Y O F P I T T S B U R G H |
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A newsletter devoted to the support of teaching and learning at the University of Pittsburgh |
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U N I V E R S I T Y O F P I T T S B U R G H |
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A newsletter devoted to the support of teaching and learning at the University of Pittsburgh |
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Online discussions engage all students
Marah Gubar, English, supplements in-class discussions with Blackboard course management system’s asynchronous threaded discussions in her literature classes. Before implementing online discussions, Gubar had found that shyness, lack of preparation, or lack of time made many students reluctant to participate in class. Online discussions have enabled Gubar to require each student to contribute each week. She divides the class into two groups, with alternating responsibilities of posting questions or answers each week. Students must read what others have posted because they are not permitted to duplicate questions or answers that have already been submitted. If they agree with a peer’s comment, they must expand upon it, or give new evidence for it. In the sense of motivating students to keep up with assignments, Gubar compares online discussions to weekly quizzes, with the advantage of being “easier to grade and much more effective in making students do the reading.” The discussion board demands extensive time on task from students; therefore, Gubar has made it a significant part of their course grade, cutting back on other assignments. Furthermore, online discussions improve in-class discussions by making Gubar aware of topics that interest students and key points they are overlooking. As a result, she can touch upon overlooked key points in subsequent classes. “A great thing about using the discussion board is that, because everyone is required to post, I get a sense of what’s going on in the minds of those who tend to be silent in class,” comments Gubar. At the same time, it is a way to get quiet students to speak in class. She often alludes to an insightful online comment and asks the author to summarize it in class. An invitation to share something they have already contributed online helps to dispel a common fear of speaking up in class. !
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A newsletter devoted to the support of teaching and learning at the University of Pittsburgh |
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