WHAT IS A THREADED DISCUSSION?A “threaded discussion” in an online course is where the instructor poses a question to the class in a “discussion forum,” and students respond. Think of it like an on-campus seminar where twenty or thirty of us are sitting in a circle. I lecture and then ask a question, and people jump in with responses. More people speak, now responding to others’ comments.

I interject from time to time (but not dominating the discussion or responding to every person’s comments) in order to add information, redirect the conversation, ask another challenging question, or (if everyone seems to be agreeing) arguing an alternative viewpoint (being a “devil’s advocate”). Students then respond to my new comments, and to one another when someone makes a statement about something that they agree or disagree with.

A threaded discussion at its best is a lively, engaging online conversation. But it’s all up to the students. The more you engage one another and the more times you post, the better the discussion.

At its worst, a threaded discussion isn’t a seminar discussion at all, but just a series of student posts responding to the instructor’s initial question or lecture. Again, imagine a classroom seminar where we’re sitting in a circle. I lecture, then ask a challenging question. Each student that responds looks only at me, and responds only to me. No one who speaks reacts to what other students have said. And when I ask another question or make a new comment, everyone ignores me and just keeps responding to my original question at the beginning of class. Wouldn’t that be incredibly boring and a poor learning experience?

A positive example of a seminar-type online discussion Here is an example of a discussion forum where the students are responding to each other’s posts and to my posts. The discussion mirrors that of a classroom seminar. We are engaged in a lively discussion with one another, which enhances students’ learning and makes for a livelier and more interesting course.

DISCUSSION QUESTION 12A: SEXUAL HARASSMENT (16 replies)

[pitzam01@ipfw.edu ] Evelyns Bad day

[cox3 ] 12A

[cox3 ] 12A (1 reply)

[eschildr] RE: 12A

[lomthomp ] response 12A (1 reply)

[eschildr] RE: response 12A (1 reply)

[lomthomp] RE: RE: response 12A (1 reply)

[tabouche] RE: RE: RE: response 12A (1 reply)

[lomthomp] RE: RE: RE: RE: response 12A (1 reply)

[tabouche] RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: response 12A (1 reply)

[tabouche] RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: response 12A (1 reply)

[lomthomp] RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: response 12A

[marie2 ] 12A (1 reply)

[marie2] RE: 12A

[eddoll ] 12A: Sexual Harassment (3 replies)

[srgreen] RE: 12A: Sexual Harassment (2 replies)

[eschildr] RE: RE: 12A: Sexual Harassment

[pitzam01@ipfw.edu] RE: RE: 12A: Sexual Harassment (3 replies)

[eschildr] RE: RE: RE: 12A: Sexual Harassment (1 reply)

[tabouche] RE: RE: RE: RE: 12A: Sexual Harassment (1 reply)

[sashby] INSTRUCTOR: To file a grievance, or not to file a grievance? Is that the question? (2 replies)

[remason] RE: INSTRUCTOR:  To file a grievance, or not to file a grievance?  Is that the question?

[tabouche] RE: INSTRUCTOR:  To file a grievance, or not to file a grievance?  Is that the question? (1 reply)

[pitzam01@ipfw.edu] RE: RE: INSTRUCTOR:  To file a grievance, or not to file a grievance?  Is that the question? (2 replies)

An example of a discussion forum where students don’t engage one anotherHere is an example of a discussion forum where most students are not responding to each other’s posts or to my posts. The students are only responding to the forum topic I posed. They are not engaging me or each other in a discussion. Students are instead treating the forum like it is a homework assignment. The amount of learning that goes on is much less than in the previous example, and the course is much less engaging and enjoyable for everyone.

FORUM 1B: IMAGES OF UNIONS (39 replies)

[vvibbert ] associations...

[aoriley ] "labor union"

[nstrong ] Positive and negative images of labor unions (1 reply)

[sashby] INSTRUCTOR: Union dues

[amuth ] union images (1 reply)

[sashby] INSTRUCTOR: More on Wal-Mart

[vbpatel ] labor union

[amuth ] additional comment (1 reply)

[sashby] INSTRUCTOR: But whose fault is it? (1 reply)

[kvrobins] RE: INSTRUCTOR: But whose fault is it?

[mab2 ] My images

[jwmccrac ] My two cents...

[dgress ] Union Image (1 reply)

[sashby] INSTRUCTOR: Corruption (1 reply)

[cstuarti] RE: INSTRUCTOR:  Corruption

[sbweintr ] Positives/Negatives

[ggoldste ] Images of Unions

[junderda ] week 1

[fbearsch ] Labor Unions

[sgarvin ] Labor Unions

[slsherma ] labor union

[mabsmith ] Labor Union

[npj ] labor unions (1 reply)

[npj] RE: labor unions (1 reply)

[junderda] RE: RE: labor unions

[merkmorr ] Labor Union (1 reply)

[jhardyii] RE: Labor Union

[eastout ] positive/negative

[mhlamper ] 'Labor Unions'

[ekraszyk ] View on Unions

[sashby ] INSTRUCTOR: Is being noisy a bad thing?

[sashby ] INSTRUCTOR: How does the media depict unions?