Subject: Re: [IFETS-DISCUSS] Online Discussion and Participation
From: Frances Bell (F.Bell@SALFORD.AC.UK)
Date: Mon 09 Jun 2003 - 09:44:16 MEST
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2003 08:44:16 +0100 From: Frances Bell <F.Bell@SALFORD.AC.UK> Subject: Re: [IFETS-DISCUSS] Online Discussion and Participation
Kaylyn wrote
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Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2003 00:24:13 -0700
From: Kaylyn Anderson <tech-write@PRODIGY.NET>
Subject: Online Discussion and Participation
I read Frances' response to the level of participation. I question the
phrase that writers are stating, "listening is participating." If
listening, or online discussions (reading) is participative, how can the
educator/facilitator grade the level of reading without active participation
in the class? How can we evaluate and measure without seeing a visible
outcome? Perhaps, their future postings show the effects of reading, which
would be a viable answer. In this, I can concede the original statement.
In my online courses, the learners must not only post their discussions to
the week's readings, they must also conduct internet research, do outside
reading, and cite sources, so as not only to carry the discussion further,
but also that they may develop their synthesis and integration. They must
also contribute to others' postings - responding to a minimum of two others
per instructor's posted questions.
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I guess that I should have written "listening is a aspect of participation".
Assessment is used for all sorts of reasons, to determine an award or
progression, to give feedback to students, to encourage them to undertake an
activity, etc., any of which could apply to the assessment of online
discussion. Personally, I do not believe that everything can or should be
assessed, and that part of the skill of a teacher/tutor is to encourage
behaviours that will lead to rich learning (now and in the future). I (like
many tutors and students) am still trying to learn how to operate
effectively in the online classroom - reflective practice is useful here.
I use criterion graded assessment for one specified discussion out of the
many offered online during the module/course. Some of the criteria are
expressed quantitatively e.g. number of times discussion is checked, but the
most important ones are qualitative and rely on someone's (in this case
mine) interpretation of the posting(s). After an exchange with Gaby
Pretorius on ITFORUM last year, I now include a criterion on collaboration/
facilitation to encourage inclusive discussion.
Frances Bell,
Course Director, MSc Information Systems,
Information Systems Institute,
University of Salford
http://www.isi.salford.ac.uk/staff/fb/
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