This document discusses best practices for facilitating online discussion forums in a hybrid teaching program. It provides tips for establishing expectations and trust in the first week, using flipped classroom videos, asking open-ended and higher-order thinking questions to improve student thinking, being respectful of diversity, and using discussion forums to promote active learning. The document emphasizes understanding adult learners, taking advantage of asynchronous discussions, applying andragogical practices, and continually improving one's own teaching.

1. Enhancing your teaching effectiveness in a hybrid program
FACILITATING THE DISCUSSION FORUM
Greenville College MSMP Faculty Workshop
February 4, 2012

2. FLIPPED CLASSROOM VIDEO

3. FLIPPED CLASSROOM VIDEO
 Did you watch it before you came to class?
 Why?
 What are your thoughts?
 What questions did it raise in your mind?
 Is this an option that you might use in a
hybrid classroom? Face to Face? Online?
Why?
 Is this approach suitable for adult learners?
Why or why not?

4. THE FIRST WEEK
 Trust must be established.
 Be clear about expectations.
 Model what you want students to do.
 Characteristics
 Behavior

5. ADVANTAGES TO ONLINE DISCUSSIONS
 Students in research studies have reported:
 Online discussions can be more reflective.
 Introverted or students who perceive themselves
as “different” usually feel more comfortable in an
online setting.
 Everyone’s voice is heard.
 There is a record of the discussion.

6. ACTIVE LEARNING & TEACHING THROUGH
DISCUSSION FORUMS
 Learning is about catching the concept
 Active Learning includes:
 Concise postings
 Dialogue
 Reflection
 Netiquette
 Discussions connected to lived experiences
 Setting up discussions with good discussion starters
 Continuing discussions with solid questions and
TEACHING

7. IMPROVING YOUR STUDENTS THINKING SKILLS
 Create a safe, trusted environment.
 Use Inquiry format in a community of
practice.
 Provide focus for students to keep to a
particular point or concept.
 Pose higher-order thinking skills to
encourage thinking processes.
 Start where student is (Jesus’ model of
teaching).
 Help student grow by asking questions.

8. PRACTICE
 Open discussion
 Structured topic discussion
 Point/Counterpoint
# of words
 Collaborative Task Discussion

9. GUIDED DISCUSSION
 How do you guide the discussion forums?
 Sentence Openers
 Refocus Questions
 Clarifying Questions
 Verifying Questions
 Narrow Focus Questions
 Supporting Questions

10. DIVERSITY
 Cultural  Race
 Age  Personality
 Gender  Geography

11. PRACTICE
 Re write one of the following discussion
forum questions:
 In your family, describe how the mother and
father are treated differently by the children.
 This is an interesting discussion. You shy people
need to weigh in now.
 What did you learn about systems management
from watching American Idol last night?
 What do the non-Christian’s in our group think of
Christopher Stone’s essay on Generation X?

12. BEST PRACTICES
 Understand your learners.
 Adult learners come with specific challenges
 Use the advantage of asynchronous learning
activities.
 Use solid andragogical learning practices.
 Promote active learning.
 Establish strong trust.
 Be respectful.
 Be a guide in all learning.
 Keep learning yourself.