Discussion Guidelines

There are a number of discussion activities in this course. The guidelines below will help you make the most out of these activities and explain how I will assess your discussion participation.

Comment Quantity, Distribution, and Length

In order to produce interesting and impactful discussions in an online environment, please follow these guidelines for each discussion activity.

Quantity

Post at least [x] total comments throughout the week.

Distribution

Post your first comment at least 2-3 days before the assignment due date. This gives everyone enough time to reply.
Distribute your comments throughout the week. This means that each of your comments should be posted on a different day.

Length

Your comments should be between one and [x] paragraphs, which is enough room to make one or two main points. Remember, these are discussion comments, not mini-essays.

Analysis and Application

The point of our discussions is to engage deeply with the module materials and concepts. Most of your comments should connect to the course readings and videos or related outside sources that you have found.

No matter if you are taking an 'initial stab' at the prompt or responding to classmates’ comments, your posted messages should be significant, helping the discussion move forward. There are a variety of ways to do this, including:

Providing concrete examples from your own work, life, or academic experience.
Reflecting on a shift in your attitude about a topic.
Describing possible consequences or implications.
Persuading others that your argument is justified.
Describing a significant discovery you have made.
Challenging something that has been posted in the discussion (i.e., 'devil’s advocate').
Posing a clarifying question.
Suggesting a different perspective or interpretation.
Connecting the discussion to content from other modules and even other courses.
Pulling related information from other sources—books, articles, websites, other courses, etc.

Quick Tips

ADD SOMETHING TO THE CONVERSATION. Don't just repeat what someone has said. Extend the conversation. Challenge ideas in a positive manner.
RESPOND EARLY. Commenting or responding to a discussion prompt first is not a contest, but doing so may help those who struggle to add to the conversation early.
YOU CAN DISAGREE WITHOUT BEING DISAGREEABLE. It's all right to challenge ideas.
ASK QUESTIONS. It's not just about answering questions but raising new ideas that could take the form of questions.

What to Avoid

Simple “I agree” or “Good job” statements alone. These don't count as comments.
Overly long comments. Keep in mind everyone is busy, so get to the point!
Off-topic comments.
Anything that could be interpreted as offensive by a fellow classmate including off-color humor and language. At all times maintain courtesy and respect towards the other members of the class.

Netiquette Guidelines

Please Be Respectful

To promote the highest degree of education possible, we ask each student to respect the opinions and thoughts of other students and be courteous in the way that you choose to express yourself. Students should be respectful and considerate of all opinions.

In order for us to have meaningful discussions, we must learn to genuinely try to understand what others are saying and be open-minded about others’ opinions. If you want to persuade someone to see things differently, it is much more effective to do so in a polite, non-threatening way rather than to do so antagonistically. Everyone has insights to offer based on his/her experiences, and we can all learn from each other. Civility is essential.

Emails should be composed as if you were writing a respectful letter to the head of your organization, which means it should be in proper expository format.

What Happens in the Online Classroom...

Throughout the course, we will be exploring ideas and trying things that may not ultimately work. In order to make this a safe space for students to take risks and learn from one another in the wake of inevitable missteps, we ask that students refrain from publicly re-posting any comments that have been shared in this online course.

Communication

Use accurate spelling and grammar in all discussion boards and assignments. An effective communicator must be able to write well. Points will be deducted for typos and inaccurate grammar. Text speak (e.g., acronyms, shorthand phrases, numbers as words) are unacceptable.
Discussion boards are conversational. Students are encouraged to use a conversational tone and convey personality on discussion boards. This means the use of colloquial language is acceptable, as well as (limited) cliche or buzzword phrases. Emoticons, if warranted to convey tone, can be acceptable depending on the situation. This is about helping you get to know your fellow students so that you feel more comfortable expressing your thoughts openly. Think of discussion boards as a meeting with your co-workers.
Your assignments are assumed to be instructor-ready. While the discussion boards are conversational, your assignments are not. Avoid informal tone or word used in your written assignments and presentations.