This section is an important instructor reference. There are several issues that prevent discussions from going smoothly, and they vary from personality issues, to course issues, to time issues. Below is a list of common issues and strategies for dealing with them. Please feel free to suggest additions to my list via the comments section.
Issue #1: Students who are too shy and/or anxious to participate in a discussion.
Just because the discussion board is online rather than in person, and just because it is asynchronous, does not mean it is anonymous. Students are putting themselves out there, and they cannot always go back and edit what they post after submitting it. This can cause a lot of anxiety for some students.
"What if I sound stupid? What if another student argues with me? What if everyone's posts are really long and intelligent? How do I compete with that?"
We need to take our time to ease those students into the process and reassure them that they have significant contributions to make. Using an icebreaker activity at the beginning of the term can help. This gives the students a chance to relax, chat, and get to know each other. The instructor should answer everyone's introductory posts with a positive comment, and welcome them to the class.
Make sure you email all students to alert them to the discussion forum guidelines. The guidelines will include a rubric, so students will know what is expected of them. If shy students have a rubric to follow, it can provide reassurance that they are doing what they're supposed to - using the right number of words, contributing an original idea, and using resources and citations. The guideline will also provide a list of netiquette to follow. In your email, stress that, in order to preserve respect for others and the integrity of the discussions, the rules must be followed.
Palloff and Pratt (2007) offer further strategies. Make personal contact with shy students to reassure them. Make a supportive response to each of their posts until anxiety is reduced. (p. 77). I would also suggest asking some of the more outgoing students to do the same. You want the students to feel reassured, but not patronized.
Issue #2: Students who dominate the discussions.
Some students are very comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions in discussion forums. They may be the first ones to post a thread, and the first ones to respond to others' posts.
How can this be a potential problem?
- They may scare off other students. The discussion forum is an interactive, collaborative learning tool. If one or more students dominate the forum, then it may not feel inviting to others.
"Heather and Bradley contribute so much that I feel like I'm intruding on a private conversation between them."
In the discussion forum guidelines, stress that posts must not exceed a certain length, and that students should not consistently make extra posts in forums. Once in a while, it's exciting when a discussion is so engaging that there is a continuous thread of discussions between students. The idea is not to discourage that, but to recognize it as something special, rather than a regular and forced occurrence.
- They may not have read enough material before making their initial posts. Quality may suffer as a result.
- The issue may be a time factor. Some students want to work ahead as much as possible to stay on top of their school work.
Issue #3: The discussion loses focus, and digresses into something completely different that will not help students meet the learning objectives.
This is where the facilitator steps in. All is takes is a strategically placed question to get the students back on track.
"Helen makes an interesting point, and I like what was said about it by Trevor and Sid. How does it relate to: this week's readings / the initial discussion question / the activities in this module...?"
Unless the topic becomes too social, or negative, or something other than a simple digression from the initial topic, it's important not to negate the discussions. Praise them for their interest and contributions, and post a question to get the initial discussion back on track.
Issue #4: Some students post their initial response at the last minute, or post it late, and are not really involved with the process.
This can be attributed to a variety of reasons. Some students find the discussion requirements too involved. It's different to say a few words in class once in a while than it is to write discussion posts every one to two weeks. Students have to not only complete the readings, but also search for outside resources, organize their ideas, and write a thoughtful and original post. It's like writing a mini term paper.
Let students know why online discussions are important to learning, and how they benefit students by enabling them to become critical thinkers. If they feel overwhelmed, let them begin with fewer requirements until they feel more comfortable with the process. If they get behind, send them a private email and encourage their participation. Let them know they have a valuable contribution to make, and that learning is a group process. They learn from their classmates, and their classmates learn from them.
Other students get consistently behind in their work in an online environment, and may prioritize their other work, leaving discussions for last. Let them know how important it is to stay involved in the current discussions, before other students have moved on. Their contributions, if posted late, may not get to be appreciated or commented on. Remind them that the discussions are really for their benefit.
Other students just don't like discussion boards. They prefer to work through the course alone, at their own pace, and don't feel the need to discuss the material with their classmates. It can be difficult to get these students to see the value in using discussion forums for themselves. Challenge them to get involved by making them a discussion facilitator one week. Vary the discussion activities; give students a role-playing exercise one week, and let them interview a subject matter expert the next. Let other discussions evolve around real-life issues that students can identify with.
Issue #5: Sometimes the majority of students do not participate in the discussions.
This may be an issue with the structure and requirements of the discussions. Conduct online research to find strategies and activities for facilitating effective online discussions. Know your facilitator role and evaluate whether or not that role is working. Be flexible, and ask the students for their input. Ask them to complete an anonymous survey so that you can find out what works and what needs to be improved.
It may just be that particular group of students. What doesn't work for one class might work for another. Formative evaluation of how instructors run the discussion boards will help the instructor be most effective.
If a discussion is lagging, raise questions from the students' posts. Ask them to clarify, explain, and elaborate. Ask students to evaluate each other's posts. Have students role-play and take a side they would normally disagree with. A discussion can be relevant and informative, but fun and engaging at the same time.
Issue #6: Inappropriate communication.
This does happen sometimes. Often the nature of the subject will spark an argument between two opposing sides, both of whom feel strongly that they are right. To each person, it may be a question of morality, and there is no way they can see another person's viewpoint. It's a matter of black and white, right or wrong.
This is a great opportunity to intervene with a discussion thread about what it means to be a collaborative learning community.
Example Discussion Question
We come to the classroom with previous knowledge, not as "blank slates." This knowledge is influenced by a variety of factors: background, culture, gender, upbringing, experience...what else? What has influenced your knowledge in relation to this class?
With a social constructivist approach to learning, we are a community that learns through collaboration of our ideas and research. We construct new knowledge together. What are some ways we can achieve this when our previous knowledge comes into conflict? How do we reconcile conflicting views?
You may not get the students in conflict to respect each other's ideas, but you can allow everyone to learn from it. In the meantime, refer students to the discussion forum guidelines and netiquette, and send private emails to the students to let them know you will not tolerate disrespect in the forums.
Issue #7: Students are participating in the discussions, but the posts often do not adhere to the guidelines. They are poorly organized and do not synthesize information in a meaningful way.
This may be a problem of poor organization and information overload. In larger classes, students may find it overwhelming to keep up with not only their discussion posts, but with reading and responding to others. It may take them a while to complete the readings, and by the time they are ready to post their initial thread, they see at least ten posts have already been made. It can be hard to keep up.
Palloff and Pratt (2007) offer excellent suggestions for managing time and organizing discussion activities.
- Log on just to read what is newly posted. Print out messages you want to respond to or read later at your leisure.
- Log off to spend time reflecting on what you have read and compose your own comments.
- Compose your comments in a word processor. Log back on only to post your response.
The idea is to manage the work in chunks so it doesn't feel overwhelming. With the readings, it is helpful for the instructor to highlight exactly what students should read before making their initial posts. Then, students can decide upon other resources they want to use.
Issue #8: Misconceptions about tone and meaning.
It is very easy to misunderstand others' intent when you cannot see their facial expression and hear the tone of their voice. Fortunately, this is a problem that can deterred by asking students to make it clear when they are joking (posting an emoticon, stating "ha ha, kidding", etc.); when they are being sarcastic, etc. It may seem obvious sometimes, but it is wise to play it safe and make your meaning clear.
References
Palloff, Rena M., Pratt, Keith. (2007). Building Online Learning Communities: Effective
Strategies for the Virtual Classroom. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
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