Dorothy P. Fuller, Ed.D. Black Hills State University
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Dorothy P. Fuller, Ed.D. Black Hills State University From Chit-Chat to Discourse: Improving Online Discussion
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Dorothy P. Fuller, Ed.D. Black Hills State University. From Chit-Chat to Discourse: Improving Online Discussion. Common Uses of Discussion. Check for regular attendance Check for keeping up with content Develop a learning community Develop higher order thinking skills - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Dorothy P. Fuller, Ed.D. Black Hills State University
Dorothy P. Fuller, Ed.D.
Black Hills State University
From Chit-Chat to Discourse: Improving Online Discussion
Common Uses of Discussion
• Check for regular attendance
• Check for keeping up with content
• Develop a learning community
• Develop higher order thinking skills
• Support group projects
• Q & A sessions
My Goals
• Expand and strengthen a fledgling learning community
• Develop higher order thinking skills
• Encourage regular self-evaluation of work
• Encourage peer-to-peer idea exchange
Course & Participants
• Graduate level course in educational technology integration
• 21 participants, all K-12 teachers, 9 males, 12 females
• From 4 states, 2 time zones
• Discussion grading periods 2 – 3 weeks long, depending on unit structure
Tools
• LMS asynchronous discussion tool with specific topics related to unit assignments
• Peer Rating System within the LMS discussion tool
• Reflective assignments
First Unit Assignment
• Identify personal learning goals
• Get comfortable with discussion environment and structure
• Common subject – identify current issues in their schools and their own research interests
• Post and respond to multiple messages
End of First Unit Assignment
• Review all unit discussion postings• Identify those that were helpful or not
helpful for personal learning • Identify common traits of messages in
both categories• Share, compare & rate traits of
effective and ineffective posting traits• Agree on a 5-star rating system
5-Star Rating System
★★★★★ = Extended knowledge through supported analysis or evaluation, clear and organized narrative of application, or provision of additional quality resources
5-Star Rating System
★★★★ = provided unsupported analysis beyond peer experience and opinion, examples of application more general in tone, less organized
★★★ = provided general applications that merely reinforced others’ contributions
5-Star Rating System
★★ = “Me too” statements with unfounded or unsupported generalizations
= “I agree/disagree” statements only; applause statements only
= rude, sarcastic, demeaning
Next Unit Assignment
• Discussion rating system turned on
• Participants posted according to discussion assignments
• Participants encouraged to rate peer postings according to established star system
Next End of Unit Assignment
• Participants rated their own postings according to star system
• Compared their own ratings to average message ratings by peers
• Addressed any discrepancies between self & peer ratings
Reflective Analysis
• Writers encouraged to analyze postings that were consistently rated 5 stars by peers
• Compare their own posting characteristics with those
• Identify ways to improve postings
• Set personal goal for improving postings in next unit
Results
By end of course
• Quality of postings improved for all participants
• By end of course gap between personal ratings and peer ratings had decreased
• Effective for both over-raters and under-raters
Next Step
• Follow participants over the next year in 2 additional courses to see if improvements continue.
For More Information
Contact:Dorothy Fuller
Black Hills State University
1200 University St., Unit 9116
Spearfish, SD 57799-9116
(605) 642-6887
