Facilitating Class Discussions Online 

Discussion boards/forums are commonly used in online courses as a space for students and the instructor to discuss course topics and build understanding, to develop community, to clarify points of confusion, to share ideas and work, and to develop critical thinking and writing skills. 

In addition to being a question-and-answer platform, instructional discussion boards can be used to conduct a variety of learning activities (e.g. debates, role plays, jigsaw/think-pair-share activities, presentations, etc.). The use of the discussion board learning activity should align with the course/unit learning objectives, content and assessments (TeacherStream, 2009; Wiggins & McTighe, 1998); in other words, the activities should be used to help meet the goals of the course. 

Model the behavior you want to see

• Use the language, tone and types of contributions you wish to see from your students 

Provide examples of good responses

• choose ones that differ in terms of layout and style. 
• this will show students the quality you are expecting

Ask complex questions and promote scholarly tension

• Asking hard questions will help you see what areas your students understand and where they may need help 
• You can follow up to student responses by asking them something like: "How would scholar X respond and why?"

Reference other students or previous posts

• Chime into the conversation and comment on something a student has said—it demonstrates you are reading and paying attention to them You can use questions such as: “Can you say more about...?”, “How might someone from this vantage point respond, and why?”, “What helped you reach this conclusion?”, and “what are the problems associated with this approach?”

Give timely feedback and follow feedback with questions

• You are an authority on this subject matter. If your feedback comments are only statements, students will find it hard to respond.

Write Effective Questions

Generating a valuable discussion begins with developing effective questions that are interesting and encourage critical thinking. Davis (1993) provides a comprehensive list outlining the different types of questions and their purposes (adapted from TeacherStream, 2009). These can help you plan and expand the types of questions you are asking, as well as align your learning objectives and questioning techniques. 

• Exploratory: probe facts & basic knowledge
• Challenge: interrogate assumptions, conclusions or interpretations
• Relational: ask for comparisons of themes, ideas, or issues
• Diagnostic: probe motives or causes
• Action: call for a conclusion or action
• Cause & Effect: ask for causal relationships between ideas, actions or events
• Extension: expand the discussion
• Hypothetical: pose a change in the facts or issues
• Priority: seek to identify the most important issues
• Summary: elicit synthesis

Encourage Participation

Contributing to class discussions will be easy for some students and challenging/intimidating for others. Students are more likely to participate in discussions when a supportive classroom environment has been established. To help create a positive class atmosphere and encourage an active discussion, you can:

• Use inclusive and varied question types
• Provide constructive feedback 
• Ask students to incorporate ideas and experience from their lives

Follow up with inactive students

If a student has been inactive on discussion boards/other class activities, it makes sense to reach out to them directly. There are a variety of reasons someone might not be participating, so reach out sooner rather than later to find out.

Consider Grading Discussions

You can also consider grading students on their participation in the class discussions. If you choose to do this, make sure you are clear in directions and expectations of students. You can use a rubric (ACUE, 2020) to help you articulate those expectations. 

Manage Large Groups

Facilitating discussions among larger classes (more than 30 students) can be logistically challenging, as it can be hard for everyone’s voice to be heard and responded to. Here are some general guidelines and strategies for leading discussions in larger classes:  

• Break students into discussion groups
• Give space for student-led discussions
• Appoint discussion moderators to facilitate and report discussion progress
• Provide clear instructions and clarify expectations
• Use summary posts instead of responding to every post
• If you have TA’s, they can also respond, redirect and engage in facilitating discussions 

Review your Netiquette Guidelines

Before asking students to participate in the first discussion board activity, you may want to take the time to review your netiquette guidelines—as stated in your syllabus. We cannot assume that learners know what appropriate behavior, language, and commentary looks like an online class, as compared to other online social interactions.

References & Resources

ACUE (Association of College and University Educators). (2020). Use Discussion Forum Rubrics.

Carnegie Mellon University, Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation. (n.d.) Discussions.  

Davis, B. G. (1993). Tools for Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Teacherstream LLC. (2010). Mastering online discussion board facilitation. 

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development