This document discusses using online discussion tools like blogs and wikis to enhance classroom discussion. It provides goals for online discussion, compares different tools, and offers tips for effective facilitation and assessment. Examples of expectations and netiquette guidelines are included. Resources on questioning techniques and rubric examples are also referenced to help guide online discussions.

1. CREATING A BRIDGE BETWEEN
EFFECTIVE DISCUSSION
AND
WEB 2.0 TOOLS
Wendy Grojean
College of Education
IDEAS Room Coordinator
wgrojean@unomaha.edu

2. “Replace a paper and pencil with a laptop and
online discussion and you may find that even the
most reserved students are strong writing
contributors. It is not the student. It is the tool.
Find the right technological tool and writing now
becomes fun, rather than a chore” (Rosen, 2010).

3. GOALS OF ONLINE DISCUSSION
-Add depth to in-class discussion
-Give voice to quiet students
-Engage students throughout reading and writing
process
-Others?

4. ONLINE DISCUSSION TOOLS
Blog
Wiki
Others?

5. GOALS VS. TOOL
-Your goals need to stay at the forefront.
-The tool must not be BIGGER than your goals
-If the tool or assessment is too
complicated, students spend more time navigating
the tool than the content.

6. BLOGS VS. WIKI
Communication & Discussion Body of knowledge
One to many-Teacher control Many to many
Time sensitive & in-the-moment Stable and lasting
News story Encyclopedia

7. GET TO KNOW YOUR TOOLS…
Tumblr
Blogger
Edublogs
GoogleDocs
Wikis-Google Sites & Wikispaces
What have you used?

8. TOOLS & PEDAGOGY
Tools are not effective without good pedagogy.
Eight Tips for Facilitating Effective Online
Discussion Forums

9. EXAMPLES OF EXPECTATIONS
1. The Do’s and Don’t of Online Communication –
Collaborize Classroom
2. The Core Rules of Netiquette-Albion.com
3. Netiquette Guidelines-Paradigm Publishing
4. What expectations do you communicate with
students?

10. GOOD QUESTIONING
-Eliminates plagiarism
-Facilitates good discussion
-Leads to Higher-Order thinking and analysis

11. QUESTIONING RESOURCES
McKenzie “Questioning Tool Kit”
Jamie Mckenzie questioning research article:
"Questioning as Technology”
New Blooms Taxonomy
“Bloom’s Taxonomy Blooms Digitally”
Kathy Schrock’s Bloomin’ Google

12. ASSESSMENT OF DISCUSSIONS
Rubrics
Participation Points
What have you done? What works for you?

13. RUBRIC RESOURCES
Sample Rubric –University of Pittsburgh
Tips and Rubrics-Middle Tennessee State
University
Rubric example-University of Wisconsin-Stout
What type/style of rubrics work for you?

14. REFERENCES
Christopher, M., Thomas, J., & Tallent-Runnels, M. (2004, Spring). Raising the bar:
Encouraging high level thinking in online discussion forums. Roeper
Review, 26(3), 166-171. Retrieved from Teacher Reference Center database.
Discussion board tips and pedagogy [Information Sheet]. (n.d.). Retrieved September 7,
2011, from Middle Tennessee State University website:
http://frank.mtsu.edu/~webctsup/faculty/manual/
WebCT_DiscussionBoard_Tips-Pedagogy.pdf
Frey, B. (n.d.). Rubric for asynchronous discussion participation [Rubric]. Retrieved
September 9, 2011, from http://www.udel.edu/janet/MARC2006/
ric.html
Im, Y., & Lee, O. (2003-2004, Winter). Pedagogical implications of online discussion
for preservice teacher training. Journal of Research Technology in Education,
36(2), 155-170. Retrieved from Teacher Reference Center database.
McKenzie, J. (1997, November/December). A questioning tookit. From Now On: The
Educational Technology Journal, 7(3). Retrieved from http://fno.org/nov97/
toolkit.html
McKenzie, J. (2003, April). Questioning as technology. From Now On: The
Educational Technology Journal. Retrieved from
http://questioning.org/qtech.html

15. REFERENCES (CONT’D)
Nielsen, L. E. (2010). Discussion rubric for online class [Rubric]. Retrieved
September 9, 2011, from University of Wisconsin-Stout website:
www2.uwstout.edu/content/profdev/rubrics/discussionrubric.html
Owens, R. (2009, July 23). Eight tips for facilitating effective online discussion
forums. Faculty Focus. Retrieved from http://www.facultyfocus.com/
articles/asynchronous-learning-and-trends/eight-tips-for-facilitating-
effective-online-discussion-forums/
Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy [Guide]. (n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2011, from
Wayne County Schools website:
http://www.waynecountyschools.org/147210622111220523/lib/
147210622111220523/Revised_Blooms_Info.pdf
Rosen, L. D., Ph.D. (2010). Rewired. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Ross, S. (2011). The core rules of netiquette [Guidelines]. Retrieved September 10,
2011, from Albion website: http://www.albion.com/netiquette/
corerules.html

16. REFERENCES (CONT’D)
Rutkosky, N., & Seguin, D. (n.d.). Following netiquette guidelines [Guidelines].
Retrieved September 7, 2011, from Paradigm Publishing website:
http://www.emcp.com/college_resource_centers/listonline.php?
GroupID=6168
Tucker, C. (n.d.). The do’s and don’ts of online student communication
[Guidelines]. Retrieved September 8, 2011, from Collaborize
Classroom website: www.wecollaborize.com/pdf/student-
communication-online.pdf